Listen to this articleThe stage is set for a major Christmas Eve Powerball drawing, with the jackpot now at a whopping $1.7 billion.
After no player matched all five white balls and the Powerball in the Dec. 22 drawing, the jackpot again increased. It now ranks as the fourth largest in Powerball history and among U.S. lottery games.
The Dec. 24 drawing will mark the 47th in this current jackpot run, dating to Sept. 6 when two winners split a $1.787 billion jackpot.
The estimated cash value of the current jackpot is $781.3 million. The potential winner could also choose an annuitized prize that would include one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments, which increases by 5% each year. Both prize options are before taxes.
In its history, the Powerball jackpot has recorded wins once on Christmas Eve (2011) and four times on Christmas Day (1996, 2002, 2010 and 2013).
The drawing takes place at 10:59 p.m. Dec. 24.
Dreaming of a green Christmas
“Much like the holidays, Powerball is a game that brings people together to dream big and hope for a brighter future,” said Matt Strawn, Powerball product group chair and Iowa Lottery CEO. “We hope this growing jackpot inspires excitement and joy, and most importantly, good will to all. A portion of every ticket helps support programs and services that benefit local communities.”
We hope this growing jackpot inspires excitement and joy, and most importantly, good will to all.
– Matt Strawn, Powerball product group chair and Iowa Lottery CEO
While nobody claimed the big prize Monday night, six New Jersey Lottery players matched four white balls and the Powerball. Each won $50,000.
The jackpot run is creating buzz for local lottery retailers around the great Garden State as it coincides with the heart of the holiday season.
“Local retailers across the state are as excited as everyone else at the huge Powerball jackpot,” Eric Blomgren, executive director of the New Jersey Gasoline, C-Store, Automotive Association (NJGCA), told NJBIZ. “I know they are all hoping that one of their customers will win the biggest holiday gift they’ve ever gotten.
“With so many on the roads finishing up their Christmas shopping, and benefitting from falling gas prices, we hope they will stop by their neighborhood convenience store and buy a few tickets. Anytime we see big prizes from the lottery, small businesses across the state benefit.”
Hitting the ‘Jackpot’
That excitement is also being felt in the online courier space.
“For people in New Jersey, the lottery has become a part of holiday holiday traditions – grabbing a ticket before a family gathering or checking the numbers together at night,” Akshay Khanna, CEO and co-founder, Jackpot.com, told NJBIZ. “With last year’s $1 billion Mega Millions jackpot and tomorrow’s $1.70 billion Powerball jackpot, mega jackpots seem to be becoming part of the tradition as well.
“At Jackpot.com, we’re happy to give the people of New Jersey the option to order their tickets on their phone, so they don’t need to miss any of the holiday festivities to get in on the action.”
