The Lotto Matrix: Billion-Dollar Powerball, Mountaineer Mystery, More!

First things first

How much is Friday’s Mega Millions jackpot drawing worth? We have a “Big Boy” jackpot up for grabs at $277 million, and that carries the cash option of $124.6 million.

Though only eight tickets matched either all five non-Mega Ball numbers or four numbers and the Mega Ball the last two drawings, those tickets paid out an average of $892,500. The random Megapliers provided one $3 million payout and a pair for $2 million for winners in Florida, Mississippi, and North Carolina who matched five numbers. The five tickets matching four numbers and the Mega Ball paid out a combined $140,000.

That $2 million payout to the Mississippi winner, who bought the ticket at the Pilot Travel Center in Moss Point, was the largest in the Magnolia State since Mega Millions had its overhaul in April. There have been 17 rollovers since a player in Virginia matched all five numbers and the Mega Ball on June 27 for the $348 million jackpot. 

How much is Saturday’s Powerball jackpot drawing worth? For the first time since taking over the Lotto Matrix space in January, Powerball is a “Grown Ass Man” with an even $1 billion on the line Saturday night. It is the sixth time in Powerball history the grand prize has reached this rarified air and 13th time in the U.S. a $1 billion jackpot is available.

A rollover to Monday will secure a top-five Powerball status with the $1.08 billion prize won in California in July 2023 directly ahead of it. The cash option is getting close to busting its “Big Boy” britches at $453.1 million.

There were a notable amount of near-misses as 11 tickets matched the five non-Powerball numbers drawn last Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday for $1 million paydays. Tickets purchased in Mississippi, Ohio, Virginia, and South Dakota paid out double as those players ticked the power play option.

The Mount Rushmore State has produced a Lotto America winner and a near-Powerball winner in August. A total of 117 tickets matched four numbers and the Powerball, resulting in combined payouts of $8.1 million. There have been 38 rollovers since the last grand prize was won May 31 in California for $204.5 million.

Jackpocket checks in with some numbers

People have not been going just to their local corner store to buy Powerball tickets. Jackpocket, which is available in 17 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico, shared some of its recent napkin math with the Lotto Matrix as the Powerball jackpot has grown.

• It reported a 71% week-over-week increase in tickets sold ahead of Wednesday night’s drawing from Aug. 20-26 compared to the run-up for the Aug. 20 drawing from Aug. 13-19.
• Its 5.8 million Powerball tickets sold this month (thru Aug. 27) are more than double the 2.8 million sold in July.

Massachusetts picks Aristocrat for iLottery

The Massachusetts State Lottery Commission on Monday selected Aristocrat Interactive, known as NeoGames US, LLP, as its official vendor for its forthcoming iLottery platform.

The Bay State will enter the digital lottery era July 1, slightly behind its original projected timeline of December when Gov. Maura Healey signed the state’s budget back on July 29, 2024, that approved the launch of online lottery play. A deliberate approach by the commonwealth agency pushed back that timeline, though Executive Director Mark William Bracken told WWLP-22 News in Boston he would “love it to be early summer of ’26 as opposed to late summer of ’26.”

“We’re excited to be partnering with the MSLC who are widely recognized as a global leader in lotteries,” Aristocrat Interactive CEO Moti Malul said in a statement. “We look forward to helping the MSLC deliver on its objective to expand player engagement through innovative and responsible online play, and further enhance their ability to contribute to and support local communities. 

“Our commitment to iLottery together with our diverse and proven platform solutions and top performing content portfolio, trusted people and seamless integration is what sets us apart.” 

Find that Mountaineer millionaire

The West Virginia Lottery noted Tuesday there is still a winning $1 million Powerball ticket from the March 12 drawing yet to be claimed. The expiration date to redeem the ticket is Sept. 8. The person matched the five non-Powerball numbers of 11, 13, 28, 51, and 58 while failing to match the Powerball of 1.

If the person does not come forward to claim the prize, it would be at least the second time this year a seven-figure Powerball payout went without a home. A $1.4 million payout from the Dec. 18 drawing that matched the numbers 6, 15, 18, 33 and 49 in California went unclaimed by the June 18 deadline, and the money was returned to the California Lottery’s fund for public schools.

Newsworthy nuggets

You go and do something like this and totally redeem yourself!: The Maryland Lottery reported that a man from Prince Georges County was unsure if he had purchased a Powerball ticket for the Aug. 20 drawing. Just to make sure, he played numbers that covered the next three drawings and ticked off the Double Play option.

Turns out he indeed played prior to that second set of purchase. Since there were duplicate tickets, the man who wished to remain anonymous with the pseudonym “Proud Grandad” won $1 million through a pair of $500,000 payouts.

“To look her in the eye and say I had a $500,000 win was good. It was really good to say I had a million!” he said to his wife, according to lottery officials. “It’s truly an unbelievable moment!”

“Proud Grandad,” who played the winning tickets at separate locations in Landover and Riverdale, said he looks forward to spending some of his winnings on helping his children and grandchildren. He also said he plans on continuing to play Powerball and Mega Millions.

Illinois Lotto has a winner: The largest Illinois Lotto jackpot of 2025 has a winner. The lone ticket that matched the drawn numbers 5-9-14-18-22-23 for Thursday night’s $14.6 million drawing was sold at the Crown Mart in East St. Louis near the Illinois-Missouri border.

“Our phone has been ringing off the hook with customers calling to congratulate us for selling the jackpot-winning Lotto ticket,” Crown Mart manager Ed Hamed told St. Louis TV station FOX 2 Now. “In my nine years managing this location, this is the biggest winning ticket we’ve ever sold. We are thrilled for the winner and couldn’t be more excited.”

The Crown Mart will receive a 1% bonus — $146,000 — for selling the winning ticket. The previous top jackpot for the Illinois Lottery this year was $10.4 million, which also had a solo winner Feb. 8.

When Irish eyes are smiling: The Irish Examiner reported that the third-largest jackpot in National Lottery history in Ireland, €17 million ($19.8 million USD), was won by an online player in County Mayo.

The digital ticket for Wednesday night’s drawing matched the numbers 2, 6, 20, 22, 26, 39, as well as the bonus number 5. The biggest jackpot in the 37-year history of the National Lottery was €19 million ($22.2 million) won in January 2022, followed by an €18.9 million ($22 million) prize won in 2008.

Who has the biggest active individual state lotto jackpot in the land?: There is a decent chance the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation will inherit a notable eight-figure jackpot from the Texas Lottery on the switchover of administration Monday. The Lone Star State continues to have the largest state-run lottery jackpot up for grabs, this time $50.25 million with a $27.4 million cash option Saturday.

California and Florida again complete the top three with $38 million and $29.25 million, respectively. With the aforementioned Illinois Lottery jackpot claimed Monday night, New Jersey sits in the No. 4 spot with a $10.6 million prize, and Michigan again holds down the final spot as Lotto 47 is worth $8.1 million to a single winner.

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