Following the Powerball drawing on Wednesday, December 17, which produced no grand prize winner, the jackpot for the next draw has escalated to a staggering estimated $1.5 billion. This monumental sum now ranks as the fifth-largest prize in the history of the Powerball lottery.
The lump-sum cash alternative for this jackpot stands at roughly $686.5 million, prior to any tax deductions.
Grasping the Magnitude of a Billion Dollars
The figure of $1.5 billion is almost beyond comprehension. To illustrate its vastness, consider these perspectives on what a single billion dollars represents.
If you were to expend $1,000 each hour, it would require more than 114 years to deplete a billion dollars, as noted on Quora.
Earning Florida's median salary of $63,000 annually, it would take nearly 16 years to accumulate $1 million. To reach a billion dollars at that rate would demand an astonishing 15,873 years.
Receiving a daily gift of $10,000 would make you a millionaire in just 100 days. However, becoming a billionaire through this method would take 274 years.
According to Buzzfeed, with $1 billion, you could cover the average U.S. monthly rent of $1,635 for over 50,000 years, or reside in New York City for more than 20,000 years.
At a price of $500,000 per home, a billion dollars could purchase 2,000 houses, potentially providing a home for every family in a modest-sized town, as highlighted by markbrinker.com.
Placing $1 billion in a savings account with a 3% annual interest rate would generate $30 million in yearly earnings without touching the principal amount.
Physically, $1 billion in $100 bills would weigh over 11 tons and occupy 10 pallets stacked chest-high, resembling a small truck fully loaded with cash, per markbrinker.com.
In the realm of sports, this sum is comparable to the valuation of franchises like Major League Baseball's Miami Marlins (approximately $1.05 billion) or the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets (around $1.6 billion).
For those dreaming of tropical escapes, $1 billion could buy about 10 private islands, each starting around $100 million, with funds remaining to develop luxury resorts on each, as suggested by Corriecooks.com.
In a notable transaction, the Family Dollar retail chain, comprising thousands of stores, was acquired for about $1 billion in March 2025.
A journey to the moon for two individuals costs roughly $750 million, meaning a billion dollars could finance a round trip to the lunar surface, according to celebritynet.com.
Philanthropically, $1 billion could theoretically eliminate poverty across the states of Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming, with an estimated $120 million left over, as reported by Buzzfeed.
At $250 million each, one could own four premier yachts and still have capital for crew and maintenance.
The famously exclusive Hermès Birkin Bag, priced around $12,700, could be purchased 78,000 times with a billion dollars—enough for every inhabitant of Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
This amount could also fund the creation of a global social media platform, covering development, servers, and marketing costs similar to the early expenditures of apps like Instagram or TikTok.
Alternatively, it could finance a global cruise for the entire population of South Bend, Indiana (about 103,000 people), at $10,000 per person.
In real estate, a billion dollars might secure a landmark property in New York City, such as 590 Madison Avenue, which is listed for $1–$1.1 billion, per Bloomberg.
Lastly, dedicating $1 million per school could establish 1,000 educational institutions worldwide, significantly advancing learning opportunities in developing regions.
