Who won the Powerball? Arkansas player wins $1.817B jackpot Christmas Eve
Odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions are NOT in your favor
Odds of hitting the jackpot in Mega Millions or Powerball are around 1-in-292 million. Here are things that you’re more likely to land than big bucks.
A Powerball player from Arkansas holds the winning ticket from Christmas Eve’s drawing for the game’s $1.817 billion jackpot.
The winner can choose between an annuitized prize of $1.817 billion or a lump sump payment of $834.9 million (both prize options are before taxes). If the winner opts for the annuity option, they will get one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each year.
The Dec. 24 jackpot rose to $1.817 billion based on brisk final ticket sales, pushing the jackpot to the the second-largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever won and the largest Powerball prize this year. It was the second time in 2025 a Powerball jackpot has surpassed the one billion dollar mark.
“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, in a news release. “We also want to thank all the players who joined in this jackpot streak – every ticket purchased helps support public programs and services across the country.”
Here’s what to know.
Powerball winning numbers for 12/24/2025
The winning numbers for the Wednesday, Dec. 24, drawing were: 4, 25, 31, 52, 59 and the Powerball was 19. The “Power Play” multiplier was 2x.
Did anyone win the Powerball on Christmas Eve?
Yes. A single ticket sold in Arkansas matched all six numbers drawn on Christmas Eve to win the $1.817 billion jackpot.
When is the next Powerball drawing?
The next drawing will take place on Saturday, Dec. 27, at around 11 p.m. ET.
How many Powerball numbers are needed to win a prize?
The possible winning tickets and their cash prizes are as follows:
- Powerball only — $4
- Match 1 white number + Powerball — $4
- Match 2 white numbers + Powerball — $7
- Match 3 white numbers only — $7
- Match 3 white numbers + Powerball — $100
- Match 4 white numbers only — $100
- Match 4 out of 5 white numbers + Powerball — $50,000
- Match all 5 white numbers only — $1 million
When are Powerball drawings?
Drawings are every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET.
Recent Powerball jackpot winners
Here is the list of recent Powerball jackpot wins, per powerball.com:
- $1.817 billion — Dec. 24, 2025; Arkansas
- $1.787 billion — Sept. 6, 2025; Missouri and Texas
- $205 million — May 31, 2025; California
- $167.3 million — April 26, 2025; Kentucky
- $331 million — Jan. 18, 2025; Oregon
- $256 million — Dec. 7, 2024; New York
- $44 million – Aug. 19, 2024; California
- $213.8 million – Aug. 12, 2024; Pennsylvania
- $215 million — May 6, 2024; Florida
- $1.326 billion — April 7, 2024; Oregon
- $1.765 billion — Oct. 11, 2023; California
- $1 billion — July 19, 2023; California
- $252.6 million — April 19, 2023; Ohio
- $162.6 million — March 4, 2023; Virginia
- $754.6 million — Feb. 6, 2023; Washington
- $2.04 billion — Nov. 7, 2022; California
- $93 million — Nov. 19, 2022; Kansas
Kentucky Powerball jackpot winner arrested in Florida
One of the Powerball winners from 2025 is James Shannon Farthing, 50, of Georgetown, and his mother Linda Grizzle. The two agreed to split a $167.3 million jackpot from April 26 and the payout set a new record in Kentucky as the largest amount of earnings. It surpasses a 2009 draw by nearly $40 million.
Farthing was arrested in Florida days after his lottery win and body camera footage from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office shows the Kentuckian being tased and tackled by deputies after attempting to flee following a bar fight.
First responders were attempting to break up the fight between Farthing and another man, Kevin Rushing, when Farthing allegedly kicked a deputy in the face. See the footage at The Courier Journal.
How to play in the Powerball lottery
Where to buy lottery tickets
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
Contributing: Fernando Cervantes Jr., Mike Snider, Ray Padilla and Stephanie Stremplewski, USA TODAY Network. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.
This content is sourced from www.courier-journal.com and is shared for informational purposes only.
