Steven Martinez and Drake Bentley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·5 min read
Did Powerball make you a millionaire overnight?
After no one matched all five numbers plus the Powerball on Monday, Aug. 5 the grand prize grew to $185 million for the Wednesday, Aug. 7 drawing.
The winning numbers for Powerball on Wednesday were 6-19-35-47-57 and the Powerball was 9. Power Play was 3x.
The winning numbers for Powerball on Monday were 29-42-44-51-54 and the Powerball was 12. Power Play was 2x.
More: What are the top 10 Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots in Wisconsin history?
Tickets start at $2 apiece. Below is what to know about lottery odds, how long to claim the cash option if you bought a ticket in Wisconsin, and what happens to unclaimed prize money, according to the Wisconsin Lottery.
Good luck!
How much was the Powerball lottery jackpot for Wednesday, Aug. 7?
An estimated $185 million with a cash option of $92.1 million.
When do Wisconsin Lottery tickets expire?
Prizes for the Wisconsin Lottery must be claimed within 180 days (six months) from the date of the drawing. You can find a list of expired tickets, or those expiring soon, on the Wisconsin Lottery website.
What happens to the unclaimed prize money?
According to the Wisconsin Lottery, the value of unclaimed prizes is credited to the Wisconsin Lottery property tax relief fund.
What are the odds of winning the Powerball lottery game?
Powerball drawings are held at 10 p.m. CDT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. According to Powerball.com, players have a 1 in 292.2 million chance to match all six numbers. Prizes range from $2 to the grand prize jackpot, which varies.
Are the odds of winning Powerball the same if the jackpot is $1 billion?
Players have a 1 in 24.9 chance of winning a prize, powerball.com states. Players have a 1 in 292.2 million chance to match all six numbers whether the jackpot is $20 million or $1 billion.
Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?
No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state's open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner's consent.
How do you claim a lottery prize in Wisconsin?
That depends on how much you won.
For prizes up to $599:
You can redeem your winnings at any Wisconsin Lottery retail.
At the Wisconsin Lottery offices in Madison or Milwaukee. The Wisconsin Lottery recommends arriving by 3:30 p.m. to allow enough time to process your ticket.
Tickets can also be mailed to:
Prizes
P.O. Box 777
Madison, WI 53774
For prizes between $600 and $199,999:
Prizes can be claimed in-person at the Wisconsin Lottery offices in Madison or Milwaukee. The Wisconsin Lottery recommends arriving by 3:30 p.m. for most prizes and 2 p.m. for prizes of $50,000 or more to allow enough time to process your ticket.
Tickets can also be signed and mailed to:
Prizes
P.O. Box 777
Madison, WI 53774
For prizes exceeding $200,000:
Prizes must be claimed in-person at the Wisconsin Lottery office in Madison. The Wisconsin Lottery recommends calling 608-261-4916 to schedule a time to process the ticket.
When did lotto jackpots hit $1 billion or more?
As of Aug. 7, 2024, 11 lottery jackpots have reached or surpassed $1 billion. Only once has a jackpot surpassed $2 billion.
11. $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021: A single ticket won in Michigan.
10. $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023: A single ticket won in California.
9. $1.13 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024: A single ticket won in New Jersey.
8. $1.33 billion, Powerball, April 6, 2024: A single ticket won in Oregon.
7. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022: A single ticket won in Illinois.
6. $1.35 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023: A single ticket was purchased in Maine.
5. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018: A single ticket won in South Carolina.
4. $1.58 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023: A single ticket won in Neptune Beach, Florida
3. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016: Three tickets won from California, Florida, Tennessee.
2. $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023: A single ticket won from California.
1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022: A single ticket won in California.
What are the Top 10 biggest Powerball jackpots in history?
Here are the Top 10 Powerball jackpots as of Aug. 7, 2024:
10. $731.1 million — Jan. 20, 2021; Maryland
9. $754.6 million — Feb. 6, 2023; Washington
8. $758.7 million — Aug. 23, 2017; Massachusetts
7. $768.4 million — March 27, 2019; Wisconsin
6. $842.4 million — Jan. 1, 2024; Michigan
5. $1.08 billion — July 19, 2023; California
4. $1.33 billion — April 6, 2024; Oregon
3. $1.586 billion — Jan. 13, 2016; California, Florida and Tennessee
2. $1.765 billion — Oct. 11, 2023; California
1. $2.04 billion — Nov. 7, 2022; California
What are the Top 10 largest lottery jackpots in U.S. history?
The following Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots made the Top 10 biggest lottery jackpots in U.S. history, as of Aug. 7, 2024.
10. $1.08 billion Powerball drawing — July 19, 2023; California
9. $1.1 billion Mega Millions drawing — March 27, 2024; New Jersey
8. $1.33 billion Powerball drawing — April 6, 2024; Oregon
7. $1.337 billion Mega Millions drawing — July 29, 2022; Illinois
6. $1.35 billion Mega Millions drawing — Jan. 13, 2023; Maine
5. $1.537 billion Mega Millions drawing — Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina
4. $1.58 billion Mega Millions drawing — Aug. 8, 2023; Florida
3. $1.586 billion Powerball drawing — Jan. 13, 2016; California, Florida and Tennessee
2. $1.765 billion Powerball drawing — Oct. 11, 2023; California
1. $2.04 billion Powerball drawing — Nov. 7, 2022; California
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Did anyone win the Powerball jackpot for Aug. 7, 2024?
