The Powerball is one of the most popular lottery games in the United States, played in 45 states including Arkansas. The jackpot starts at $40 million and continues to grow until someone wins the grand prize. With millions of people purchasing tickets for a chance to win big, Powerball creates enormous jackpots that capture public attention. But how much exactly is the current Powerball jackpot for those playing in Arkansas? Let’s take a closer look.
Current Arkansas Powerball Jackpot
As of [CURRENT DATE], the Arkansas Powerball jackpot sits at [CURRENT JACKPOT AMOUNT]. This is the amount that a single winner would take home if they matched all 5 white ball numbers and the red Powerball number. The cash value option, which most winners choose, would be roughly half of the full jackpot amount.
Powerball jackpots grow to such tremendous amounts because the odds of winning are incredibly difficult, currently calculated at 1 in 292.2 million. With players in multiple states participating without producing a jackpot winner week after week, the top prize continues increasing based on ticket sales and rollover amounts.
Once a winner finally matches all the numbers, the jackpot resets to $40 million and starts growing again until the next grand prize winner.
How the Powerball Jackpot Grows
The minimum starting Powerball jackpot is $40 million, but the average jackpot is much higher as it takes time for someone to finally win. There are a couple factors that determine how fast the top prize grows:
Ticket Sales
The more people who purchase Powerball tickets, the bigger the jackpots will grow. Tickets cost $2 per play, with an extra $1 option to multiply non-jackpot winnings. When huge jackpots are available, ticket sales surge with more players trying to cash in. The lottery organizers use a portion of each ticket sale to fund the increasing jackpot amounts.
Rollovers
Since the odds of matching all six numbers are so low, it’s common for there to be no jackpot winner on a given draw. When this happens the jackpot “rolls over” to the next drawing and increases. The increase amount varies based on ticket sales, but is usually many millions of dollars added. Multiple consecutive rollovers dramatically boost the jackpot quickly.
Record Powerball Jackpots
With how rapidly Powerball jackpots can grow from rollovers, there have been some incredibly massive top prizes in the game’s history. Here are some of the largest Powerball jackpots to date:
$1.586 Billion – January 2016
The current record jackpot reached almost $1.6 billion after accumulating over three months without a winner. The winning ticket was purchased in California. This record is also the current lottery jackpot world record.
$768.4 Million – March 2019
It took less than two months of rollovers to propel this jackpot to the third largest ever. It was claimed by a player in Wisconsin.
$758.7 Million – August 2017
This jackpot was won by a single ticket in Massachusetts following a five month rollover streak. It stands as the largest single ticket jackpot in U.S. history.
$731.1 Million – January 2021
Maryland saw its first Powerball jackpot winner with this prize, the fourth largest in the game’s history.
$699.8 Million – October 2015
This jackpot accumulated for four months before a winner in New Hampshire claimed the prize.
Odds of Winning Powerball
The chances of winning any Powerball prize are quite low, though much better than the jackpot. Here are the odds for each prize:
Jackpot – 1 in 292,201,338
Players must match all 5 white balls (1-69) and the red Powerball (1-26). Because both the white balls and Powerball are drawn randomly, the difficult odds lead to enormous jackpots.
$1 Million Prize – 1 in 11,688,053.52
Match all 5 white balls but miss the red Powerball to win $1 million. The odds are over 290 times easier than the jackpot.
$50,000 Prize – 1 in 913,129.18
Match 4 of the white balls and the Powerball for a $50,000 prize. The odds increase by over 10 times compared to $1 million.
$100 Prize – 1 in 36,525.17
Correctly matching 3 white balls and the Powerball wins a modest $100.
$7 Prize – 1 in 579.76
Match either the red Powerball or 1-2 white balls to win a free $7 lottery ticket. Pulling one of the lower prizes is reasonably likely.
Overall odds – 1 in 24.9
These are the odds of winning any Powerball prize, from $7 up to the jackpot. About 1 in 25 tickets sold will cash in on something. Monitoring the various prize odds can help players understand their chances.
Buying Powerball Tickets in Arkansas
Playing the Arkansas Powerball requires purchasing tickets at authorized retailers across the state. There are a few options for buying tickets:
Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Retailers
Head to any Arkansas Scholarship Lottery retailer location. There are over 1,900 convenience stores, gas stations, supermarkets and other approved vendors selling Powerball tickets. Locations have signs indicating lottery ticket sales.
Online Purchase
The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery website and mobile app allow you to conveniently purchase Powerball tickets online. Register for an account, deposit funds, and then use the website or app to buy tickets for any draw.
Arkansas Lottery Subscription
You can subscribe to play the same numbers for multiple Powerball draws. This automatically enters your chosen ticket each drawing rather than having to manually purchase. Subscriptions can be setup for up to 104 draws (26 weeks) in advance.
Powerball tickets can only be purchased from approved sellers within Arkansas state lines. Visitors from neighboring states must cross state lines and buy Arkansas lottery tickets. Tickets cannot be purchased by mail or online from out of state.
How to Play Powerball
To play Powerball, players select five different white ball numbers from 1-69, and one Powerball number from 1-26. Tickets cost $2 per play. An optional Power Play add-on multiplies non-jackpot winnings for an extra $1 per play. Players can choose their numbers manually by picking each one individually, or using the quick pick option for random number selection.
On draw nights, Wednesday and Saturday evenings, the winning six numbers are randomly drawn including the five white balls and single Powerball. Prizes are awarded based on how many of your numbers match. The jackpot is won by matching all six numbers. Lesser prizes range from $7 to $1 million.
