The Powerball grand prize continues its upward climb after the latest drawing on Saturday, Sept. 12, concluded with no players matching the full slate of winning numbers. Lottery officials confirmed that the multi-state lottery's top prize has rolled over once again, giving hopeful ticket holders across the country another opportunity at a life-changing windfall in the upcoming drawing.
During the Saturday night selection, the white balls drawn were 14, 16, 23, 58, and 69, with the red Powerball landing on 3. Because nobody held a ticket containing all six digits to claim the advertised $232 million prize, the top bounty has been augmented for the next event in the regular rotation.
The jackpot for the next drawing, scheduled for Monday, Sept. 14, is now estimated at an impressive $251 million. For winners who choose to take their winnings as a single, lump-sum payout rather than an annuity distributed over several decades, the estimated cash value stands at approximately $106.6 million before mandatory federal and state tax withholdings.
While the nationwide top prize remained untouched over the weekend, lottery participants still found reasons to celebrate down the prize tier ladder. In California alone, the state lottery reported that players turned in a total of 75,334 winning tickets of various prize values following Saturday's drawing.
Among the fortunate ticket holders in California were three individuals who matched enough numbers to secure substantial secondary prizes of $22,683 each. State lottery representatives encouraged all participants to carefully inspect their paper slips or mobile scans, as many secondary prizes go unclaimed when players realize they missed out on the premier jackpot.
Lottery enthusiasts are also keeping a close watch on the other major multi-state game, Mega Millions. Following its own recent drawing without a grand prize winner, the Mega Millions jackpot has advanced to an estimated $227 million for Tuesday night's event, offering an immediate cash alternative of $96.3 million. The simultaneous growth of both major drawings continues to drive engagement at retail counters nationwide.
For those looking to test their luck in Powerball, tickets remain priced at $2 per play. The game follows a strict schedule with drawings held three times each week—specifically every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday evening at roughly 7:59 p.m. Pacific Time (10:59 p.m. Eastern Time), broadcast live from the official lottery studio.
Understanding how payouts work can help players identify lesser-known winning combinations that still return a profit. To win the minimum prize of $4, a participant only needs to correctly match the red Powerball on their ticket. Correctly matching white balls alone does not guarantee a return unless specific combinations are met.
For instance, matching two white numbers without the Powerball yields no prize money under the game's official structure. However, matching a single white number in tandem with the red Powerball secures a $4 payout, effectively doubling the initial $2 investment. Detailed payout structures for larger non-jackpot matches remain accessible on the official Powerball website.
Although the current $251 million bounty represents a massive sum of money, it remains modest when compared to the record-shattering prizes generated in recent years. Rapid jackpot growth has become a hallmark of the modern game, with several drawings surpassing the billion-dollar threshold.
The all-time record for a Powerball jackpot belongs to a colossal $2.040 billion prize won in California on Nov. 7, 2022. The second-largest prize in the history of the game was awarded on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2025, when an Arkansas player claimed a stunning $1.817 billion prize.
Third on the all-time list is a $1.787 billion jackpot won on Sept. 6, 2025, which was split between winning tickets sold in Missouri and Texas. Close behind in fourth place is another massive California windfall, which saw a player capture a $1.765 billion grand prize on Oct. 11, 2023.
Rounding out the historical top tiers, the fifth-largest jackpot reached $1.586 billion on Jan. 13, 2016, shared by winners across California, Florida, and Tennessee. Oregon recorded a $1.326 billion winner on April 6, 2024, followed by a $1.080 billion hit in California on July 19, 2023, and an Illinois ticket that secured $1.04 billion on Aug. 12, 2026.
The ninth and tenth positions on the top ten leaderboard feature an $842.4 million prize hit in Michigan on New Year's Day, Jan. 1, 2024, and a $768.4 million drawing won in Wisconsin on March 27, 2019. These historical milestones underscore the potential for jackpots to escalate into historic territory over successive rollovers.
As the jackpot crosses the quarter-billion-dollar mark, retailers across participating jurisdictions are preparing for an influx of sales ahead of Monday's drawing. With both Powerball and Mega Millions simultaneously offering prizes above $200 million, lottery players across the country will once again be checking their numbers with high hopes.
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