The Powerball jackpot continued its upward trajectory Wednesday night after no one claimed the top prize in the Dec. 3 drawing, leaving the estimated grand prize at $820 million, with a cash value of $383.5 million.
The draw produced winning numbers 1, 14, 20, 46, 51, and the Powerball 26, with a 3X Power Play multiplier, but the jackpot remained elusive.
A single player in Kentucky won the Match 5 plus Power Play prize of $2 million, while two others in California and Florida each won the $1 million Match 5 prize.
Officials said the next drawing, scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6, could either crown a jackpot winner or continue the accumulation of one of the largest prizes in US lottery history.
Powerball, one of the most popular multi state lotteries in the United States, allows players to select five numbers from 1 to 69 and a red Powerball number from 1 to 26.
Tickets cost $2 each, with the optional Power Play feature available for an additional $1 to multiply non-jackpot winnings. Drawings occur on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday nights.
The current jackpot is the eighth largest in the game’s history, following a record-setting $2.04 billion prize won in California on Nov. 7, 2022, and the $1.787 billion jackpot claimed by two tickets in Montana and Texas on Sept. 6, 2025.
“The growing jackpot reflects both high ticket sales and the difficulty of matching all six numbers,” said James Collins, a senior analyst at Lottery Insights, a research organization tracking US lottery trends.
Experts note that while massive jackpots attract national attention, the odds of winning the top prize remain extremely low, about 1 in 292.2 million.
“Jackpots of this size are largely psychological drivers,” Collins said. “They generate excitement and media coverage, but statistically, the chance of winning is tiny.”
Economists also point out that mega jackpots can boost local economies through increased lottery sales and ancillary spending.
Dr. Maria Hernandez, a professor of economics at the University of Louisville, said, “When jackpots climb to extraordinary levels, ticket sales surge, often bringing millions of additional dollars into state coffers for education and public projects.”
The $820 million jackpot follows a recent string of record setting prizes, including $1.765 billion on Oct. 11, 2023, in California, and $1.586 billion on Jan. 13, 2016, split among winners in California, Florida, and Tennessee.
The largest jackpots in Powerball history are dominated by prizes in the billions, with most of the top ten exceeding $758 million.
Analysts note a pattern: no single state consistently produces winners for mega jackpots, emphasizing the random nature of lottery outcomes.
Large prizes are won across diverse locations, Collins said. “The chance is uniform whether you buy a ticket in Michigan, Florida, or Kentucky.”
Lottery retailers across the nation reported a surge in ticket sales following news of the Dec. 3 jackpot. “People were buying tickets all day, hoping to get lucky,” said Carol Jenkins, a clerk at a gas station in Louisville.
She added that customers were purchasing multiple tickets and even using the Quick Pick option for randomly generated numbers.
In Florida, 34 year old construction worker Antonio Ramirez said he bought tickets for the first time this week. “I never play, but when you hear about numbers this big, you feel like you have to try,” he said.
The next Powerball drawing on Saturday, Dec. 6, will determine whether the jackpot grows even larger. Should no one win, the prize could approach a record breaking level, further intensifying public interest.
Lottery officials emphasize responsible play, reminding participants that the odds of winning remain minuscule despite the growing jackpot.
As the Powerball jackpot reaches $820 million, anticipation continues to build among players and the public. With no top prize winner in the Dec. 3 drawing, millions of Americans will again try their luck in the upcoming Saturday drawing.
While the odds remain astronomically low, the allure of life changing prizes keeps the game in the national spotlight, highlighting the unique combination of hope, chance, and cultural fascination with lotteries in the United States.
