The winning numbers Wednesday’s night’s Powerball drawing in Tallahassee, Florida were 8, 12, 19, 47 and 58, with the Powerball 2 and the Power Play being 2x.
Nobody managed to secure the jackpot last night by successfully matching all five white numbers and the red Powerball, according to the official Powerball website. But there were three tickets purchased that matched all five white balls, minus the Powerball.
One of those tickets was bought in Texas, earning the lucky winner a $1 million payout. A further two tickets purchased in Florida and North Carolina respectively also purchased the 2x Power Play, meaning that their prize was doubled to $2 million.
Beyond that, six players did manage to match four of the five white balls and the red Powerball to take home the third largest prize of $50,000. A further two lucky players also purchased the Power Play in addition to this, doubling their winnings to $100,000. In total, last night’s drawing saw 375,963 players win at least $4.
With the jackpot not being won, it means that it will roll over to the next drawing on August 29. It currently stands at $47 million with a cash value of $37.7 million, but it could increase if sales further lottery projections, according to officials.
Before Wednesday’s draw, the previous Powerball on August 22 had the winning numbers of 19, 30, 36, 42 and 66, with the Powerball 14 and the Power Play 3x. There were no jackpot winners for that drawing, nor were any tickets purchased that matched all five white balls to secure the minimum $1 million payout.
The jackpot was last one a week ago on August 12, when one lucky person in Florida matched all white balls and the Powerball to scoop a titanic $169 million payout. The numbers for that drawing were 2, 6, 18, 36 and 37 with the Powerball 21 and the Power Play 2x.
How do you play Powerball?
Powerball, along with Mega Millions, is available to play in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The five states that do not sell lottery tickets are Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah. One of the most popular lottery games in the U.S., drawings usually take place twice a week on a Wednesday and Saturday night, at 10:59 p.m. ED. Each draw is broadcast live from the lottery studio in Tallahassee, Florida.
You can play Powerball in Each ticket costs $2 per play, with players selecting five numbers from 1 to 69, in addition to one red Powerball number from 1 to 26. In certain circumstances, players can also multiply non-jackpot prizes by using the Power Play option for an additional $1.
Why is the Powerball so low?
Powerball slashed its minimum payout in half from $40 million to $20 million back in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, leading to reduced sales, according to lottery officials.
Powerball Product Group Chairman and Maine Lottery Director Gregory Mineo said in a statement at the time" “Powerball players in many U.S. lottery jurisdictions are under shelter-in-place orders or recommendations, which have affected normal consumer behaviors.
“Just like other enterprises around the world that are making adjustments, we are making proactive changes to continue to offer the world’s premier lottery product.”
Since the coronavirus pandemic, the jackpot has been reset at $20 million after it is won, rather than the previous $40 million.
Powerball’s official website claims that players have a 1 in 24.9 chance of winning any prize regardless of the number of participants. But the chances of winning the grand prize jackpot are astronomically higher at 1 in 292,201,338, according to the official website.
Winners can choose to either select their prize as an annuity, or for significantly less, a lump-sum payment. The annuity option sees the winner receive 30 annual payments over the space of 29 years, with each payment increasing by five percent until the 30th and final payment.
If you win a jackpot, call lottery officials at 1-800-222-0996.
