Arkansas Claims Historic $1.817 Billion Powerball Jackpot

In a stunning holiday season windfall, a single Powerball ticket sold in Arkansas has hit the jackpot, winning a monumental $1.817 billion prize. The winning numbers from the Wednesday, December 24th drawing were white balls 4, 25, 31, 52, 59 and the red Powerball 19, with a Power Play multiplier of 2. This win not only makes one incredibly lucky Arkansan an instant billionaire but also etches this draw into the history books as the second-largest lottery jackpot ever won in the United States.

The Details of the Historic Win

The lucky ticket holder now faces the enviable decision of how to claim their prize. They have the choice between an annuitized prize of $1.817 billion, paid as one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each year, or a lump sum cash payment of $834.9 million. Both amounts are before federal and state taxes are applied. According to the official Powerball announcement, this marks only the second time a Powerball jackpot has been won by a ticket sold in Arkansas, with the first occurring back in 2010.

Record-Breaking Jackpot Run

This win concludes an extraordinary jackpot run. The drawing on December 24th was the 47th in the cycle, setting a new Powerball game record for the most drawings in a single jackpot run. The previous Powerball jackpot was won on September 6th, 2025, by two tickets in Missouri and Texas that split a $1.787 billion prize. With final ticket sales tallied, the prize pool reached the staggering $1.817 billion figure, making it the largest Powerball prize of the year and securing its place as the #2 all-time U.S. lottery jackpot.

"Congratulations to the newest Powerball jackpot winner! This is truly an extraordinary, life-changing prize," said Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO. He also thanked all players, noting that "every ticket purchased helps support public programs and services across the country."

Other Winners and What's Next

While one ticket took the grand prize, many other players won significant amounts. Nationwide, eight tickets matched all five white balls to win $1 million each (or a pari-mutuel prize in California). These winning Match 5 tickets were sold in California, Indiana, Michigan, New York (twice), Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The drawing also produced 114 tickets that won $50,000 prizes and 31 tickets that won $100,000 prizes. In the separate Double Play drawing, two tickets sold in Colorado and South Carolina won $500,000 prizes.

With the jackpot claimed, the Powerball game resets. The next drawing on Saturday night will feature a starting jackpot of $20 million. Because the advertised jackpot is below $150 million, the Power Play 10X multiplier will be available for play. Powerball tickets cost $2 per play and are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It's important to remember that the overall odds of winning any Powerball prize are 1 in 24.9, while the odds of winning the jackpot are a staggering 1 in 292.2 million.

The Bigger Picture of Lottery Wins

This win in Arkansas propels the Powerball game further into the record books. The all-time U.S. lottery record is still held by a $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot won in California in November 2022. This new $1.817 billion prize now sits in second place, just ahead of the $1.787 billion prize split between Missouri and Texas in September 2025. Since its first drawing in 1992, the Powerball game has generated more than $37 billion for the various good causes supported by state lotteries across the country.

Lottery officials are reminding all players from the December 24th drawing to check their tickets carefully, as many non-jackpot prizes remain unclaimed. The winner in Arkansas has not yet come forward publicly, and they will have a specific period of time, dictated by Arkansas lottery rules, to claim their historic prize.