Wednesday night's jackpot was estimated at $490 million, and the cash option was worth $355.1 million. Sadly no one won the huge sum, but there were other winners who took home major prizes.
Did Anyone Win the Powerball?
The numbers from Wednesday night's draw were 20-40-47-55-63, with a Powerball of 05 and a Power Play of 3x.
Though the Power Play didn't affect the grand prize, as no one won it, it did make a second prize winner very happy indeed.
There were three second prize winners on Wednesday, with two taking home $1 million and another winning $2 million thanks to the Power Play.
The three winners were all in the East, with winners from Florida, Maryland and Pennsylvania taking home the second prize.
There were 26 winners from all over the country taking home the third prize, which was either $50,000 or $150,000 with the Power Play.
The next draw will be an even bigger one, currently estimated at $523 million with a cash value of $379 million.
The last person to win the Powerball grand prize was back in May, when a jackpot of $286 million was won by a ticket holder in Jacksonville, Florida.
Before that, a winner took home $238 million in March, and another took home a huge amount in January, winning the fourth-largest jackpot in the game's history.
That winner received a $730 million jackpot, though January was a bumper month for winners, as after the big prize was won, another person won the reset jackpot of $20 million.
Impact of COVID
During the COVID pandemic, the reset jackpot has been cut in half, meaning it goes down to $20 million after a win rather than the usual $40 million.
The smallest amount that can be won is $4, after which it is $7 and $100.
This amount can be multiplied if the Power Play is used, meaning if it is Power Play 10x you could win $40, $70 or $1,000 with only a few matches.
The top three prizes are $50,000, $1 million and the jackpot, but the Power Play only affects the second and third prizes.
The third prize can be multiplied up to $500,000, while the second prize can be a maximum $2 million, despite the Power Play number.
Remember to play the lottery responsibly and never spend more than you can afford.
Contact the National Council on Problem Gambling via its 24-hour confidential national helpline by calling or texting 1-800-522-4700 or chatting at ncpgambling.org/chat for guidance.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
