Lead
On Christmas Eve (Dec. 24, 2025), a single Powerball ticket sold in Cabot, Arkansas matched all six numbers and won a $1.817 billion jackpot, the second-largest in U.S. history. Lottery officials said the prize concluded a 47-drawing rollover that had pushed the top prize to a record run. The winning ticket was sold at a Murphy USA gas station in Cabot, about 26 miles north of Little Rock. The claimant will face a choice between a 30-year annuity worth $1.817 billion or a one-time cash option of $834.9 million, both before taxes.
Key Takeaways
- A single ticket sold in Cabot, Arkansas matched all six numbers in the Dec. 24 Powerball drawing to win $1.817 billion, the second-largest U.S. lottery prize on record.
- The jackpot sequence ran for 47 drawings before producing a top-prize winner.
- The ticket was sold at a Murphy USA station in Cabot, Ark.; the store is roughly 26 miles from Little Rock.
- The winner may accept a 30-year annuity totaling $1.817 billion or a cash lump sum of $834.9 million, both figures stated before federal and state taxes.
- Winning numbers were white balls 4, 25, 31, 52, 59 and red Powerball 19; eight tickets across the country matched the five white balls but missed the Powerball.
- Since 2016 more than a dozen U.S. jackpots have topped $1 billion; three such jackpots occurred in 2024 alone.
- The largest U.S. prize remains a $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot won in California in 2022.
- Powerball’s next drawing is scheduled for Saturday night and will reset to a $20 million jackpot.
Background
Large multi-state lottery jackpots have become more frequent following rule changes and higher ticket prices implemented by Powerball and Mega Millions in recent years. Those adjustments lengthened rollover potential and increased the carryover pool when no top-prize winner is found, producing a string of billion-dollar prizes since 2016. The $1.817 billion prize in Arkansas follows that broader trend: extended rollovers and concentrated ticket sales can combine to push a jackpot into rarified territory.
State lotteries typically derive revenue for public programs while also paying retailers a commission and covering administrative costs; when a top prize lands in a given state, local economies and retailers often note a short-term bump in attention and transactions. Arkansas, which has now been the site of a Powerball top-prize winner twice, will be working through verification, tax withholding guidance and the mechanics of awarding the payout under its statutory procedures.
Main Event
Lottery officials announced that the matching ticket came from a Murphy USA outlet in Cabot after the drawing Wednesday night. The announcement confirmed the six winning numbers and the store location; reporters attempted to reach the Cabot Murphy USA on Thursday but found no answer at the listed phone number. Arkansas Lottery officials had not provided additional comment immediately following the initial confirmation.
The winning combination — white balls 4, 25, 31, 52, 59 and red Powerball 19 — produced eight near-misses elsewhere in the country: eight tickets matched the five white numbers and missed only the red Powerball. Those tickets typically receive the second-highest prize tier, which is a significant payout but far smaller than the jackpot itself.
Procedurally, the claimant must present the ticket to the Arkansas Lottery for validation and complete required paperwork to claim either the annuity or cash option. The lottery and state tax authorities will apply withholding and other statutory obligations; the publicly quoted $834.9 million cash option and $1.817 billion annuity are both stated before those deductions.
Analysis & Implications
For Arkansas, a top-prize win brings immediate attention to the retailer, local economy and the state lottery. Retailers that sell winning tickets frequently benefit from a short-term surge in customers and local media coverage; in some past instances states have marketed the retailer as a tourism or sales draw. However, the bulk of the payout is received by the winner, and state benefit varies based on tax structures and lottery revenue allocations.
From a policy perspective, the proliferation of billion-dollar jackpots has renewed scrutiny of how lotteries are structured and marketed. Critics argue that larger prizes and aggressive advertising can disproportionately attract lower-income players, while proponents note that lottery revenue supports public projects. The pattern since 2016 — more than a dozen billion-dollar jackpots and three in 2024 alone — suggests the structural incentives for large rollovers remain in place.
At the individual level, winners face complex financial, legal and privacy choices. Advisers typically recommend that large-prize winners assemble a multidisciplinary team — tax counsel, financial advisers, and legal counsel — before deciding whether to claim publicly and which payout option to take. The decision between annuity and cash hinges on tax planning, investment strategy and personal circumstances.
Comparison & Data
| Year | Amount | State | Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $2.04 billion | California | Powerball |
| 2025 | $1.817 billion | Arkansas | Powerball |
Since 2016, structural changes in national jackpots have produced multiple billion-dollar prizes; the 2022 $2.04 billion Powerball prize remains the largest in U.S. history. The 2025 Arkansas prize slots into the top tier of U.S. lottery outcomes and illustrates how extended rollovers can concentrate prize value. While the table lists the two largest Powerball prizes for context, lottery outcomes vary widely by game structure, player participation and ticket pricing.
Reactions & Quotes
“A single ticket sold in Cabot matched all six numbers in Wednesday night’s drawing,”
Arkansas Lottery (official statement)
“The jackpot will reset to $20 million for the next scheduled drawing on Saturday,”
Powerball (official site)
“Winners should consult advisors immediately to navigate tax and legal implications,”
Independent financial adviser (industry guidance)
Each statement provides pieces of the public record and routine guidance. The Arkansas Lottery confirmed the winning location and numbers; Powerball posted the reset amount for the next drawing; advisers routinely urge winners to secure professional help before making decisions or public disclosures.
Unconfirmed
- The identity of the ticket holder remained unconfirmed at the time of reporting; the winner had not publicly come forward.
- Details about the retailer’s specific commission or bonus payments related to the sale had not been confirmed by Arkansas Lottery officials.
- The exact timing of a claim filing and whether the winner will choose anonymity, the annuity or the cash option had not been reported.
Bottom Line
The $1.817 billion Powerball win in Arkansas is a high-profile illustration of how extended rollovers and national participation can create historically large jackpots. Immediate next steps will center on ticket validation, claimant identification (if the winner chooses to be public), and the exercise of the annuity-versus-cash decision under accounting and tax advice. For Arkansas and the specific Murphy USA retailer, the event will bring short-term attention; for public policy, it continues a broader debate over the social effects of large, heavily marketed lotteries.
Observers should watch for official updates from the Arkansas Lottery about the claim, Powerball for procedural confirmations, and statements from the winner if and when they emerge. The next Powerball drawing is scheduled for Saturday night and will start at a $20 million jackpot.
Sources
- The New York Times — news report summarizing the drawing and local details (news).
- Arkansas Scholarship Lottery — official state lottery site for prize validation and claiming procedures (official).
- Powerball — game operator site with official rules and drawing schedules (official).
- Murphy USA — retailer information for the store chain where the winning ticket was sold (corporate).