Powerball jackpot hits $119M ahead of tonight’s draw
See which states are the luckiest in the lottery
USA TODAY’s Fernando Cervantes shares which states have claimed the most Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots wins.
The Powerball jackpot is back on the rise.
After no ticket matched all six numbers in Wednesday’s drawing, the jackpot has climbed to an estimated $119 million, with a cash option of $51.6 million, for the Saturday, Aug. 29 drawing. The latest rollover comes just weeks after an Illinois player won a massive $1.04 billion jackpot, one of the largest prizes in Powerball history.
Saturday’s drawing also arrives during a major change for the game. For the first time, players in the United Kingdom can buy Powerball tickets and compete for the same jackpot as U.S. players, potentially adding millions of participants as prizes grow. While ticket prices and payout structures differ between the two countries, the expansion could help fuel larger jackpots and faster-growing prize pools in future drawings.
Here is what you need to know about the next Powerball drawing.
What are the winning numbers for Aug. 29?
USA TODAY will post the winning numbers after the drawing, which is scheduled for 10:59 p.m. ET Saturday.
When is the next Powerball drawing?
The next drawing is set for Monday, Aug. 31, at approximately 10:59 p.m. ET. Powerball drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Largest Powerball jackpots ever won
- $2.040 billion on Nov. 7, 2022 in California
- $1.817 billion on Dec. 24, 2025 in Arkansas
- $1.787 billion on Sept. 6, 2025 in Missouri and Texas
- $1.765 billion on Oct. 11, 2023 in California
- $1.586 billion on Jan. 13, 2016 in California, Florida and Tennessee
- $1.326 billion on April 6, 2024 in Oregon
- $1.080 billion on July 19, 2023 in California
- $1 billion on Aug. 12, 2026 in Illinois
- $842.4 million on Jan. 1, 2024 in Michigan
- $768.4 million on Mar. 27, 2019 in Wisconsin
How to play Powerball
Powerball tickets cost $2 per play and are sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Players choose five white-ball numbers from 1 to 69 and one red Powerball number from 1 to 26.
Players can also add the Power Play option for an extra $1 to boost non-jackpot prizes. A Quick Pick option is available for those who want randomly generated numbers.
Do you have to be a U.S. citizen to play?
No. Anyone who meets the legal age requirement where tickets are sold can purchase a Powerball ticket, regardless of citizenship or residency status.
Powerball’s UK expansion, explained
Powerball recently expanded to the United Kingdom, allowing British players to buy tickets and compete for the same jackpot as U.S. players.
U.K. tickets cost £4, or about $5.32, compared with $2 in the United States. While both countries share the jackpot, lower-tier prizes are paid through separate prize structures. U.S. winners can choose either a lump sum payment or annual installments, while U.K. jackpot winners receive annual payments over 30 years through the U.K. National Lottery.
Contributor: USA TODAY’s Anthony Thompson
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This content is sourced from www.usatoday.com and is shared for informational purposes only.