Powerball Number Frequency
With 69 white balls and 26 Powerballs circulating in the lottery machine, some numbers get drawn more often than others. Experienced lottery players track number frequency statistics trying to identify “hot” numbers. Here are some of the most and least common Powerball numbers:
Most Common White Balls
- 61 – Drawn 82 times
- 32 – Drawn 81 times
- 63 – Drawn 79 times
- 21 – Drawn 79 times
- 69 – Drawn 78 times
Most Common Powerballs
- 24 – Drawn 47 times
- 18 – Drawn 36 times
- 4 – Drawn 36 times
- 21 – Drawn 35 times
- 10 – Drawn 34 times
Least Common White Balls
- 15 – Drawn 48 times
- 43 – Drawn 49 times
- 14 – Drawn 51 times
- 36 – Drawn 51 times
- 7 – Drawn 52 times
Least Common Powerballs
- 26 – Drawn 20 times
- 20 – Drawn 21 times
- 14 – Drawn 22 times
- 13 – Drawn 22 times
- 24 – Drawn 22 times
Some players solely use frequency charts to select “lucky” numbers hoping for better chances, while others avoid frequent numbers trying to find unique combinations. In the end all number combinations have equal odds of winning.
Powerball Payout Structure
The Powerball payout structure determines the amount of prize money at each winning level. Payouts are based on ticket sales and interest rates, changed periodically to ensure sufficient jackpot funding. Here are the current prizes and payout percentages:
| Prize Level | Match | Fixed Prize / Odds | Payout % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackpot | 5 White + Powerball | Jackpot / 1 in 292 million | 68.01% |
| $1 million | 5 White only | $1 million / 1 in 11 million | 5.00% |
| $50,000 | 4 White + Powerball | $50,000 / 1 in 913,000 | 1.76% |
| $100 | 3 White + Powerball | $100 / 1 in 38,000 | 0.68% |
| $7 | Powerball OR 1-2 White |
$7 / 1 in 580 | 24.55% |
The jackpot starts at $40 million, and represents 68% of total payouts. Non-jackpot prizes have fixed amounts. The overall odds of any payout are 1 in 25.
Powerball Winners in Arkansas
Even though the odds of winning Powerball are incredibly long, there have been several jackpot winners who purchased tickets in Arkansas over the years including:
October 2018 – $345 Million
A retired Air Force veteran from Iowa claimed this prize with a ticket he purchased while traveling through Arkansas. It was the state’s first Powerball jackpot win.
November 2012 – $126 Million
Three coworkers from the University of Arkansas shared this jackpot after playing together for years. Each took home $26 million after taxes.
October 2009 – $144 Million
The small town of Beebe erupted in excitement when one resident hit it big on this Powerball. It stood as the state’s largest win for 8 years.
July 2007 – $25 Million
A Rogers man came forward with the winning ticket for this modest jackpot, after purchasing his Powerball ticket at a local gas station.
March 2005 – $15 Million
This prize went to a couple from Dumas who had recently made a prophetic promise to another couple to split any lottery winnings. They made good and offered half.
These major wins show that Powerball jackpot dreams can come true for Arkansas players. Checking those tickets carefully after draws is important to possibly realize you’re a big winner.
Claiming Powerball Prizes in Arkansas
For any winning Powerball tickets purchased in Arkansas, there is a process to officially claim your prize money:
Sign the ticket
Immediately sign the back of the winning Powerball ticket to help establish ownership. This will make it official once submitted.
Validate the ticket
Bring the ticket to any Arkansas Scholarship Lottery retailer or claim center to validate. This will confirm it as a winning ticket and the prize amount.
Provide identification
To claim the prize, you will need to provide a valid government issued photo ID and social security number.
Fill out a claim form
The lottery will provide a claim form to complete including personal details and choosing either the lump sum or annuity payout. Winners have 60 days to decide on cash or annuity.
Take payment
For prizes over $500, the Arkansas Lottery will mail a check to the address provided on the claim form within three weeks.
Be sure to sign the ticket and keep it very safe until ready to claim. You must contact the lottery within 180 days of the draw to submit your winning ticket. Follow all requirements carefully to receive your magnificent Powerball rewards!
Taxes on Arkansas Powerball Wins
Powerball wins are taxable at both the federal and state level, with the tax rates dependent on prize amount:
Federal taxes
Federal taxes are withheld based on the top tax bracket:
- 24% for prizes under $9,950
- 35% for prizes over $9,950
State taxes
Arkansas state taxes are withheld based on a graduated table:
- 3% on prizes up to $22,900
- 4% on prizes $22,901 to $80,800
- 5% on prizes over $80,800
For enormous Powerball jackpots, the mandatory withholding can be over 50% of the cash option amount. Some accountants advise winners create trusts to potentially reduce total taxes owed.
The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery benefits education funding across the state from Powerball ticket sales and unclaimed prizes. Over $1 billion has been raised so far. But when you hit the jackpot, rest assured you can enjoy your millions after taxes!
Conclusion
The Arkansas Powerball offers life-changing jackpots reaching hundreds of millions of dollars. Checking results after the Wednesday and Saturday night drawings is essential to see if you match the winning numbers. Locating a winning ticket for even a smaller secondary prize can provide a nice boost. With Powerball fever running rampant when the jackpots escalate, convenience stores everywhere see long lines. The state has created several millionaires and billionaires over the years. For just $2 per ticket, a huge payday could be waiting. Keep your eyes on the Arkansas Powerball jackpots, buy some tickets, and you might just win the lucky prize of a lifetime!
