Lead: A single ticket sold in Arkansas matched all six numbers in the Dec. 24, 2025 Powerball drawing, capturing the $1.817 billion jackpot on Wednesday night. The drawing, held on Christmas Eve, produced winning white balls 4, 25, 31, 52 and 59 with a red Powerball 19 and Power Play 2X. The lone jackpot winner can choose a $834.9 million cash option; eight other tickets matched the first five numbers to collect $1 million each. The next Powerball drawing is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 27, with the jackpot reset to an estimated $20 million.
Key Takeaways
- One ticket sold in Arkansas won the Dec. 24, 2025 Powerball jackpot of $1.817 billion; the advertised cash option was $834.9 million.
- Winning numbers were 4, 25, 31, 52, 59 and Powerball 19; the Power Play multiplier was 2X.
- Eight Match‑5 tickets won $1 million each; winners were in Ohio, California, Indiana, Michigan, two in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
- There were no Match‑5 plus Power Play $2 million winners in the drawing.
- The Dec. 24 drawing was the 47th consecutive draw in this jackpot run, a record for Powerball draws in a single cycle.
- The previous jackpot win in this cycle occurred Sept. 6, 2025, when two tickets in Missouri and Texas split $1.787 billion.
- Next drawing (Dec. 27) carries an estimated jackpot of $20 million with a $9.2 million cash value.
- Odds of winning the jackpot remain 1 in 292.2 million; a single Powerball ticket costs $2, with optional Power Play ($1) and Double Play ($1) add-ons.
Background
Powerball is a multi‑state lottery game played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Its large jackpots are funded by ticket sales across participating jurisdictions; multimillion‑dollar prizes attract national attention and can span many weeks when no ticket matches all six numbers.
Before Dec. 24, the game had set a recent sequence of record draws: this jackpot run reached 47 drawings without a top prize winner, the most in Powerball history. High jackpots have recurred in consecutive years, with multiple prizes above $1 billion since 2022, reflecting both rising ticket sales and the game’s rules.
State lotteries administer sales and prize claims in their jurisdictions; winners typically must present the ticket to a state lottery office and follow that jurisdiction’s rules for claim timing and tax withholding. Whether a winner elects lump‑sum cash or an annuitized payout affects the immediate paid amount and tax calculations.
Main Event
The Dec. 24 drawing produced white balls 4, 25, 31, 52 and 59 and a red Powerball 19, with the Power Play set to 2X. Lottery officials confirmed one ticket sold in Arkansas matched all six numbers and will collect the advertised $1.817 billion annuity—or an $834.9 million lump sum if the winner selects cash.
Eight additional tickets matched the first five white balls and won the $1 million Match‑5 prize. Those tickets were sold in Ohio (one), California, Indiana, Michigan, New York (two), Pennsylvania and Virginia. No ticket matched the five plus Power Play to claim the $2 million prize in this drawing.
Powerball officials noted the Dec. 24 drawing marked the 47th event in this jackpot cycle—establishing a new game record for the number of consecutive draws in a single run. The previous large‑jackpot winners were two tickets that split a $1.787 billion prize on Sept. 6, 2025, in Missouri and Texas.
After the jackpot was claimed, the top prize for the next scheduled drawing on Dec. 27 reset to an estimated $20 million, with a cash value around $9.2 million. Powerball drawings are held three times weekly—Monday, Wednesday and Saturday—at 10:59 p.m. ET, with sales cut‑off times varying by state.
Analysis & Implications
The immediate practical effect of a single winning ticket is to end a lengthy jackpot run and to redistribute future ticket sales; very large jackpots often boost sales and visibility for weeks, and a claim resets that momentum. Retailers that sold high‑value tickets can see increased foot traffic and publicity, which state lotteries may highlight.
For the winner, the decision between annuity and lump sum is consequential. The advertised $1.817 billion prize is an annuity figure paid over 29 annual payments; the lump sum offered was $834.9 million before taxes. Federal and state taxes can reduce the net amount substantially; the winner’s state of residence and whether they remain anonymous (where allowed) will affect tax treatment and disclosure.
At a systems level, the record 47‑draw run illustrates how jackpot inflation and public interest interact. When jackpots climb into the high hundreds of millions or billions, more casual players buy tickets, which lengthens the cycle and raises the eventual prize. Regulators and lotteries monitor this dynamic because it shapes revenue for state programs funded by lottery proceeds.
On a societal level, mega‑jackpots spur debates about gambling behavior, lottery marketing and the role of state lotteries as revenue sources. Large winners sometimes become cases for financial planning and public policy discussion about tax policy, privacy rules and the social impact of sudden wealth.
Comparison & Data
| Rank | Amount | Date | Location(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.04 billion | Nov. 7, 2022 | California |
| 2 | $1.817 billion | Dec. 24, 2025 | Arkansas |
| 3 | $1.787 billion | Sept. 6, 2025 | Missouri, Texas |
| 4 | $1.765 billion | Oct. 11, 2023 | California |
| 5 | $1.586 billion | Jan. 13, 2016 | CA, FL, TN |
| 6 | $1.326 billion | Apr. 6, 2024 | Oregon |
| 7 | $1.08 billion | July 19, 2023 | California |
| 8 | $842.410 million | Jan. 1, 2024 | Michigan |
| 9 | $768.4 million | Mar. 27, 2019 | Wisconsin |
| 10 | $758.7 million | Aug. 23, 2017 | Massachusetts |
The table places the Dec. 24, 2025 prize as the second‑largest Powerball payout on record. Comparing recent multi‑billion‑dollar prizes shows a clustering of very large jackpots since late 2022, reflecting both game mechanics and heightened ticket sales during large runs.
Reactions & Quotes
Lottery officials confirmed a single ticket in Arkansas matched all numbers and that claim procedures are underway; they urged the public to check tickets and follow state claiming rules.
State lottery spokesperson (official statement)
Financial planners advise any winner to pause, assemble advisors and consider long‑term tax and estate implications before making public announcements or large purchases.
Certified financial planner (expert comment)
Retailers and local officials in Arkansas expressed excitement about the potential economic attention and the hope that a local establishment sold the ticket, while urging patience until the winner files a claim.
Local business association (community reaction)
Unconfirmed
- Identity of the Arkansas jackpot winner has not been publicly confirmed and no claim has been officially recorded in public filings at the time of reporting.
- The exact retailer that sold the winning Arkansas ticket has not been publicly disclosed; some local reports are unverified pending official confirmation.
- Whether the winner will choose the annuity or the $834.9 million cash option is unreported and will determine immediate tax outcomes.
Bottom Line
The Dec. 24 Powerball drawing produced a single Arkansas ticket that ended a 47‑draw jackpot run and claimed a $1.817 billion annuity prize, the second‑largest in the game’s history. Multiple Match‑5 tickets still rewarded $1 million winners across eight states, underscoring that major drawings distribute many significant prizes even when the jackpot concentrates on a single ticket.
Winners face important financial and legal decisions, including payout format and tax handling, while lotteries and communities weigh publicity and local economic effects. The next draw on Dec. 27 restarts the cycle with a modest estimated jackpot of $20 million.