WASHINGTON — Wednesday's Powerball drawing was an unusually poor showing for players, with nobody scoring the $687 million jackpot and no million-dollar tickets.
The grand prize has now climbed to $750 million, but could increase even more as lottery fever heats up. As a jackpot grows, so does interest in winning it, meaning more tickets are bought between drawings and a faster rate of increase for the money.
The next drawing is set for Saturday, March 23.
If there is a winner, they'll be able to forego the $750 million paid out in installments for a lump cash sum of $357.3 million.
Winning Powerball numbers for Wednesday, March 20, 2024
The winning numbers were 3-22-27-54-66 Powerball: 9 Power Play: 2.
If a winner matches all five numbers and the Powerball, they have the option to take the full jackpot paid out over 30 years, or a smaller cash payout. Winners almost always take the cash option.
Even with the smaller lump sum payout, federal taxes will eat into those winnings, and some states also tax big lottery prizes. Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
When is the Powerball drawing?
The Powerball drawing takes place live at 10:59 p.m. Eastern every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Tickets, which cost $2 per play, are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
What are my chances of winning the Powerball?
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are one in 292.2 million.
Over the past few years, huge lottery jackpots have become more common as lottery officials have changed the rules and ticket prices to boost top prizes.
Powerball's biggest change came in 2021 when officials decided to add a Monday drawing to its weekly lineup of Wednesday and Saturday evening drawings. At the time of the announcement, Powerball proclaimed the addition of the Monday drawing would lead to "larger, faster-growing jackpots."
What are the largest Powerball jackpots?
- $2.04 billion – Nov. 7, 2022 – CA
- $1.76 billion – Oct. 11, 2023
- $1.586 billion – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN
- $1.08 billion – July 19, 2023 – CA
- $848.4 million - Jan. 1, 2024 - MI
- $768.4 million– March 27, 2019 – WI
- $758.7 million– Aug. 23, 2017 – MA
- $754.6 million– Feb. 6, 2023 - WA
- $731.1 million – Jan. 20, 2021 – MD
- $699.8 million – Oct. 4, 2021 – CA
What are the largest US lottery jackpots ever won?
- $2.04 billion: Powerball - Nov. 7, 2022 – CA
- $1.76 billion – Oct. 11, 2023
- $1.586 billion: Powerball – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN
- $1.58 billion: Mega Millions – Aug. 8, 2023 – FL
- $1.537 billion: Mega Millions – Oct. 23, 2018 - SC
- $1.35 billion: Mega Millions - Jan. 13, 2023 - ME
- $1.337 billion: Mega Millions - July 29, 2022 - IL
- $1.08 billion: Powerball – July 19, 2023 – CA
- $1.05 billion: Mega Millions - Jan. 22, 2021 - MI
- $848.4 million: Powerball - Jan. 1, 2024 - MI