Arkansas Player Wins $1.8 Billion Powerball Jackpot/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A Powerball ticket sold in Arkansas won a record-breaking $1.817 billion jackpot on Christmas Eve. This marks the second-largest lottery prize in U.S. history and the biggest Powerball win of 2025. The lump-sum cash option totals $834.9 million.
Powerball Jackpot Victory: Quick Looks
- A single ticket in Arkansas won the $1.817 billion Powerball jackpot.
- Winning numbers: 04, 25, 31, 52, 59, with Powerball 19.
- It is the second-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history.
- The winner can take a lump-sum payout of $834.9 million.
- Jackpot rolled over 46 times since the last win in September.
- Last time Powerball was won on Christmas Eve: 2011.
- Arkansas last claimed a Powerball jackpot in 2010.
- Odds of winning remain 1 in 292.2 million.
Deep Look: Arkansas Ticket Wins $1.817 Billion Powerball Jackpot on Christmas Eve
An Arkansas lottery player woke up a billionaire this Christmas after winning the $1.817 billion Powerball jackpot, drawn on Christmas Eve. The prize marks the second-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history and the biggest Powerball prize awarded in 2025.
The winning numbers drawn were 04, 25, 31, 52, 59, with the Powerball number 19.
A Record-Breaking Holiday Win
Originally projected to be slightly lower, the final ticket sales pushed the jackpot to a higher-than-expected total. According to Powerball officials, the winner will have the option to receive the prize as a lump sum of $834.9 million, before taxes.
“This is truly an extraordinary, life-changing prize,” said Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and CEO of the Iowa Lottery. “We also want to thank all the players who joined in this jackpot streak — every ticket purchased helps support public programs and services across the country.”
The jackpot was the result of 46 consecutive drawings without a top-prize winner, a streak that began after the last jackpot win on September 6, when players from Missouri and Texas shared a $1.787 billion prize.
Arkansas Makes History Again
This marks only the second time in history that Arkansas has sold a winning Powerball jackpot ticket. The first occurred in 2010, making this holiday win especially notable for the state.
Powerball also noted the holiday timing. The last time a jackpot was won on Christmas Eve was 2011, and it has only been won on Christmas Day four times — most recently in 2013.
Long Odds, High Rewards
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are a daunting 1 in 292.2 million, but that hasn’t stopped players from dreaming. Sales surge as jackpots climb, often prompting new players to join in.
“With the prize so high, I just bought one kind of impulsively. Why not?” said Chris Winters, a glass artist from Indianapolis who joined millions in trying their luck during the holiday season.
Powerball’s design ensures that jackpots grow over time, as long as there is no top-prize winner. This strategy helps generate national attention — and massive jackpots — with the added benefit of supporting public funding programs in participating jurisdictions.
National Game, Widespread Access
Powerball tickets are sold in 45 U.S. states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each ticket costs $2, and players select five numbers plus one Powerball number. To win the jackpot, all six must match.
For most players, smaller prizes ranging from $4 to $1 million are more realistic, and while the odds of the jackpot are slim, millions of people play in hopes of defying those odds.
What’s Next?
As of now, the Arkansas winner has not been publicly identified. Lottery rules vary by state, and in some states, winners can remain anonymous. The prize must be claimed within a set time period, and the winner will have to choose between the annuity option, paid over 29 years, or the lump sum.
Regardless of the choice, the winner is now among the few Americans to have secured one of the largest lottery jackpots in U.S. history.
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