Most popular Powerball numbers revealed as jackpot climbs to $1.5 billion
These are the most-drawn Powerball numbers as the game's jackpot soars to a staggering $1.5 billion dollars.
The prize pot stood at a massive $1.25 billion ahead of Wednesday night's draw (December 17), but alas no one scooped the jackpot.
Two winners scored $2 million each while seven more won $1 million - so all is not lost! This means there's a chance of winning $1.5 billion during Saturday's draw (December 20) - the fifth-largest prize in Powerball history.
After tax, the winner would be taking home around $686.5 million. You might not become a billionaire, then, but I certainly wouldn't be complaining...
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Saturday night marks 45 consecutive games since the Powerball jackpot has been won. To win, players must match all five white numbers between one and 69 and the red Powerball number, between one and 26.
The last winning draw was on September 6, when two ticket holders in Missouri and Texas respectively split the $1.787 billion grand prize.
If you're in any of the 45 lottery-playing US states and want to try your luck on Saturday night, then the bad news is the odds aren't exactly in your favor. There's a one in 292 million chance of matching all six Powerball numbers. You have better odds of getting struck by lightning in your lifetime (one in 20,000, according to the Lightning Safety Council) or being killed by a shark (one in four million, as per the Natural History Museum).
On a lighter note, if you lower your expectations, then your odds sound more promising. There's a one in 24.9 chance of winning anything on the Powerball, ranging from $4 to $50,000, all the way to the grand prize.
We crunched the winning Powerball numbers, from the Texas Lottery, spanning the past decade from October 7 2015 through to December 17 2025.
These are the numbers that occurred most frequently.
What are the most-drawn Powerball numbers?
According to the data, the most popular number of the white balls is 61, which has been drawn 118 times.
In joint-second place are numbers 23 and 21, which were each picked 113 times.
In third place is another tie, this time between 21 and 33, which have both been drawn 112 times.
In fourth is 69, which cropped up in 111 games.
Numbers 28 and 64 are in fifth, popping up in 109 draws.
What about the most-drawn Powerball?
Scoring the red Powerball could be the difference between $1 million and the jackpot - no pressure.
The most popular Powerball, drawn a total of 62 times, is number four.
The second is number 21, drawn only two times less.
Numbers 14, 18 and 24 are next, each being drawn 58 times each.
The fourth most-drawn Powerball is 25, pulled 56 times, while the fifth is number nine, appearing 55 times.
Please gamble responsibly. For help, support and advice about problem gambling, call the National Problem Gambling Helpline on 1-800-GAMBLER, 24/7.
Ellie Kemp