Powerball Makes History as Jackpot Dodges Players Again, Prize Swells to $1.7 Billion

Posted on: September 4, 2025, 07:15h. 

Last updated on: September 4, 2025, 09:36h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.
  • The Powerball jackpot for Saturday, September 6, is an estimated $1.7 billion
  • Powerball’s top prize hasn’t been won since May 31, 2025
  • The Powerball run has delivered many life-changing wins

Saturday’s Powerball drawing will make history after the game’s top prize once again eluded players on Wednesday night.

Powerball jackpot lottery
The Powerball jackpot continues to skirt players, but the run has delivered noteworthy wins, including a $1 million payout to a group of elementary school workers who play regularly as a group. They continue to play on behalf of one of their former participants who died of cancer six years ago. (Image: Ohio Lottery)

The Powerball numbers for Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, were 3, 16, 29, 61, 69, and the red Powerball was 22. No ticket matched all six numbers.

Wednesday marked the 41st consecutive Powerball drawing without a jackpot. That tied the game’s previous jackpot drought of 41 drawings that ended on April 6, 2024.

With Saturday marking the 42nd Powerball drawing in this historic run, a new record will be set. Officials with the Multi-State Lottery Association are expecting heightened sales from Thursday through Saturday at 10:59 pm ET, when the next six Powerball numbers are drawn live from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee.

The estimated annuitized jackpot for the September 6 drawing is $1.7 billion, with the cash option at $770.3 million. Both amounts are before federal and possibly state taxes. The $1.7 billion jackpot ranks third in Powerball and US lottery history.

Top-10 Lottery Jackpots — Game — Where Prize Won

  1. Powerball — $2.04 Billion — Nov. 7, 2022 — CA
  2. Powerball — $1.765 Billion — Oct. 11, 2023 — CA
  3. Powerball — $1.7 billion (estimated) — Sept. 6, 2025 — ??
  4. Mega Millions — $1.6 billion — Aug. 8, 2023 — FL
  5. Powerball — $1.58 billion — Jan. 13, 2016 — CA, FL, TN
  6. Mega Millions — $1.53 billion — Oct. 23, 2018 — SC
  7. Mega Millions — $1.35 billion — Jan. 13, 2023 — ME
  8. Mega Millions — $1.33 billion — July 29, 2022 — IL
  9. Powerball — $1.32 billion — April 7, 2024 — OR
  10. Mega Millions — $1.26 billion — Dec. 27, 2024 — CA

Close Misses

The Powerball jackpot dodged players on Wednesday night, but the drawing still delivered numerous life-changing payouts.

There were 15 plays that matched all five white balls. Eleven of those tickets won $1 million each, while four had the optional $1 add-on Power Play that doubled their payouts to $2 million. The Match 5 wins were sold in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wyoming.

There were 117 Match 4 + PB wins that claimed $50K. Another 36 had the Powerball Play to double their wins to $100K.

There were 6,328,933 winning tickets across all prize levels. The majority — 4,633,418 — simply won back their $2 play. 

Teachers Win $1 Million

Among the best stories from this Powerball run is a group of elementary school teachers in Ohio winning $1 million during the August 6 drawing.

There are 10 school employees in the Powerball pool, though one of their members died six years ago from cancer. The group has continued to pay for her ticket and divvy up any winnings to her children.

She’s been our guardian angel. She taught kindergarten here for years,” the pool organizer told CBS 10.

After federal and state taxes, each participant will net about $72K from the $1 million win.