Powerball, Mega Millions end trifecta of billion-dollar jackpot frenzies
2025 Christmas Eve Powerball win in Arkansas nearly broke the record of Edwin Castro of California, who won $2.04 billion Powerball in November 2022.
Hear the winning Powerball numbers for $1.8 billion jackpot drawing
Two lucky players beat the odds to win the Powerball jackpot after it rose to a near all-time high of about $1.8 billion.
Scripps News – KERO Bakersfield
- Edwin Castro of Altadena, California, who won $2.04 billion Powerball lottery Nov. 7, 2022, opted for the lump sum, which was just shy of $1 billion.
- Missouri Lottery said their state winner in $1.8 billion Powerball, who remains anonymous, took $410.3 million cash option.
- Texas Lottery said their $1.8 billion Powerball winner chose one-time lump sum for $410.3 million. In Texas, winners can stay anonymous.
- Publix store in Georgia sold Mega Millions ticket worth almost $1 billion in Nov. 14, 2025, drawing, before Thanksgiving holiday.
Powerball and Mega Millions players just went through a triple boon in billion-dollar lottery streaks for 2025:
Here’s a recap.
Who won $1.787 billion Powerball drawing on Sept. 6, 2025, in Missouri and Texas?
The $1.787 billion Powerball lottery numbers for Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, were 11-23-44-61-62 and the Powerball was 17. The Sept. 6, 2025, Powerball lottery streak lasted through the summer, marking the 13th time in history a lottery jackpot reached and surpassed $1 billion.
A QuikTrip gas station and convenience store in St. Louis, Missouri, and a Big’s 103 gas station and convenience store in Fredericksburg, Texas, sold the winning Powerball tickets. Since there were two winners, the $1.787 billion prize was split at $893.5 million or a one-time lump sum of $410.3 million, both amounts before taxes.
Two weeks after the draw, the Missouri Lottery announced that state’s winner came forward to claim their $893.5 million with the cash prize of $410.3 million. The organization said the Missouri Powerball player, who set a record and claimed the largest prize ever won by a Missouri Lottery player, “plans to take time off and enjoy the experience.”
The Texas Lottery announce their state’s $1.787 billion Powerball winner chose the cash value − players there must select the lump sum or annuity at the time of ticket purchase − and also received $410.3 million, specifically $410,324,470.28, before taxes.
On Powerball’s website, the two winners in the Sept. 6, 2025, Powerball drawing for $1.787 billion − an anonymous player in St. Louis, Missouri, and Seven Bridges Revocable Trust in Fredericksburg, Texas − show the cash prize option split for $820.6 million.
Who won $980 million Mega Millions in Georgia on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025?
After the $1 billion Powerball lottery frenzy that lasted from the summer until September, Mega Millions drawings rolled over and increased in prize — to the tune of a cool $980 million.
Finally, one lucky ticket scored the perfect number combination just before the Thanksgiving holiday. A Publix grocery store in Newnan, Georgia, sold the winning ticket that matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball in the Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, Mega Millions drawing. Final sales pushed the total to $983 million, according to the Georgia Lottery.
If there had been one more rollover, it would have been the 14th time in history a Powerball or Mega Millions lottery jackpot reached or surpassed $1 billion.
As of Friday, Dec. 26, 2025, more than a month after the $983 million Mega Millions lottery drawing, it is not known who won the grand prize. The vetting process typically takes a few weeks, according to organizations like the California Lottery, and a check online shows the Georgia Lottery winner has not come forward.
The sole jackpot winner could claim $980 million over 30 annual payments or take a one-time lump sum, valued at nearly $452.2 million before federal taxes.
Mega Millions jackpot winners have 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim their prizes, per Georgia Lottery rules. In this case, the $980 million Mega Millions winner from Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, drawing has until Wednesday, May 13, 2026, to claim their prize in person at Georgia Lottery headquarters.
Who won $1.817 billion Powerball in Arkansas on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025?
The lottery frenzy of the 2025 holiday season was a memorable one. One ticket in Arkansas perfectly matched to win the Powerball jackpot of $1.817 billion on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025.
A lottery retailer from the Natural State sold the winning ticket that matched all five numbers plus the Powerball in the 2025 Christmas Eve Powerball drawing. Final sales pushed the total from $1.7 billion to a whopping $1.817 billion.
News reports later said the winning ticket came from a Murphy USA gas station in a Walmart plaza on South Rockwood Street in Cabot, Arkansas.
As of Friday, Dec. 26, 2025, it is not known who won the $1.817 billion Powerball grand prize. Murphy USA gas station, 208 S. Rockwood Drive, Cabot, Arkansas, sold the winning lottery ticket. The Murphy USA location is close to a Home Depot, Kroger, Olive Garden and Cabot Emergency Hospital in the Walmart Supercenter.
The sole jackpot winner could claim $1.817 billion over annual payments or take a one-time lump sum, valued at $834.9 million. “Both prize options are before taxes. If a winner selects the annuity option, they will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5-percent each year,” Powerball.com states.
According to a story in Forbes posted soon after the Powerball winner was announced, “if the cash reward is picked, the winnings will first drop to around $634.5 million after a mandatory federal withholding of 24% is applied.” Further, the winner would likely face a “federal marginal rate of 37% depending on their taxable income,” with another cut to the winnings to about $526 million (from $1.817 billion).
Arkansas Scholarship Lottery online states another “3.9% tax on prizes more than $5,000” will be withheld.
Powerball jackpot winners have 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim their prizes, per Arkansas Scholarship Lottery rules. In this case, the $1.817 billion Powerball winner from Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, or Christmas Eve drawing has until Monday, June 22, 2026, to claim their prize in person at Arkansas Scholarship Lottery headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.
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