Weeks after the Powerball jackpot reached $1.08 billion and the winning ticket was sold, the latest jackpot is steadily climbing.
The Wednesday, Aug. 2, Powerball was $95 million with a cash option of $48.1 million. Wednesday numbers were 23-24-33-51-64 and the Powerball was 5. Power Play was 2x. Alas, there was another rollover, and the jackpot bumped up to $124 million.
The next chance to win is 11 p.m. EST Saturday, Aug. 5.
On July 19, a single ticket in California matched all five numbers plus the Powerball to win $1.08 billion, the largest jackpot since the record-setting $2.04 billion in November. The latest billion-dollar winner has not come forward as of Aug. 2.
Powerball players have a 1 in 292.2 million chance to match all five numbers plus the Powerball (more about odds below). Will a $2 ticket make you a multimillionaire? Only time will tell.
Tickets start at $2 apiece. Below are some frequently asked questions about Powerball, Mega Millions and lottery odds. Good luck!
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How much was the Powerball lottery jackpot for Wednesday, Aug. 2?
an estimated $95 million with a cash option of $48.1 million
Can I buy Florida lottery tickets online?
No. Some states have this option via an app or website, but not the Florida Lottery. Tickets cannot be purchased by mail, fax or online. There are more than 13,000 authorized Florida Lottery retailers here, the site states.
I bought Powerball ticket in another state. Can I cash in my winnings in Florida?
No. Powerball prizes must be claimed in the state where the ticket was purchased, the Florida Lottery says.
I bought a Mega Millions ticket in another state. Can I cash in my winnings in Florida?
No. Mega Millions prizes must be claimed in the state where the ticket was purchased, the Florida Lottery says.
When do Florida lottery tickets expire?
Prizes for Florida Lottery must be claimed within 180 days (six months) from the date of the drawing. To claim a single-payment cash option, a winner has within the first 60 days after the applicable draw date to claim it. Florida Lottery says its scratch-off tickets and Fast Play game prizes "must be claimed within 60 days of the official end-of-game date. Once the applicable time period has elapsed, the related Florida Lottery ticket will expire."
What happens to the unclaimed prize money?
According to the Florida Lottery, state law requires 80% of unclaimed prize funds from expired tickets be transferred to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund. The remaining 20% is returned to the prize pool for future drawings.
What happens to unclaimed Powerball prize money?
Should a Powerball ticket not be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date, the Florida Lottery site states, "the funds to pay the unclaimed jackpot will be returned to the lottery members in their proportion of sales for the jackpot rollover series." According to Powerball's site, "unclaimed prizes are kept by the lottery jurisdiction. If a Grand Prize goes unclaimed, the money must be returned to all lotteries in proportion to their sales for the draw run. The lotteries then distribute the money, based on their own jurisdiction's laws, to other lottery games or to their jurisdiction's general fund, or otherwise as required by law."
What happens to unclaimed Mega Millions prize money?
Should a Mega Millions ticket not be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date, "the funds to pay the unclaimed jackpot will be returned to the lottery members in their proportion of sales for the jackpot rollover series."
What are the odds of winning Powerball?
Powerball drawings are held at 11 p.m. EDT Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. According toPowerball.com, players have a 1 in 292.2 million chance to match all six numbers. Prizes range from $2 to the grand prize jackpot, which varies.
Are the odds of winning Powerball the same if the jackpot is $1 billion?
Players have a 1 in 24.9 chance of winning a prize,powerball.comstates. Players have a 1 in 292.2 million chance to match all six numbers whether the jackpot is $20 million or $1 billion.
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How long has Powerball rolled over?
This Powerball jackpot has rolled over since July 24. Before that, one ticket purchased in California matched the six numbers to win the Wednesday, July 19, lottery jackpot of $1.08 billion. The prize, the sixth largest jackpot in the history of Powerball and Mega Millions, has not yet been claimed.
What are the odds of winning Mega Millions?
According to theMega Millions website, you have a 1 in 302,575,350 chance to match all five white balls plus the gold Mega Ball. Prizes range from $2 (for matching the Mega Ball) to the grand prize jackpot, which varies.
Can Florida lottery winners remain anonymous?
According toFlorida Lottery's website, winners cannot remain anonymous: "Florida law mandates that the Florida Lottery provide records containing information such as the winner's name, city of residence; game won, date won, and amount won to any third party who requests the information."
