Many people may have Labor Day off, but someone might have the chance to never work again – if luck is on their side.
For the 39th drawing in a row, there was no grand prize winner for the Powerball, meaning the jackpot has risen to a staggering $1.1 billion.
That measures up to be Powerball’s fifth-largest jackpot ever. The estimated cash value of the jackpot is $498.4 million.
Although Saturday’s drawing produced no grand prize winners, there were several people who won the $1 million prize across the country, including four in California. Of those four, two $1 million winning tickets were drawn at SoCal stores: a 7-Eleven on East Huntington Drive in Duarte and Ontario Liquor on East 4th Street in Ontario.
The other two $1 million winners were in Milpitas and Pleasant Hill, both in NorCal.
Powerball officials are aware that Labor Day is one of the best times of the year to win a whole bunch of cash.
“America has waited all year for the chance to play for a billion-dollar jackpot, and what better time than Labor Day for a $1.1 billion Powerball drawing!” said Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO. “With just one $2 ticket, you could win it all.”
While a $1.1 billion jackpot is eye-watering to say the least, it’s still less than the record $2.04 billion grand prize won by Edwin Castro in 2022. Castro had purchased his winning ticket at Joe’s Service Center in Altadena in November of that year, but was only identified as the winner the following February.
A list of the top 10 biggest Powerball jackpots can be viewed below. Some eagle-eyed hopefuls may notice that the three largest were all won — or partially won — in Southern California, as was the sixth-largest.
- $2.04 Billion – Nov. 7, 2022 – CA
- $1.765 Billion – Oct. 11, 2023 – CA
- $1.586 Billion – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN
- $1.326 Billion – April 6, 2024 – OR
- $1.1 Billion (estimated) – Sept 1, 2025
- $1.08 Billion – July 19, 2023 – CA
- $842.4 Million – January 1, 2024 – MI
- $768.4 Million – March 27, 2019 – WI
- $758.7 Million – Aug. 23, 2017 – MA
- $754.6 Million – Feb. 6, 2023 – WA
Monday’s draw takes place at 7:59 p.m. Tickets for the Powerball cost $2.