US Powerball jackpot climbs to $1bn for second time in 2025

The United States Powerball lottery jackpot has surged to $1 billion for the second time in 2025, making Saturday night’s draw one of the largest lottery prizes ever, NBC News reported on Friday.

Lottery officials said winners would have the option of a lump-sum cash payout of $457.7 million before taxes, instead of the annuity spread over several decades. If claimed, the jackpot would rank as the seventh-largest in Powerball history.

According to NBC News, the jackpot has continued to roll over after 41 consecutive draws without a winner, matching the longest winless streak in the game’s history. A similar run ended in April 2024, when a ticket sold in Oregon secured a $1.3 billion prize.

The jackpot had earlier crossed the $1 billion mark on September 6, when a $1.787 billion prize was shared by winning tickets sold in Missouri and Texas. That draw produced the second-largest Powerball jackpot on record, behind the $2.04 billion prize won in November 2022 — the biggest lottery jackpot ever recorded worldwide.

Powerball tickets cost $2 and are available for purchase in 45 US states, as well as Washington, DC, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

Officials say the odds of winning the top prize stand at about one in 292.2 million.