Sep, 8 2025
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Two tickets just split a $1.787 billion Powerball jackpot—the second-biggest lottery prize in U.S. history. The winning entries were sold in Missouri and Texas for the Saturday, September 6, 2025 drawing, capping months of rollovers that supercharged sales nationwide.
The winning numbers: 11, 23, 44, 61, 62 and the red Powerball 17. The Power Play multiplier was 2X. With final sales counted, the top prize landed at $1.787 billion, trailing only the $2.04 billion Powerball won in California on November 7, 2022.
Each jackpot winner now faces the same life-changing choice. Option one: an estimated $893.5 million annuity paid over 30 years, starting with an immediate payment and 29 more annual checks that rise 5% per year. Option two: a lump sum estimated at $410.3 million—all figures before taxes. Many winners lean lump sum for flexibility; others prefer the predictability of the annuity and the built-in raises.
“Every $2 ticket sold helped fund public programs and services,” said Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO, congratulating the new winners and the Missouri and Texas lotteries. Proceeds from Powerball tickets are shared among participating jurisdictions and typically support education and other state priorities.
The drawing showered prizes beyond the jackpot. Eighteen tickets matched the five white balls to win $1 million each. Two more tickets that added Power Play claimed $2 million each. Here’s where those top non-jackpot winners landed, according to lottery officials:
Lower-tier wins stacked up as well: 232 tickets won $50,000, and 90 Power Play tickets hit $100,000. Thousands more collected prizes between $4 and $200. Powerball’s base ticket costs $2, and the Power Play add-on is $1; Power Play multiplies most non-jackpot prizes, while the Match 5 prize becomes $2 million when Power Play is added regardless of the multiplier drawn.
So what are the odds that produced this result? The chance of hitting all six numbers is 1 in 292,201,338. The overall odds of winning any prize are about 1 in 24.9. Long shots, sure—but when jackpots roll for weeks, participation tends to soar, which is how you end up with a number like $1.787 billion.
Retailers that sold the jackpot tickets will also receive bonuses from their state lotteries. Those amounts vary by state and prize level, but the recognition and the foot traffic that follows are often just as valuable for the local stores.
Winners don’t have to rush to the cameras. In most states, you have a set window—often 180 days from the draw date—to claim. The clock starts now. Expect a few quiet days or weeks as each ticket holder secures the ticket, hires professionals, and decides between the annuity and the lump sum.
Anonymity depends on where you bought your ticket. Texas law allows winners of $1 million or more to remain anonymous. Missouri generally treats winner information as public record, though there can be ways to claim through legal entities. Either way, the first move is the same: sign the back of the ticket, snap clear photos of both sides, store it securely, and call the lottery to set up a private claim appointment.
The tax math is unavoidable and complicated. The IRS initially withholds 24% on big lottery wins, but the top federal rate is 37%, so many winners owe more at tax time. States can add their own bite. Texas does not levy a state income tax. Missouri does, though the exact rate depends on the year’s brackets and your filing details. If you take the lump sum, your taxable income generally hits all at once. With the annuity, each annual payment is taxed in the year it’s received. Either way, planning is essential.
How do you pick between annuity and lump sum? It comes down to risk, discipline, and goals. The annuity bakes in 30 years of scheduled raises—payments rise 5% annually—which can help outpace inflation and reduce the risk of overspending early. The lump sum delivers more control and flexibility, which appeals if you want to invest, make large gifts, or tackle big purchases right away. Financial planners often model both paths under different market scenarios, tax assumptions, and spending plans before advising.
Here’s a practical way winners approach it:
For everyone else holding smaller winning tickets, keep it simple. Confirm your numbers on multiple sources before you celebrate. If you’ve won a sizable amount, wait to post on social media until you’ve claimed. Consider opening a separate account to hold the funds, and talk to a tax pro about withholdings. And always sign the ticket before you leave the counter.
Power Play questions come up a lot. No, it doesn’t apply to the jackpot. Yes, it multiplies most other prizes based on the drawn multiplier (2X this time). That’s why two Match 5 tickets doubled to $2 million.
Why do jackpots get this big? Two reasons. First, tough odds mean jackpots often roll many times. Second, once headlines start, sales spike, which pushes the next advertised jackpot higher. That feedback loop continues until someone—or more than one person, as we just saw—hits all six numbers.
What about the money from all those tickets that don’t win the top prize? After prize payouts and operating costs, a portion goes to participating states under the Powerball agreement. In Texas, lottery proceeds support the Foundation School Fund, among other programs. In Missouri, proceeds go to public education through the Lottery Proceeds Fund. The exact allocations vary by state and are set in law.
For now, the jackpot resets to its base level for the next drawing, and attention turns to the claim process in Missouri and Texas. Expect a flurry of speculation about the winners—are they individuals, groups, or office pools? Pools are common when jackpots get this large, and they introduce extra steps, like signed agreements and clear documentation for tax reporting.
If you think you’ve won anything—big or small—do these three things today: sign the ticket, make a digital copy, and store the original somewhere secure and dry. Then check your state’s claim rules for deadlines and payout options. And beware of scams. Lottery officials will never call or email you to request payment to release your winnings. If someone asks for money or personal bank details to “process” a prize, it’s a red flag.
The headline is simple: two tickets, one enormous prize, and a lot of zeros. The story beneath it will unfold over weeks—lawyers, tax plans, estate strategies, and a decision between decades of rising checks or a single, colossal payday. Meanwhile, millions of smaller wins are already being cashed, and the stores that sold the big tickets are about to get the busiest day of their year.
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