However, the site states, since May 25, 2022, the "names of lottery winners claiming prizes of $250,000 or greater will be temporarily exempt from public disclosure for 90 days from the date the prize is claimed, unless otherwise waived by the winner."
Lottery experts and lawyers have said there are ways to remain anonymous if you win.
What is the largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history? Who claimed $2.04 billion Powerball prize?
The largest lottery prize ever climbed to $2.04 billion in November. The jackpot was an estimated $1.9 billion days before the drawing, but lottery ticket sales helped it grow to more than $2 billion after updated calculations. A single ticket purchased in California won the grand prize, and the winner was revealed on Valentine's Day − Feb. 14, 2023. Edwin Castro won the largest-ever lottery jackpot, and he opted for a lump sum of $997.6 million, just shy of $1 billion, according to the California Lottery.
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When did lotto jackpots hit $1 billion or more?
As of Aug. 2, 2023, there have been eight lottery jackpots that have reached or surpassed $1 billion. Only once has a jackpot surpassed $2 billion.
- 8.$1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021: A single ticket won in Michigan.
- 7. $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023: A single ticket won in California.
- 6. $1.25 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 4, 2023? TBD
- 5.$1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022: A single ticket won in Illinois.
- 4.$1.35 billion, Jan. 13, 2023: A single ticket was purchased in Maine.
- 3.$1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018: A single ticket won in South Carolina.
- 2.$1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016: Three tickets won from California, Florida, Tennessee.
- 1.$2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022: A single ticket won in California.
What are the Top 10 largest Mega Millions jackpots ever?
According to its website, here are the Top 10 Mega Millions jackpots as of Aug. 2, 2023:
- 10.$536 million — July 8, 2016; Indiana
- 9.$543 million — July 24, 2018; California
- 8.$648 million — Dec. 17, 2013; California and Georgia
- 7.$656 million — March 30, 2012; Illinois, Kansas and Maryland
- 6.$1.05 billion — Jan. 22, 2021; Michigan
- 5.$1.08 billion — July 19, 2023; California
- 4. $1.25 billion — Friday, Aug. 4, 2023? TBD
- 3.$1.337 billion — July 29, 2022; Illinois
- 2.$1.35 billion — Jan. 13, 2023; Maine
- 1.$1.537 billion — Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina
What are the Top 10 largest Powerball jackpots ever?
Here are the Top 10 Powerball jackpots as of Aug. 2, 2023:
- 10.$632.6 million — Jan. 5, 2022; California and Wisconsin
- 9.$687.8 million — Oct. 27, 2018; Iowa and New York
- 8.$699.8 million — Oct. 4, 2021; California
- 7.$731.1 million — Jan. 20, 2021; Maryland
- 6.$754.6 million — Feb. 6, 2023; Washington
- 5.$758.7 million — Aug. 23, 2017; Massachusetts
- 4.$768.4 million — March 27, 2019; Wisconsin
- 3. $1.08 billion — July 19, 2023; California
- 2.$1.586 billion — Jan. 13, 2016; California, Florida and Tennessee
- 1.$2.04 billion — Nov. 7, 2022; California
What are the Top 10 largest lottery jackpots ever?
The following Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots made the Top 10 biggest lottery jackpots in U.S. history, as of Aug. 2, 2023.
- 10.$758.7 million Powerball drawing — Aug. 23, 2017; Massachusetts
- 9.$768.4 million Powerball drawing — March 27, 2019; Wisconsin
- 8.$1.05 billion Mega Millions drawing — Jan. 22, 2021; Michigan
- 7.$1.08 billion Powerball drawing — July 19, 2023; California
- 6.$1.25 billion Mega Millions drawing — Aug. 4, 2023? TBD
- 5.$1.337 billion Mega Millions drawing — July 29, 2022; Illinois
- 4.$1.35 billion Mega Millions drawing — Jan. 13, 2023; Maine
- 3.$1.537 billion Mega Millions drawing — Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina
- 2.$1.586 billion Powerball drawing — Jan. 13, 2016; California, Florida and Tennessee
- 1.$2.04 billion Powerball drawing — Nov. 7, 2022; California
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her onTwitteror Instagram at@byjensangalang. Support local journalism.Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.
