The Powerball drawing on September 22, 2023 did not produce any jackpot winners. This means the grand prize continues to grow for the next drawing.
The Powerball lottery holds drawings twice a week in the United States, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Powerball is a multi-state lottery game managed by the Multi-State Lottery Association. Players select five white ball numbers from 1 to 69, and one red “Powerball” number from 1 to 26. In order to win the jackpot, a player must match all six numbers. The odds of doing so are 1 in 292 million.
If no one matches all six numbers, the jackpot rolls over to the next drawing and continues growing. This creates enormous jackpots that regularly exceed $100 million and sometimes reach into the billions.
The September 22nd Powerball Drawing
The Powerball drawing on September 22, 2023 took place at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The winning numbers were:
- White balls: 3, 19, 27, 46, 65
- Red Powerball: 18
No ticket matched all six numbers to win the jackpot. However, two tickets matched the five white balls to win $1 million each. Those winning tickets were sold in California and Florida. Another 17 tickets matched four white balls plus the Powerball to win $50,000 each. Over 1.1 million other tickets won smaller prizes ranging from $4 to $200.
The Jackpot Continues Growing
Since there was no jackpot winner, the top prize rolled over to the next Powerball drawing on September 24th. The jackpot reset to $20 million and began climbing again. As more drawings pass without a winner, the jackpot will continue increasing.
The current jackpot estimate for the September 24th drawing sits at $22 million. If no one wins on Saturday, the jackpot for the September 28th drawing will likely surpass $25 million.
Chances of Winning
The odds of winning any Powerball prize are 1 in 24.9. However, the chances of taking home the jackpot are only 1 in 292.2 million. For perspective, a person is actually more likely to be struck by lightning in their lifetime than to hit the Powerball jackpot.
The table below shows the probability comparison of various unlikely events to winning the Powerball jackpot:
| Event | Odds of Occurring |
|---|---|
| Being struck by lightning in your lifetime | 1 in 15,300 |
| Being attacked by a shark | 1 in 3.7 million |
| Getting a hole-in-one in golf | 1 in 12,500 |
| Becoming president of the United States | 1 in 10 million |
| Winning an Olympic medal | 1 in 662,000 |
| Winning the Powerball jackpot | 1 in 292.2 million |
As the table illustrates, hitting the Powerball jackpot is exceedingly rare. A player is significantly more likely to be struck by lightning or attacked by a shark than to win millions in the lottery. But while the odds are infinitesimal, someone has to win eventually, and the jackpot continues growing until the right numbers line up for that lucky ticket.
Biggest Powerball Jackpots
Although no one won the Powerball jackpot on September 22nd, the lottery has produced some enormous grand prizes. Here are the five biggest Powerball jackpots of all time:
- $1.586 billion – January 13, 2016
- $768.4 million – March 27, 2019
- $758.7 million – August 23, 2017
- $731.1 million – January 20, 2021
- $699.8 million – October 4, 2021
As these record-breaking amounts show, the jackpot can quickly escalate to insane sums when there is no winner over consecutive drawings. The current record is over $1.5 billion, won in 2016 by ticket holders in California, Florida and Tennessee. Powerball jackpots will likely continue setting new high marks in the future.
Most Common Powerball Numbers
Certain numbers come up more often than others in Powerball drawings. The table below shows the 10 most frequently drawn white balls and Powerballs:
| Number | Number of Appearances |
|---|---|
| 61 | 281 times |
| 32 | 265 times |
| 63 | 262 times |
| 21 | 261 times |
| 69 | 256 times |
| 23 | 253 times |
| 39 | 245 times |
| 31 | 243 times |
| 4 (Powerball) | 238 times |
| 19 | 235 times |
These hot numbers could prove lucky for players, although every combination has an equal statistical chance of being chosen.
Strategies for Winning
No strategy can improve the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot. The numbers are drawn randomly using certified ball machines and lottery systems. However, players can employ some tactics to increase their chances of taking home a smaller prize.
