WASHINGTON, USA — It's another Powerball drawing without a big winner, as Wednesday's $559 million jackpot remained unclaimed.
Without the grand prize being claimed, the jackpot grew to an estimated $600 million ahead of Saturday's drawing. The lump sum offering for that prize is now $293.4 million.
Although nobody won the biggest prize on offer, several people did wake up Thursday as new millionaires. Tickets in New York and Texas matched all five white ball numbers, earning their owners a cool $1 million. An additional ticket sold in Georgia matched all five, but selected the more expensive "Power Play" ticket, doubling the prize to $2 million.
Winning Powerball numbers for Wednesday, March 13, 2024
The winning numbers were 21-29-54-59-62, Powerball 4 and Power Play 2X.
If a winner matches all five numbers and the Powerball, they have the option to take the full jackpot paid out over 30 years, or a smaller cash payout. Winners almost always take 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. Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
When is the Powerball drawing?
The Powerball drawing takes place live at 10:59 p.m. Eastern every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Tickets, which cost $2 per play, are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
What are my chances of winning the Powerball?
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are one in 292.2 million.
Over the past few years, huge lottery jackpots have become more common as lottery officials have changed the rules and ticket prices to boost top prizes.
Powerball's biggest change came in 2021 when officials decided to add a Monday drawing to its weekly lineup of Wednesday and Saturday evening drawings. At the time of the announcement, Powerball proclaimed the addition of the Monday drawing would lead to "larger, faster-growing jackpots."
What are the largest Powerball jackpots?
- $2.04 billion – Nov. 7, 2022 – CA
- $1.76 billion – Oct. 11, 2023
- $1.586 billion – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN
- $1.08 billion – July 19, 2023 – CA
- $848.4 million - Jan. 1, 2024 - MI
- $768.4 million– March 27, 2019 – WI
- $758.7 million– Aug. 23, 2017 – MA
- $754.6 million– Feb. 6, 2023 - WA
- $731.1 million – Jan. 20, 2021 – MD
- $699.8 million – Oct. 4, 2021 – CA
What are the largest US lottery jackpots ever won?
- $2.04 billion: Powerball - Nov. 7, 2022 – CA
- $1.76 billion – Oct. 11, 2023
- $1.586 billion: Powerball – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN
- $1.58 billion: Mega Millions – Aug. 8, 2023 – FL
- $1.537 billion: Mega Millions – Oct. 23, 2018 - SC
- $1.35 billion: Mega Millions - Jan. 13, 2023 - ME
- $1.337 billion: Mega Millions - July 29, 2022 - IL
- $1.08 billion: Powerball – July 19, 2023 – CA
- $1.05 billion: Mega Millions - Jan. 22, 2021 - MI
- $848.4 million: Powerball - Jan. 1, 2024 - MI