Lead: On Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, two Powerball ticket holders—one in Missouri and one in Texas—matched all six numbers to claim a combined $1.787 billion jackpot. The winning numbers were 11, 23, 44, 61 and 62, with Powerball 17. The Texas ticket was sold at a gas station–convenience store in Fredericksburg, the Texas Lottery said, ending a 41-drawing run with no jackpot winner and producing the second-largest U.S. lottery prize on record.
Key Takeaways
- Jackpot total: $1.787 billion, to be split between two winning tickets in Missouri and Texas.
- Winning numbers: 11, 23, 44, 61, 62; Powerball: 17—draw held Sept. 6, 2025.
- Payout choices: each winner can take an annuity of $893.5 million or a lump sum of $410.3 million (both before taxes).
- Odds of winning the jackpot: 1 in 292.2 million; the game had 41 consecutive drawings with no jackpot winner.
- Ticket cost and coverage: Powerball tickets cost $2 and the game operates in 45 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Last prior jackpot winner: May 31, 2025, marking roughly three months without a top prize claimant.
- Retail location: the Texas ticket was sold at a Fredericksburg gas station–convenience store, confirmed by the Texas Lottery.
Background
Powerball is structured to produce very large jackpots through rollovers when no one claims the top prize. The long odds—1 in 292.2 million for the jackpot—are a direct function of the game’s number matrix and the decision to pay out fewer but larger top prizes. Smaller prizes within Powerball have much better odds, which lottery officials highlight when explaining the game’s prize structure.
Jackpots swell as consecutive drawings pass without a full match; this run reached 41 drawings before Saturday’s win. The most recent U.S. record-high Mega Millions prize of $2.04 billion in November 2022 remains the largest domestic lottery payout; the new $1.787 billion total now ranks as the second-largest. State lotteries and retailers typically issue guidance to winners about signing tickets, seeking legal and financial counsel, and protecting their anonymity where state law permits.
Main Event
Saturday’s drawing produced a rare outcome: two separate tickets matching all six numbers. The Powerball drawing returned the combination 11, 23, 44, 61 and 62 with Powerball 17, and officials verified winning tickets in Missouri and Texas. The Texas Lottery confirmed the ticket there was sold at a Fredericksburg gas station–convenience store; the Missouri ticket’s retail location was announced by that state’s lottery authority.
Each winning ticket technically represents half of the advertised annuity and lump-sum totals. Winners will have a formal claims process to complete with their respective state lottery commissions, during which they must choose between the advertised 30-year graduated annuity or the lump-sum cash option. Both options are subject to federal and state taxes and other withholdings.
The jackpot capped a streak of 41 drawings without a top prize, a drought that amplified public attention and ticket sales across the participating jurisdictions. Powerball drawings occur three times per week; the last drawing with a jackpot winner occurred on May 31, 2025, before the extended run of rollovers that produced the record-sized pot.
Analysis & Implications
Economically, multi-state jackpots of this magnitude generate short-term boosts to retail sales in participating jurisdictions as players buy tickets in the days leading up to the draw. Small retailers who sold winning tickets often see increased foot traffic and, in some cases, financial bonuses from their state lotteries. For the two jurisdictions that produced winning tickets, local publicity can translate into a measurable uptick in store traffic and related sales.
For winners, the choice between annuity and lump sum reflects differing financial priorities. The annuity delivers a predictable but slowly escalating income stream—one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments increasing by 5 percent—while the lump sum offers immediate liquidity and investment flexibility but at a reduced present value. Tax planning, estate planning, and liability protection are routine considerations winners face with legal and financial advisers.
At the state and federal level, large jackpots revive policy conversations about the social role of lotteries and the distributional effects of gambling revenue. Critics note that lottery spending is often concentrated among lower-income demographics, while proponents point to funds earmarked for education and public programs in many states. The political impact is generally limited, but large jackpots do prompt renewed scrutiny of transparency in how proceeds are used.
Comparison & Data
| Rank | Amount | Date | Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.04 billion | Nov 7, 2022 | Mega Millions |
| 2 | $1.787 billion | Sept 6, 2025 | Powerball (split) |
| 3 | $1.586 billion | Jan 13, 2016 | Powerball |
The table places Saturday’s outcome among the largest U.S. lottery prizes. While headline totals attract attention, the split between multiple winners materially affects the payout each claimant receives and the tax planning they must undertake. Historical comparisons also show how changes in game rules, prize structures and ticket sales volume can influence jackpot growth.
Reactions & Quotes
Officials confirmed ticket sales and urged winners to protect their tickets and seek trusted advisors as they begin the claims process.
Texas Lottery (official notice)
Representatives elsewhere noted the rarity of simultaneous multi-state winners and the disappointment many players feel when large rollovers end without a single claimant.
State lottery official (Missouri)
Economic observers pointed out the short-term retail surge and the longer-term policy debates about lottery funding that large jackpots often revive.
Independent gaming economist
Unconfirmed
- No confirmed public identities for either jackpot claimant at the time of publication; officials have not released winners’ names where state law allows anonymity.
- It is unconfirmed whether either winner has filed a formal claim or which payout option (annuity or lump sum) they will select.
- Any reports of oversized retailer bonuses or specific prize-claim timelines are pending official confirmation from state lottery commissions.
Bottom Line
Saturday’s Powerball drawing produced an unusually large, split jackpot—$1.787 billion shared between Missouri and Texas—ending a 41-draw stretch with no top prize winner and registering as the second-largest U.S. lottery payout on record. Winners face immediate administrative and financial decisions, including whether to take an annuity or lump sum and how to manage substantial tax obligations.
For the public and policymakers, the event underscores recurring debates about the social and economic effects of large-state lotteries: they generate revenue and publicity but also raise questions about consumption patterns and who benefits from lottery-funded programs. Observers should watch the coming weeks for official claims, tax filings and any statements that clarify the winners’ choices and the local economic impacts.
Sources
- Texas Lottery (official announcement) — state lottery commission notice on winning ticket location and claims process.
- Powerball (official game site) — odds, prize structure and historical jackpot records.
- The Associated Press (news) — reporting on the Sept. 6, 2025 drawing and immediate details from state lotteries.