The simplest approach is to buy multiple tickets for the same drawing. More tickets equals more number combinations covered, and more chances to match at least some of the winning numbers. Players could buy tickets with consecutive or identical numbers to guarantee matching 2, 3 or more balls.
Joining an office pool, syndicate or lottery club also increases the number of tickets purchased for a drawing. Splitting the cost of those tickets with a group saves money while still boosting the odds. Statistically, a group has better chances than any individual player.
Using meaningful dates or numerology to pick numbers is another common technique. While random quick picks are just as likely to win, choosing special birthdays or other significant numbers adds sentimental value and fun.
Past September 22nd Winners
Although the September 22, 2023 Powerball came up empty, winners have been drawn on that date before. Here are some notable jackpot winners from past September 22 drawings:
- $286.6 million on September 22, 2007 won by two ticket holders in Wisconsin and Indiana
- $101.7 million on September 22, 2012 won by a ticket holder in Florida
- $50.3 million on September 22, 2018 won by a ticket holder in North Carolina
Despite no one matching all six numbers this time around, previous drawings prove a jackpot win is possible on September 22nd. Powerball players still look forward to this date in hopes of drawing the lucky numbers.
Changes and Recent Trends
Powerball underwent some rule changes in 2015 designed to increase the rate of jackpot winners. The pool of main numbers was decreased from 59 to 69 white balls, while the pool of Powerballs increased from 35 to 26. This has decreased the overall odds of winning any prize to 1 in 24.87.
The rule tweaks seem to be working. Since the changes, there have been more frequent jackpot winners than in the past. The last time the Powerball jackpot surpassed $500 million was May 2013. Top prizes seem to be won at lower amounts before excessive rollovers occur.
However, lottery fever still takes hold when jackpots break the $200 million mark. Tickets sales always surge for a chance at the big payouts. So while jackpots may not be hitting world record levels as often, Powerball continues generating huge buzz and excitement.
Odds of Winning Any Prize
The odds of winning the jackpot grab all the headlines. But what are the chances of taking home any prize in Powerball? Here are the odds for each prize level:
- Match 5 white balls only – 1 in 11,688,054
- Match 4 white balls and the Powerball – 1 in 913,130
- Match 4 white balls only – 1 in 36,526
- Match 3 white balls and the Powerball – 1 in 14,495
- Match 3 white balls only – 1 in 580
- Match 2 white balls and the Powerball – 1 in 701
- Match 1 white ball and the Powerball – 1 in 92
- Match the Powerball only – 1 in 38
The overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.9. While no one beat the nearly 300 million to 1 odds on September 22nd, plenty of players still walked away with smaller rewards. Matching just the Powerball offers cheaper tickets with a 1 in 38 shot at winning a free play.
How to Play Powerball
For first-time players unfamiliar with the Powerball rules, here is a quick guide on how to play:
- Select five different white ball numbers from 1-69. This can be done with a play slip or through quick pick.
- Select one red Powerball number from 1-26.
- Place a $2 bet per play. Multiple plays and number combinations can be entered.
- Watch the drawing live online or on TV to see if your numbers match.
- Match all five white balls and the Powerball to win the jackpot.
Tickets can be purchased in convenience stores, gas stations and supermarkets in 45 participating states, as well as Washington D.C, Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands. There are nine states without Powerball participation.
Drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday night at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Tickets cannot be purchased after 10:00 p.m. on the night of that drawing. Prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing in which they are won.
Conclusion
While the latest Powerball drawing on September 22nd, 2023 did not produce any jackpot winners, the lottery still created millions in prizes for other lucky players. With the top prize rolling over, the jackpot will continue increasing to eye-popping levels until a ticket matches all six numbers.
Powerball continues gaining huge popularity across participating U.S. states. Huge jackpots create media buzz and attract new players chasing the dream of instant millionaire status. Although the odds are stacked against winning the jackpot, smaller prizes are more attainable.
Millions of people will play again hoping to have their lucky numbers drawn on September 24th. For a lucky few, the next Powerball drawing could change their lives in an instant.
