On December 26, 2025, a Powerball lottery ticket sold in Arkansas matched all six numbers in the drawing on the eve of Christmas, winning the $1.817 billion jackpot. This is the second-largest lottery prize in U.S. history and the biggest Powerball jackpot of 2025.
According to a report by Newsnation, the winning numbers for the jackpot were 4, 25, 31, 52, and 59, with the Powerball number being 19. The final ticket sales exceeded the initial estimates, raising the jackpot amount. If the winner chooses a lump-sum cash payout, the prize will amount to $834.9 million.
The winning ticket was sold at a Murphy USA gas station in Cabot, Arkansas, as announced by the Arkansas lottery company.
Arkansas also sold two other smaller winning tickets: a $100,000 ticket in Little Rock and a $50,000 ticket in Rogers.
Matt Strawn, the chairman of the Powerball Product Group and CEO of the Iowa Lottery, congratulated the latest Powerball jackpot winner in a statement, calling it an extraordinary, life-changing prize. He also thanked all lottery players who participated in purchasing tickets, highlighting that every ticket sold contributes to supporting public projects and services nationwide.
This is the second time Arkansas has sold a Powerball jackpot-winning ticket, with the first being in 2010. The last time a Powerball jackpot was won on Christmas Eve was in 2011. Historically, there have been four Powerball jackpot winners on Christmas Day, with the most recent being in 2013.
Before landing in Arkansas, this jackpot had experienced 47 consecutive drawings without a winner, setting a record for the longest cycle of the Powerball jackpot.
The last Powerball jackpot was won on September 6, 2025, when two tickets sold in Missouri and Texas shared a $1.787 billion prize, making it the third-largest lottery prize in U.S. history.
Under Arkansas law, the jackpot winner can remain anonymous for three years, after which their name becomes public record. If the winner is a public official, they and their immediate family must disclose their identity within six months.
Powerball tickets are priced at $2 each and are sold in 45 states across the U.S., as well as in Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings take place every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 7:59 p.m.
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million. The lottery is designed to generate large jackpot prizes, with the prize amount rolling over and increasing when there is no winner. Officials point out that the probabilities of winning smaller prizes are higher.
Tim Chartier, a professor of mathematics and computer science at Davidson College, likened the odds of winning the jackpot to picking a specific second over a span of nine years. He mentioned that buying more tickets slightly increases the chances of winning, but they still remain very low.
The next drawing will take place on Saturday, December 27, with the Powerball jackpot resetting to $20 million. The drawing can be viewed live on the Powerball website.
Previously, the top ten Powerball jackpots and winning states include:
1. $20.4 billion – November 7, 2022 – California;
2. $18.17 billion – Current – Arkansas;
3. $17.87 billion – September 6, 2025 – Missouri, Texas;
4. $17.65 billion – October 11, 2023 – California;
5. $15.86 billion – January 13, 2016 – California, Florida, Tennessee;
6. $13.26 billion – April 6, 2024 – Oregon;
7. $10.8 billion – July 19, 2023 – California;
8. $8.424 billion – January 1, 2024 – Michigan;
9. $7.684 billion – March 27, 2019 – Wisconsin;
10. $7.587 billion – August 23, 2017 – Massachusetts.