Powerball Jackpot Climbs to $760 Million for October 31 Drawing
Two tickets split a smaller prize in May, pushing the current pot to its fourth-highest level ever before the weekend draw.
By Noor Phillips ·
The Powerball jackpot has grown to $760 million following the most recent drawing. The next opportunity to win the top prize arrives on Saturday, October 31. That date coincides with Halloween night, a timing that has driven high ticket sales in recent years.
The last winning numbers were 11, 13, 16, 47, and 60, with the Powerball red ball landing on 13. No ticket matched all six numbers in that drawing. The lack of a winner caused the prize pool to increase for the upcoming sale.
A player who wins the current jackpot must match all six numbers. The winner can choose between a lump sum payment of $326 million in cash or an annuity of $760 million paid over 30 years. The cash option provides immediate funds, while the annuity offers larger total payments over three decades.
The last time the Powerball jackpot was claimed was on May 2. Two tickets won that evening. One ticket was sold in Florida and the other in Texas. Each winner received a share of a $20 million prize. Since then, the jackpot has fluctuated as new winners were drawn in January, March, April, and May.
In 2026, the top prize has gone to winners in North Carolina, Arkansas, Delaware, Indiana, Kansas, Florida, and Texas. The smallest jackpot won this year was the $20 million split in May. The largest was $250.8 million in Arkansas in March. The current $760 million pot ranks as the fourth-largest in the game's history.
The largest Powerball jackpot ever awarded was $2.04 billion in California in November 2022. The second-largest was $1.817 billion in Arkansas in December 2025. The third-largest was $1.787 billion, split between Missouri and Texas in September 2025. The current prize is the highest since the $905 million drawing estimated for August 10, 2026.
Each Powerball ticket costs $2. Players can add the Power Play option for an extra $1. This multiplier increases secondary prizes but does not affect the top jackpot. California does not offer the Power Play option. The game is available in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
To win the top prize, a player must match five white balls numbered 1 to 69 and the red Powerball numbered 1 to 26. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292,201,338. Players can select their own numbers or use the Quick Pick option for randomly generated numbers.
Taxes vary by state for winners. Some states tax lottery winnings at rates between 2.9% and 10.9%. Winners residing in California, Florida, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, or Wyoming are exempt from state income tax on the prize. A federal tax withholding of 24% is applied automatically to winnings. An additional 13% in federal taxes may be due when the winner files their 2026 tax return.
