Powerball Jackpot Hits $1 Billion. And Yes, Officials Say There Have Been Previous Florida Winners

August 30, 2025

Saturday night’s Powerball jackpot has surged to $1 billion, the sixth largest in the game’s history, and state lottery officials want you to know that yes, Florida players do win.

Since joining the game in 2009, Florida has had more Powerball winners than any other state, continuing a legacy of major wins, lottery officials said Friday.

The last Powerball jackpot claimed in Florida was $214.9 million on May 6, 2024, and the state also shared in the world-record $1.586 billion jackpot in January 2016 alongside California and Tennessee. Florida has continued to see significant wins, including multiple second-tier million-dollar prizes during this current roll.

The record-setting run has driven unparalleled sales, with Floridians purchasing more than 7,000 Powerball tickets every minute leading up to the historic drawing.

Since its inception in 1988, the Florida Lottery has contributed more than $49 billion to education. A significant portion of these funds goes to the Bright Futures Scholarship Program, which has helped more than 1 million students pursue higher education.

Powerball alone has generated more than $3.16 billion for education in Florida since its inception, playing a critical role in supporting students and schools across the state. If the jackpot is claimed tomorrow night, the Florida Lottery will have generated approximately $42.70 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund from this drawing alone.

“Every Powerball ticket purchased in Florida offers the chance to win big, but more importantly, it helps fund the educational dreams of students across our state,” said Florida Lottery Secretary John F. Davis. “Moments like these remind us of the incredible enthusiasm our players bring to the game and the meaningful impact their play has on Florida’s Bright Future Scholarship recipients.”

A $1 billion Powerball winner can choose a case option of $431 million.

Powerball drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights.

Comments

One Response to “Powerball Jackpot Hits $1 Billion. And Yes, Officials Say There Have Been Previous Florida Winners”

  1. Nothing but luck on August 30th, 2025 1:56 pm

    The odds of winning a jackpot are about 1:292,000,000. Like one person out of the entire nation low odds.

    Instead of losing all that money, simply deposit that amount of ticket money to a Roth IRA. Pay taxes up front, and the rest is yours down the road, and a better future for you. With the lottery, your future is being entrusted to luck.

    That’s why I voted against the lottery decades ago, and I’d vote against it again. The cause (education) doesn’t justify the means (lowering household savings).

    Probably one of the reasons poverty keeps expanding.