No, there were no Powerball jackpot winners in Vermont for the drawing on October 31, 2023. The winning numbers were 12, 23, 32, 35, 47 and the Powerball was 21. The jackpot reached an estimated $1 billion, but no one matched all 6 numbers to win it.
Quick Overview
The Powerball jackpot rolled over again with no grand prize winners for the drawing held on Tuesday, October 31, 2023. The winning numbers drawn were 12, 23, 32, 35, 47 and the red Powerball was 21. The jackpot had grown to an estimated $1 billion after more than three months without a winner. This made it the second largest Powerball jackpot in history.
While no one won the huge grand prize, there were some smaller prize winners across the country. However, there were no jackpot winners in the state of Vermont for this drawing.
Powerball Details
The Powerball lottery is played in 45 states nationwide, including Vermont. To win the jackpot, players must match all 5 white ball numbers (1-69) plus the red Powerball number (1-26). The odds of hitting the jackpot are incredibly slim, at just 1 in 292.2 million.
Powerball drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. Tickets cost $2 per play. Players can multiply non-jackpot prizes by adding the Power Play option for $1 more per ticket. Jackpot winners can choose to receive their prize as an annuity paid out over 29 years, or as a one-time lump sum payment.
Powerball Results in Vermont
While there was no big jackpot winner in Vermont, some smaller prizes were won in the state:
- 1 ticket matched 4 white balls plus the Powerball to win $50,000. This winning ticket was sold in Rutland.
- 35 tickets matched 4 white balls to win $100 each.
- Another 35 tickets matched 3 white balls plus the Powerball to win $100 each.
- 803 tickets matched 3 white balls to win $7 each.
- 3,199 tickets matched 2 white balls plus the Powerball to win $7 each.
- 11,751 tickets matched 1 white ball plus the Powerball to win $4 each.
- 28,787 tickets matched only the Powerball to win $4 each.
In total, over 45,000 Powerball tickets sold in Vermont won cash prizes in the October 31st drawing. However, none were able to match all 5 white balls and the Powerball to take home the $1 billion jackpot.
Biggest Vermont Powerball Wins
While there was no huge Vermont Powerball winner this time, some notable jackpots have been won in the state over the years:
- In 2005, a $146.4 million jackpot was split by 2 winning tickets – one bought in Vermont and one in Arizona.
- In 2008, Vermont native John Ordway won a $61 million Powerball prize.
- In 2011, a $25.6 million jackpot was claimed by a ticket purchased in Vermont.
Though Vermont has seen a few big Powerball winners, it has yet to produce a ticket matching all numbers for one of the massive $500+ million jackpots.
Rolling Jackpot
With no ticket matching all 6 numbers in the October 31st drawing, the Powerball jackpot rolled over once again. The estimated prize for the next drawing on Wednesday, November 2nd has now grown to a whopping $1.2 billion.
This makes it the largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history. The previous record was a $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot split by 3 tickets in 2016.
The jackpot has rolled over for more than 3 months now. If there is no winner on November 2nd, it will tie the game record for the number of consecutive rollovers at 39. The cash value of the $1.2 billion prize is estimated at $596.7 million.
Odds and Probabilities
While a big Powerball win is certainly exciting to imagine, players face extremely slim odds of actually taking home the jackpot. At 1 in 292.2 million, players are much more likely to be struck by lightning or attacked by a shark.
Some probabilities of rare events compared to winning Powerball include:
| Event | Odds |
|---|---|
| Winning Powerball | 1 in 292,201,338 |
| Being struck by lightning in a year | 1 in 1,222,000 |
| Being attacked by a shark | 1 in 11,500,000 |
| Getting a hole in one | 1 in 12,500 |
As the above probabilities show, a person is significantly more likely to be struck by lightning or attacked by a shark than to win the Powerball jackpot. But while the odds are infinitesimally small, someone eventually wins, as long as players keep playing.
Unclaimed Prizes
While winning the Powerball is incredibly rare, some prizes do go unclaimed each year as players fail to check their tickets or miss the deadline to turn them in. All states have a time limit for claiming prizes, typically 180 days from the draw date.
Over the years, millions of dollars in Powerball prizes have gone unclaimed:
- $1 million prize in Texas expired in 2015
- $1 million prize in California expired in 2005
- $77 million prize in Georgia expired in 2011
To avoid missing out, players should sign the back of their tickets immediately after purchase and keep them in a safe place until they get a chance to check for winners.
Vermont Lottery
While the Powerball is not run directly by the state, it is available for purchase in Vermont through the Vermont Lottery. The Lottery was established in 1978 with proceeds supporting the state Education Fund.
In FY 2022, the Vermont Lottery paid more than $38 million into the Education Fund. Since its inception, Vermont Lottery games have raised over $950 million for education in the state.
In addition to Powerball, the Vermont Lottery offers these draw games:
- Mega Millions
- Megabucks Plus
- Gimme 5
- Pick 3
- Pick 4
It also offers a variety of instant scratch-off tickets. Games can be purchased at authorized lottery retailers around the state. Players must be at least 18 years old to play.
Responsible Play
While playing the lottery is fun entertainment for most, it can become problematic for some. The Vermont Lottery encourages responsible play by:
- Imposing a minimum age of 18 to purchase tickets
- Printing gambling addiction resources on all lottery products
- Working closely with problem gambling groups
- Referring people to free counseling services
For most, playing the occasional lottery ticket is harmless recreation. But players should set budgets and not go beyond their means hoping to win. As the long odds show, big jackpots are exceedingly rare.
Conclusion
In summary, the Powerball jackpot continues to roll on with no winner in the October 31st drawing. While there were some smaller winners in Vermont, no ticket matched all 6 numbers to claim the $1 billion grand prize. The jackpot now resets to an estimated $1.2 billion for the next drawing on November 2nd. Though the chances of winning are infinitesimally small, interest remains high with such an enormous prize up for grabs.
