Powerball
The Powerball keeps getting bigger and bigger. The drawing for Saturday, January 6, 2018, was for $570 million. This may not be the largest jackpot in Powerball’s history (which was $1.6 billion), but it’s certainly substantial. Many people were crossing their fingers that no one would win, because they were hoping to see another billion-dollar jackpot. It typically takes Powerball about two hours to process all the tickets and announce if someone won and where the winning ticket was purchased, and this time it took that same amount of time for the news to be released. According to Powerball’s website, at least one person won and the current estimated jackpot has reset to $40 million, which is where the jackpot begins for the first drawing immediately after a winning ticket.
Powerball’s website has reported a jackpot winner from New Hampshire. It could potentially be a long time before the winner of tonight’s game comes forward. New Hampshire rules allow people who win games like Powerball to take up to a one year from the draw date to claim their prize. So how fast we learn about the person who won really depends on their goals. If they want to stay out of the spotlight, they might wait a long time. If they want to get publicity while the iron’s hot, then they’ll come forward quickly. New Hampshire law also requires the winner’s name, town, and amount won be available for public information, but some residents have skirted this rule in the past by claiming their prize through a trust. In addition to the jackpot, there were no Power Play Match 5 winners today, but there were million-dollar Match 5 winners in Connecticut, New Jersey, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington. A total of 4,003,400 people were winners tonight, including $37,199,207 given away in non-jackpot prizes.
Tonight’s Powerball winning numbers were 12 – 29 – 30 – 33 – 61 and a Powerball of 26. The odds of winning are one in 292.2 million, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Powerball’s largest jackpot winners include a $1.6 billion jackpot in January 2016, a $758.7 million jackpot in August 2017, $590.5 million in May 2013, $587.5 million in November 2012, and $564.1 million for February 11, 2015.
Here’s tonight’s winning #Powerball numbers. #GoodLuck Iowa!
In order to win the $570 million jackpot tonight, you had to match all five white balls in any order, and you had to match the red Powerball number too. Some people quickly shared on Twitter their results from the drawing (and their disappointment about not winning):
#POWERBALL Numbers:
12 29 30 33 61
POWERBALL# 26
I Got 1 # How about you?💰😞
I did not win the #Powerball but I also hope nobody else won the powerball
If more than one person happens to win the jackpot, then they’ll be splitting those winnings. Don’t forget that they won’t walk away with the exact amount of the jackpot, even if they’re the only winner. Taxes will take away some of the winnings, just for starters.
If you only match one of the white balls, you won’t win any money. But if you only match one number and it happens to be the red Powerball, you’ll walk away with $4. Not a lot, but enough to buy yourself a couple more tickets. Here’s how the other matches work. If you match all five white balls, in any order, but not the Powerball, then you’ll get $1 million. If you match four out of five of the white balls and the Powerball, you’ll win $50,000. The amount you win drops dramatically after this. You have two ways to win $100: either match four out of five of the white balls OR match three white balls and the Powerball. Next is your shot at $7. You’ll win $7 if you either match three out of five of the white balls OR you match two white balls and the Powerball. Last is your shot at $4, which you could use to buy two more Powerball tickets if you wanted. You’ll get this if you match one white ball and the Powerball OR if you just match the Powerball.
Powerball is played in 44 states in the U.S., plus D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.