The Powerball lottery revealed its winning numbers for the drawing held on December 29, 2025, with a jackpot estimated at $33 million. Players had the option to claim a cash prize of $15.2 million, as reported on the official Powerball website. This jackpot follows a remarkable win on December 24, when a ticket purchased in Arkansas secured a staggering $1.817 billion, marking one of the largest wins in lottery history.
The winning numbers for the December 29 draw are 11, 19, 34, 48, 53, and the Powerball number is 21. The Power Play multiplier for this draw was 2x.
Current Lottery Landscape
While Powerball captured attention with its substantial jackpot, the Mega Millions lottery is also noteworthy, boasting a jackpot of $138 million with a cash option of $63.3 million, according to the Mega Millions website. This competition between the two lotteries keeps players engaged and hopeful as they purchase tickets.
For those looking to try their luck, Powerball tickets can be purchased for $2 each, with an additional $1 for the Power Play option. This option can potentially increase winnings significantly, although the jackpot and Match 5 prizes remain unchanged.
Playing Powerball: Rules and Availability
To participate in Powerball, players select five numbers from a range of 1 to 69 for the white balls and one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball. Alternatively, players can opt for a “quick pick,” where numbers are generated randomly by the lottery machine. The prizes vary, starting from $4 for matching just the Powerball to $1 million for matching all five white balls, excluding California.
Powerball is available in 45 states, as well as in Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets can be purchased at various locations, including gas stations, convenience stores, and online via the Jackpocket app, which is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.
Ticket purchase deadlines differ by state. For instance, in New Jersey, the cutoff is at 9:59 p.m. on the day of the drawing, while New York has a deadline of 10 p.m.. It is advisable to check local regulations to ensure timely ticket purchases.
The Powerball drawing occurs three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. ET. Viewers can watch the drawing live on the official lottery website or potentially on local television.
While the excitement of winning can be tempting, players should be mindful of the odds. The likelihood of winning the Powerball jackpot stands at approximately 1 in 292,201,338. Comparatively, the odds of matching all five white balls are about 1 in 11,688,053.
For winners, there are two payout options: the annuity option, which distributes payments over 30 years, or a lump sum cash option, which is lower than the advertised jackpot but provides immediate payment. In some states, such as New Jersey, winners can choose to remain anonymous, a feature that has been recently implemented to protect the privacy of winners.
As the Powerball jackpot continues to grow, anticipation builds among players eager for their chance to win. The allure of life-changing sums of money remains a compelling draw for many, keeping the excitement of the lottery alive.
For any gambling-related issues, assistance is available through helplines such as 1-800-GAMBLER and other resources specific to each state.
