Following the absence of a grand prize winner in the Wednesday, December 17 drawing, the Powerball jackpot for Saturday, December 20 has escalated to $1.5 billion, with a cash option of $686.5 million. This amount ranks as the fifth-highest in Powerball's historical records.
Lottery officials note that this upcoming drawing will be the 45th consecutive without a jackpot winner, setting a new game record for the longest jackpot cycle.
This marks the second occasion this year that the Powerball jackpot has surpassed the $1 billion threshold.
Earlier this fall, the jackpot neared similar heights, reaching $1.787 billion for the September 6 drawing. That prize, the second-largest ever, was claimed by winning tickets sold in Missouri and Texas.
In 2023, two billion-dollar jackpots occurred: a $1.08 billion prize won on July 19 and a $1.76 billion prize on October 11, both by players in California.
December 17 Drawing Results
The winning numbers for the Wednesday, December 17 drawing were 25-33-53-62-66, with the Powerball number 17. The Power Play multiplier was 4X.
While no one won the grand prize, a Match 5 plus Power Play ticket worth $2 million was sold in Arizona and Massachusetts. Additionally, three Match 5 winners worth $1 million each were reported in New York, with one each in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.
Next Drawing Details
The next Powerball drawing is scheduled for Saturday, December 20 at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
Ticket purchase deadlines vary by state: in Delaware, sales close at 9:45 p.m. ET on the drawing day, while in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the cutoff is 9:59 p.m. ET.
Game Basics
Powerball drawings occur three times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. ET. Tickets cost $2 per play.
Players select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls and one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball. Numbers can be chosen manually or via quick pick.
There are nine ways to win, ranging from the grand prize for matching all five white balls and the Powerball to $4 for matching just the Powerball. The Power Play feature, for an extra $1, can multiply non-jackpot winnings by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times, with the 10x multiplier available when the jackpot is $150 million or less.
All prizes except the grand prize are fixed cash amounts, though in California, payouts are pari-mutuel, depending on sales and the number of winners.
Winning Odds
The odds of winning the grand prize are 1 in 292,201,338. The odds for the smallest prize of $4 are 1 in 38.32. Overall, the chance of winning any prize is approximately 1 in 24.87.
Largest Jackpots in History
The top Powerball jackpots include: $2.04 billion (November 7, 2022, California), $1.787 billion (September 6, 2025, Missouri and Texas), $1.765 billion (October 11, 2023, California), $1.586 billion (January 13, 2016, California, Florida, Tennessee), and the current $1.5 billion jackpot for December 20, 2025, with the winner yet to be determined.
