The Lotto Matrix: Like You Don’t Know What The Headline Is This Week

First things first

How much is Saturday’s Powerball jackpot drawing worth? This “Grown Ass Man” will not be contained! The jackpot is currently $1.8 billion and subject to revision higher as ticket sales skyrocket nationwide.

That currently tracks to the second-largest Powerball and overall jackpot in U.S. history behind the Nov. 7, 2022 drawing for $2.04 billion. The increased value announced Friday pushed it ahead of the Oct. 11, 2023 drawing for $1.76 billion. The cash option is a “Grown Man” at $826.4 million, which ranks fourth all-time as a lump-sum payment.

There were plenty of newly minted millionaires who were near-billionaires over the last three drawings as 39 people matched all five numbers without the Powerball. Of those 39, nine matched the Power Play option that doubled their winnings to $2 million, creating a total payout of $48 million. A total of 444 people came close in the other agonizing fashion — matching four numbers and the Powerball — as those tickets paid out a combined $29.2 million.

If Saturday night’s drawing does not produce a winner, it will result in a record-setting 42nd rollover since a player in California matched all numbers for the May 31 drawing to claim a $204.5 million payday.

Call it a jinx or an omen, but winnings tickets to other drawings for the top three jackpots were both sold in the Golden State.

How much is Friday’s Mega Millions jackpot drawing worth? Meanwhile, Mega is a growing “Big Boy” with $336 million at stake. The cash option is a solid $150.3 million.

It was a quiet week on the payout front as no one matched all five numbers without the Mega Ball in either drawing. Nine tickets did contain four numbers and the Mega Ball, leading to $530,000 in total winnings. One ticket Tuesday night had the maximum 10x Megaplier randomly assigned, resulting in a $100,000 payout.

There have been 19 rollovers since a player in Virginia matched all five numbers and the Mega Ball on June 27 for the $348 million jackpot. 

Jackpocket gives us more napkin math

As the Powerball jackpot swells, there are more digital tickets being bought. Jackpocket, which is available in 17 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico, shared more napkin math with the Lotto Matrix this week ahead of Saturday’s drawing.

It noted day-over-day sales from Tuesday to Wednesday surged 130% and were 200% higher than the previous Wednesday, Aug. 27.

It also noted a 160% week-over-week increase in tickets sold from Aug. 27-Sep. 2 compared to Aug. 20-26. During this run with now 40-plus rollovers, Jackpocket has sold more than 15 million Powerball tickets.

August second-tier Powerball payouts

While fun to review the weeks that were, the turnover to a new month allows a chance to compile a full month worth of facts and figures to review. The 13 Powerball drawings in August that failed to deliver a jackpot did create 43 millionaires, with 18 minted in the final two drawings of the month.

Total payouts for winners with either five matching numbers or four numbers and the Powerball totaled $82.9 million. Tickets that lacked the Powerball combined for $52 million, while the 466 that came one white ball short were worth $30.9 million.

August second-tier Mega Millions payouts

Before posting Mega Millions’ top second-tier payout totals, recall this is not a like-for-like with Powerball between ticket price points and payout rules. Also, there were nine Mega Millions drawings for August compared to 13 for Powerball.

Mega Millions produced six millionaires who matched five numbers. Those tickets paid out $15 million as the 3x Megaplier came up on three occasions, and the 2x appeared for the other three.

The gap in current popularity between the two national multi-state lotteries due to the sizable jackpot differences becomes more apparent when comparing the volume of those who had four numbers and the Mega Ball. That total was only 46 in August for Mega Millions, with those winners collecting more than $1.3 million combined.

New agency, who dis?

The start of the new month also brought a new regulatory body to the state lotto landscape. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) took over duties and responsibilities on Labor Day — so maybe Tuesday officially — from the now-disbanded Texas Lottery Commission.

The embattled TLC did leave its successors a parting gift: a still-churning Texas Lotto that has a $53.25 million jackpot up for grabs Saturday. The last time a Texas Lotto ticket matched all six numbers for the twice-weekly drawing was Feb. 17, when Kristen Moriarty purchased her tickets via a lotto courier for an $83.5 million drawing. That became the equivalent of pouring gasoline on an already intense fire and furthered a political and legal firestorm that lasted almost six months.

The state’s Office of the Attorney General eventually settled the lawsuit filed by Moriarty last month when the TLC validated her ticket and awarded her the cash value from the drawing, which totaled $45.9 million. Here’s hoping the TDLR has an uneventful first awarding of a jackpot whenever that may be — otherwise Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick may be at its doorstep.

Newsworthy nuggets

A Mountaineer State memo: To the person who purchased a Powerball ticket in Hurricane, West Virginia, for the March 12 drawing that matched all five numbers and is worth $1 million. You have UNTIL THE END OF THE BUSINESS DAY MONDAY to validate your ticket with state lottery officials.

Semi-related, the Lotto Matrix learned Friday that such a place called Hurricane, West Virginia, with an approximate population of 6,800, exists.

Who has the biggest active individual state lotto jackpot in the land? Having already confirmed Texas as the runaway clubhouse leader for largest state-run jackpot in the U.S. once more, those giving closest chase remain the same.

California has a $40 million prize available Saturday night, offering a cash option of $17.8 million. Florida comfortably keeps the final podium spot with $31.5 million up for grabs this weekend. There are some changes to the bottom of the top five, however, as the Hoosier Lottery jackpot in Indiana and Megabucks in Oregon were both claimed.

New Jersey slots fourth with $12.9 million on the line Saturday, plenty to get the gym, tan, and laundry routine done. Rounding out the quintet this week is Michigan, where the Lotto47 drawing is worth $8.9 million.

The multi-state Lotto America has a $2.6 million jackpot with a cash option of $1.19 million available Saturday night.

Until next week, dream big, check your numbers, keep your tickets where you can find them, and play responsibly!