The Powerball jackpot climbed to an estimated $820 million for the Saturday, Dec. 6 drawing, offering a lump‑sum cash option worth roughly $378 million — enough to make anyone double‑check the numbers in their wallet.
If you played, here’s what was drawn Saturday night: 13, 14, 26, 28, 44 and Powerball 7. Power Play was 2x.
What happened and why it matters
No ticket matched all six numbers earlier in the week, so the prize rolled into Saturday’s drawing. That stretch of rollovers — which has been building since a $1.787 billion Powerball was won on Sept. 6 — pushed this pot into the ranks of the biggest Powerball jackpots ever offered. Several lottery trackers list $820 million as roughly the eighth‑largest Powerball prize on record; either way, it’s big enough to make newsrooms and gas‑station counters buzz.
The jackpot is advertised as an annuity paid over 30 years; most winners opt for the one‑time cash option that’s much smaller but immediately available. Exact cash estimates can vary by outlet because of how interest and state‑by‑state reporting are calculated, but the advertised cash option for this drawing was reported at about $378 million.
Odds, prizes and the smaller wins
The long odds haven’t stopped people from playing: the chance of matching all six numbers remains about 1 in 292.2 million. Still, not all winners have to match everything to walk away with life‑changing money. Match‑5 tickets (all five white balls) pay $1 million, and multipliers like Power Play can increase non‑jackpot prizes. In recent drawings during this run there were several big non‑jackpot wins — including $1 million tickets sold in states like Florida and California and a $2 million prize in Kentucky when Power Play applied.
If you want the official explanation of payout options or to watch the drawing live next time, see the Powerball site's information at Powerball.com.
Buying tickets and claiming prizes
Tickets are sold at retail locations across participating states and, in some places, through state lottery online portals or apps. Rules about how long you have to claim a prize differ by state: for example, the Florida Lottery requires prizes to be claimed within 180 days of the drawing, and it has specific timing for claiming the lump‑sum option. Always check your own state lottery’s rules for deadlines and tax guidance — a quick visit to your state lottery's official website will have the details.
Where this sits in jackpot history
This year has already seen several headline‑grabbing lottery events: a $1.787 billion Powerball win in September, and a near‑billion‑dollar Mega Millions result in November. Against that backdrop, the Dec. 6 Powerball pushed the seasonal frenzy right into the holiday weeks, when ticket sales traditionally spike.
Rational reminder: lottery play is entertainment with long odds. If spending gets out of hand, each state maintains resources for gambling help — find local information through your state lottery.
If you matched the numbers above, congratulations — and hold onto that ticket like it’s a passport. If you didn’t, the drawings continue Monday, Wednesday and Saturday; you can follow official updates at Powerball.com.