Powerball jackpot surges to $1.73 billion, second-highest ever

The Powerball jackpot has surged, with Wednesday’s prize now the second-largest in the game’s history, standing at a staggering $1.73 billion.

The winner, if they match all six balls during the Wednesday night drawing, would secure the immense prize, which offers a cash option of $756.6 million.

This jackpot is also notable as the second-largest U.S. lottery prize ever, trailing only the record-breaking $2.04 billion Powerball win in California on Nov. 7, 2022.

Lottery officials confirmed that this jackpot is the grandest of 2023, surpassing the prior jackpot of $1.08 billion claimed in the July 19 drawing by a ticket in California.

Since that win, 35 consecutive drawings have passed without a jackpot victor. While the grand prize went unclaimed in Monday’s drawing, five tickets hit the mark with all five white balls, resulting in million-dollar prizes in California, Indiana, Oregon, Virginia, and Florida, with the latter state’s ticket, featuring the Power Play option, doubling its winnings to $2 million.