The jackpot has climbed steadily after more than 40 consecutive drawings without anyone matching all six numbers.
WASHINGTON — The Powerball jackpot is nearing record territory, soaring to $1.7 billion after nobody won the grand prize on Wednesday night.
Wednesday’s drawing had an estimated jackpot of $1.4 billion, with a cash option of $654.3 million. Although the grand prize went unclaimed, over a dozen people became millionaires by matching all five white balls.
Winning tickets that claimed $1 million in Wednesday’s drawing were sold in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, with two winners each in California and Georgia.
Four additional tickets, sold in Michigan, Oregon, Texas and Wyoming, each won $2 million after selecting the Power Play option.
The Powerball jackpot is currently the third-largest in the game’s history, as there have been more than 40 consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner.
Overwhelming demand crashed the Powerball website around the time of the drawing on Wednesday.
No one has won the grand prize since May 31.
Winning Powerball Numbers for Wednesday, September 3, 2025
Wednesday’s winning numbers were 3-16-29-61-69 and Powerball 22. The Power Play multiplier was 2x.
Players matching all five numbers and the Powerball have the choice of receiving the full jackpot spread over 30 annual payments or opting for a reduced cash payout. Most winners select the cash option.
Even with the smaller lump sum payout, federal taxes will eat into those winnings, and some states also tax big lottery prizes.
What are the odds of winning the Powerball?
The odds of hitting the Powerball jackpot stand at one in 292.2 million. The chance of matching all five white balls to win $1 million is 1 in 11,688,053. However, the general odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.87.
When is the Powerball drawing?
The Powerball drawing happens live at 10:59 p.m. ET on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Priced at $2 each, tickets are available in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
What are the largest Powerball jackpots?
The top 6 largest Powerball wins have all surpassed $1 billion. Powerball lottery games have potentially huge jackpots because they are played in multiple states.
- $2.04 Billion – Nov. 7, 2022 – CA
- $1.765 Billion – Oct. 11, 2023 – CA
- $1.70 Billion (estimated) – Sept. 6, 2025
- $1.586 Billion – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN
- $1.326 Billion – April 6, 2024 – OR
- $1.08 Billion – July 19, 2023 – CA
- $842.4 Million – January 1, 2024 – MI
- $768.4 Million – March 27, 2019 – WI
- $758.7 Million – Aug. 23, 2017 – MA
- $754.6 Million – Feb. 6, 2023 – WA
