Powerball jackpot climbs to $835 million after no one overcomes awful odds to win top prize

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Powerball jackpot climbed to an estimated $835 million after no one beat the immense odds Monday night and won the top prize. The winning numbers were: 10, 12, 22, 36, 50 and 4. With the latest bit of lottery losing, there now have been 29 consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner, dating back to July 19 when a player in California won $1.08 billion. That winless streak is due to the miserable odds of winning the Powerball jackpot, at 1 in 292.2 million. It’s those long, long odds that result in such large top prizes, as they cause the jackpot to roll over week after week. Three people in Florida and one person in Oregon matched five numbers to win $1 million. The new jackpot is one of the largest in the world, behind grand prizes in the Powerball and Mega Millions games that all topped $1 billion. The biggest jackpot was a $2.04 billion Powerball prize won in November 2022 in California. Although the game highlights the $835 million prize, that is for a winner who is paid through an annuity over 30 years. Winners almost always choose the cash payout option, which for the next drawing Wednesday night will be an estimated $390.4 million. The giant jackpot would also be subject to federal taxes, and some states also tax lottery winnings. Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.