Two tickets hit $1.787B as the Powerball frenzy peaks
The United States has another lottery milestone: two tickets, one sold in Missouri and one in Texas, matched all six numbers to win a $1.787 billion Powerball jackpot in Saturday’s drawing. The winning numbers for September 6, 2025, were 11, 23, 44, 61, 62, and the red Powerball 17. The Power Play multiplier was 2. It’s the second-largest lottery prize ever awarded in the country, trailing only the $2.04 billion ticket sold in California on November 7, 2022.
Final sales pushed the pot to its towering total by draw time at 10:59 p.m. ET, ending a weeks-long run that began after the last jackpot was hit in July. In the words of Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO Matt Strawn: “Each $2 ticket sold during this Powerball jackpot run gave players a chance at the prize, while also supporting vital public programs and services in their communities — and that’s worth celebrating.”
The two winning ticket holders now face a life-changing choice. Each can take an annuity valued at $893.5 million, paid out as one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that rise 5% every year, or a one-time lump sum of $410.3 million. Both figures are before taxes, and how much each winner keeps will ultimately depend on federal taxes and their state’s rules.
This drawing didn’t just crown two new billionaires-in-waiting. It also produced a flood of winners nationwide. More than 9.9 million tickets earned cash prizes in total. Two tickets matched five numbers and used Power Play to land $2 million each, sold in Kansas and Texas. Another 18 tickets matched all five white balls for $1 million each. Those were sold in California (2), Colorado, Florida, Illinois (2), Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York (2), Ohio (2), Oregon, Texas (2), and West Virginia.
For anyone wondering how improbable this was: the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292,201,338. Those odds don’t budge no matter how high the jackpot gets. What does change is ticket sales. When the prize surges into the billions, casual players jump in, lines form at convenience stores, and the top prize can swell by hundreds of millions of dollars in a matter of days.
What happens next for the winners and everyone else
First, the basics. Powerball drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. With the jackpot finally hit, the top prize will reset to the standard starting level at the next drawing. Behind the scenes, lottery officials in Missouri and Texas will verify the winning tickets and prepare to guide the winners through the claims process.
Timing matters. In both Missouri and Texas, winners typically have 180 days from the draw date to claim their prizes, though the exact timeframe can vary if a prize is selected as an annuity or if deadlines fall on weekends or holidays. Winners should sign the back of their tickets immediately and keep them in a secure place. Many big winners engage an attorney, a tax professional, and a financial planner before they ever set foot in a claims office.
Privacy is another key factor. Disclosure rules differ by state. Texas generally allows winners of prizes $1 million and above to remain anonymous, which has made it a friendlier state for publicity-shy jackpot winners. Missouri’s disclosure rules are more limited. While policies can change, large winners there should expect some level of public release, often including name and hometown. In both states, the retailer that sold a jackpot-winning ticket typically receives a bonus, a small but meaningful payday for the store that placed the lucky slip in a customer’s hands.
Then there’s the tax reality. The IRS initially withholds 24% of large lottery winnings. Depending on the winner’s overall income and deductions, the effective federal rate can climb to the top bracket, which is higher than the withholding rate. State taxes can add more. Texas has no state income tax, a clear financial plus for its winner. Missouri does levy state income tax, with top rates that are far lower than federal, but still meaningful on a nine-figure payout. The annuity option spreads the tax burden over three decades, while the lump sum triggers a single large taxable event.
Why do annuity payments grow by 5% each year? That design helps offset inflation and gives winners a rising income stream over time. For some, the smoothing effect of 30 payments (one immediate plus 29 annual) can make budgeting easier. Others prefer the lump sum for flexibility, investment opportunities, or estate planning. There’s no universally “better” choice — it comes down to risk tolerance, goals, and professional advice.
Cash value vs. annuity regularly confuses players. The advertised jackpot is based on the annuity total — what the lottery can pay out over 30 years using the cash collected from ticket sales and prevailing interest rates. The lump-sum cash value is the pool of money available today, before tax, if the winner takes it all at once. With interest rates and market conditions shifting over time, the gap between the advertised annuity and the immediate cash value can vary from one jackpot cycle to the next.
This drawing showcased the Power Play multiplier at 2, which doubles non-jackpot prizes for players who added the $1 Power Play option to their $2 ticket. That’s how one Kansas ticket and one Texas ticket reached $2 million after matching five white balls. The multiplier doesn’t apply to the jackpot; it only boosts lower-tier prizes.
Big jackpots often invite questions about the broader impact. Every ticket sold does more than fuel the top prize. In Texas, lottery proceeds support public education and veterans’ services. In Missouri, lottery dollars flow to public education programs across the state. When jackpots soar, those programs typically see a bump as casual players jump into the mix and sales surge.
For the millions who came up short this time, there were still plenty of smaller wins. Here’s a quick look at where the $1 million Match 5 tickets were sold, according to lottery officials:
- California (2)
- Colorado
- Florida
- Illinois (2)
- Kansas
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Jersey
- New York (2)
- Ohio (2)
- Oregon
- Texas (2)
- West Virginia
What should the new winners do right now? Keep quiet, protect the ticket, and assemble a trusted team. The claims process can take time, and there’s no prize for rushing. Whether they choose the annuity or the lump sum, the decision will shape their financial lives for decades. For the rest of the country, the next drawing is right around the corner — and with it, a fresh jackpot and another chance to dream big.
