A $1.4 billion Powerball jackpot was on the line Wednesday night after 40 straight drawings failed to produce a grand prize winner.
The massive prize is the fourth-largest Powerball jackpot ever and the sixth-largest in U.S. lottery history. Interest was so high that the Powerball website briefly crashed as players rushed to check results.
No one has hit the jackpot since May 31. Wednesday’s drawing was the 41st in a row without a winner, just one short of the all-time record streak set last year.
Winning numbers for Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025
The winning numbers were 3, 16, 29, 61, 69 and the Powerball was 22. The Power Play multiplier was 2x.
Anyone who matches all six numbers can choose between the full $1.4 billion paid out over 30 years or a smaller lump sum. Most winners take the cash option, though taxes—both federal and in some states—will significantly cut into the total.
Odds of winning
The odds of hitting the Powerball jackpot are about 1 in 292.2 million. Matching all five white balls without the Powerball comes with a $1 million prize and odds of 1 in 11.7 million. Overall, the chance of winning any prize is 1 in 24.87.
When are Powerball drawings?
Powerball drawings take place three times a week—Monday, Wednesday and Saturday—at 10:59 p.m. ET. Tickets cost $2 each and are sold in 45 states, plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The biggest Powerball jackpots ever
The top jackpots in Powerball history have all crossed the $1 billion mark:
$2.04 billion — Nov. 7, 2022 (California)
$1.765 billion — Oct. 11, 2023 (California)
$1.586 billion — Jan. 13, 2016 (California, Florida, Tennessee)
$1.4 billion (estimated) — Sept. 3, 2025
$1.326 billion — April 6, 2024 (Oregon)
$1.08 billion — July 19, 2023 (California)
$842.4 million — Jan. 1, 2024 (Michigan)
$768.4 million — March 27, 2019 (Wisconsin)
$758.7 million — Aug. 23, 2017 (Massachusetts)
$754.6 million — Feb. 6, 2023 (Washington)
