My True Love Gave To Me … A $1.7 Billion Powerball Jackpot

The Powerball jackpot for Christmas Eve is at an estimated $1.7 billion, making it the fourth largest jackpot in American lottery history.

And if there is one winner — and if Uncle Sam decides to get into the Christmas spirit and say, “you know what, no taxes this time” — that winner could go out and purchase 396,300 drummers, 198,150 egg-laying geese, and, of course, nearly 160,000 gold rings.

All told, the $1.7 billion (the cash value of this whopper is at $781.3 million) could buy 33,025 complete 12 days of Christmas, according to the very smart folks at PNC Bank, who issue the yearly Total Christmas Price Index.

Who knew you could get eight maids a-milking so cheap? I certainly didn’t.

But yes, that is where we are right now: The 12 days cost about $51,000 a pop, which is a boatload of money for birds and people, but mere pennies to someone if they hit the Powerball. Which nobody — obviously — did Monday night, the 46th time the numbers have been plucked since the last winner was crowned.

The numbers Monday were 3, 18, 36, 41, 54, and a red Powerball of 7. There were a grand total of nine Match 5 winners, each taking home $1 million. Those winning tickets were sold in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, a pair in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and partridge in a pear tree.

Lottery Geeks estimates over 109.4 million tickets were sold for the Monday night drawing.

“Much like the holidays, Powerball is a game that brings people together to dream big and hope for a brighter future,” said Matt Strawn, Powerball product group chair and Iowa Lottery CEO. “We hope this growing jackpot inspires excitement and joy, and, most importantly, good will to all. A portion of every ticket helps support programs and services that benefit local communities.”

Mega goes up 

Nobody won Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing — numbers 15, 37, 38, 41, 64 and a gold Mega ball of 21 — making Friday’s top prize $125 million, which ain’t too shabby but still just a wee bit less than Powerball’s top prize.

There was a single Match 5 winner sold (at 2x megaplier) in California, and Lottery Geeks estimates 7.4 million tickets were sold for Tuesday’s draw.

Tickets for Mega Millions cost $5, and Powerball tickets cost $2. Most states offer the multiplier option for Powerball, which impacts any prize won except the jackpot, for an additional $1. Mega Millions comes with an automatic multiplier for any prize except the jackpot.

Both Powerball and Mega Millions are legal in all states except Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah. Tickets for both draw games are also sold in Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In Puerto Rico, customers can buy tickets for Powerball, but not for Mega Millions.

All-time biggest jackpots

Here is a list of the all-time top 10 U.S. lottery jackpots:

1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022, won in California
2. $1.79 billion, Powerball, Sept. 6, 2025, won in Missouri and Texas
3. $1.76 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023, won in California
4. $1.6 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023, won in Florida
5. $1.59 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016, won in California, Florida, and Tennessee
6. $1.54 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018, won in South Carolina
7. $1.35 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023, won in Maine
8. $1.34 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, won in Illinois
9. $1.33 billion, Powerball, April 6, 2024, won in Oregon
10. $1.22 billion, Mega Millions, Dec. 27, 2024, won in California

Here is the all-time top 10 by lump-sum cash value:

1. $997.6 million, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022, won in California
2. $983.5 million, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016, won in California, Florida, and Tennessee
3. $877.8 million, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018, won in South Carolina
4. $820.6 million, Powerball, Sept. 6, 2025, won in Missouri and Texas
5. $794.2 million, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023, won in Florida
6. $780.5 million, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, won in Illinois
7. $776.6 million, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021, won in Michigan
8. $774.1 million, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023, won in California
9. $723.5 million, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023, won in Maine
10. $621 million, Powerball, April 6, 2024, won in Oregon