Powerball Jackpot Soars in the U.S. as No Winner Emerges: Now Ranked Eighth Largest in History

The Powerball jackpot skyrocketed to an estimated $856 million for the upcoming Saturday drawing, after no ticket matched all numbers in Wednesday night's draw.

This massive sum places it as the eighth largest in the game's entire history, according to local media reports.

Wednesday's Draw Results

The numbers drawn on August 5 were 14, 20, 59, 60, and 61, with a Powerball of 25 and a Power Play multiplier of 2x. No ticket matched all six numbers to claim the grand prize.

However, a ticket sold in Ohio matched the five white numbers, winning one million dollars. There were no winners for the two-million-dollar prize for the Match 5 with Power Play.

Potential Payout for the Winner

The cash value of the current jackpot—available through a lump-sum payment—is $372 million before taxes, as per powerball.com.

Those who opt for the annuity will receive an immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments, each increasing by 5%, over the course of 29 years.

Historical Context and Recent Developments

The odds of hitting the winning combination are one in 292.2 million, regardless of the jackpot size. Each ticket costs two dollars; players must select five numbers from one to 69 and a Powerball number from one to 26.

The jackpot has been accumulating without a winner for over three months. The last time the grand prize was claimed was on May 2, 2026, when two tickets—one sold in Florida and the other in Texas—split a mere 20 million dollars.

Since then, the jackpot has continued to grow with each draw. Before Wednesday's draw, the total had already reached 786 million dollars. With no winner that night, the prize surged to an estimated 856 million for the Saturday, August 8 drawing.

The Expanding Global Reach of Powerball

The all-time Powerball record remains at 2,040 million dollars, won in California on November 7, 2022. The second-largest jackpot was 1,817 million, claimed by a ticket sold in Arkansas on Christmas Eve 2025, marking the largest prize in the game's recent history.

According to The Commercial Appeal, "it's no longer as unusual for Powerball or Mega Millions to surpass one billion dollars." Over the past five years, eight jackpots across both lotteries have crossed that threshold, with three occurring just in 2023.

The current jackpot's rapid growth coincides with a historic expansion of the game. As of July 21, 2026, Powerball began sales in the United Kingdom for the first time, through a partnership between the Multi-State Lottery Association and Allwyn UK, operator of the British National Lottery.

This marks the first occasion in history where a non-U.S. lottery contributes to the shared jackpot. Tickets in the UK cost four pounds sterling per line, with their sales directly adding to the jackpot. For American players, nothing changes: tickets remain two dollars, and odds stay at one in 292.2 million.

Powerball is played in 45 U.S. states, as well as Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Draws are held three times weekly: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.

The drawing on Saturday, August 8, is set for 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. If the jackpot is awarded at its current estimated value of 856 million dollars, it will rank among the top ten largest prizes ever awarded in U.S. lottery history, just weeks after a ticket sold in Bradenton, Florida, won 800 million dollars in the Mega Millions on July 28.