What is the amount of the Powerball jackpot? Important details before the upcoming drawing.

Following Wednesday, Dec. 3, when no one claimed the Powerball jackpot, the prize has escalated once again. The current jackpot is estimated at $820 million with a cash option of $383.5 million, according to the official Powerball site. This ranks as the eighth-largest jackpot in the history of the game. The next drawing, scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6, will reveal whether a new winner emerges or if the prize continues to climb.

This record-setting jackpot comes only months after the second-largest in Powerball history, which reached $1.787 billion and was won by two tickets in Montana and Texas on Sept. 6.

Current Jackpot and Upcoming Drawing

• Jackpot Amount: $820 million
• Next Drawing: Saturday, Dec. 6, shortly after 11 p.m. ET

Top 10 Powerball Jackpots of All Time

1. $2.04 Billion Nov. 7, 2022, California
2. $1.787 Billion Sept. 6, 2025, Montana & Texas
3. $1.765 Billion Oct. 11, 2023, California
4. $1.586 Billion Jan. 13, 2016, California, Florida & Tennessee
5. $1.326 Billion April 6, 2024, Oregon
6. $1.08 Billion July 19, 2023, California
7. $842.4 Million Jan. 1, 2024, Michigan
8. $820 Million Undetermined
9. $768.4 Million March 27, 2019, Wisconsin
10. $758.7 Million Aug. 23, 2017, Massachusetts

How to Play Powerball

Tickets for Powerball cost $2 and can be purchased at convenience stores, gas stations, grocery stores, and in some states, online. Players select six numbers: five white balls numbered 169 and one red Powerball numbered 126. Adding the optional Power Play for $1 can multiply non-jackpot winnings by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or 10X.

For convenience, the Quick Pick option allows computer-generated numbers to be printed on a ticket. To win the jackpot, all five white balls and the red Powerball must match the drawn numbers. Drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday nights, with the jackpot increasing if no one wins.

Where to Purchase Tickets

Tickets can be bought at retail locations such as gas stations, convenience stores, grocery stores, and some airport terminals. Digital ticket purchases are available through the Jackpocket app in select U.S. states and territories, including Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. Jackpocket allows users to select numbers, place orders, view tickets, and collect winnings from a smartphone or computer.

Author's Analysis: Powerball Jackpot Hits $820 Million

The Powerball jackpot has now reached an estimated $820 million, making it the eighth-largest in the game's history. With the next drawing scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6, the outcome remains uncertain as no ticket claimed the prize in the previous Wednesday drawing.

This surge follows a record-setting $1.787 billion jackpot won in September 2025 by tickets in Montana and Texas. The rapid increase of the current prize demonstrates the growing public interest and the potential financial impact for a single winner.

Players should note that the cash option is $383.5 million, and tickets remain available for purchase both at retail locations and through digital platforms like the Jackpocket app in select states. Participation continues to be straightforward, requiring selection of five white balls and one red Powerball, with the optional Power Play offering increased non-jackpot winnings.

The upcoming drawing will determine whether the jackpot continues to rise or a new winner emerges, sustaining the pattern of record-breaking prizes that has characterized Powerball in recent years.

Sources:

• How much is the Powerball jackpot? What to know before next drawing.

Author: Maya Henderson
Maya Henderson is a journalist focused on technology and startups. She has experience in leading IT publications and excels at conducting interviews and creating visual content.