Powerball Hits $1.6 Billion And Idaho Has Two Big Winners From Saturday Night

The last weekend before Christmas is full of shopping, wrapping and going to holiday parties. While your holiday to-do list keeps going and going and going, you found time to take a detour and grab a ticket for Saturday’s $1.5 billion jackpot. If it’s still stashed in your car visor or folded up in your wallet, make time to scan it! 

45 Powerball drawings have come and gone without producing a jackpot winner which means the drawing for Monday, December 22 now has a jackpot of $1.6 billion with a cash value of $735.3 million. The increase sends the prize up the list to the fourth largest Powerball jackpot in the game’s history.

READ MORE: Idaho Lottery Player Scores $50,000 in Wednesday's Double Play Drawing

What Were Saturday Night’s Winning Numbers?

Like we said, the last weekend before Christmas is a zoo for most people so we understand if you missed the drawing. Here’s the drawing replay:

Powerball officials are reminding people NOT to toss their tickets without checking them. There were eight tickets sold nationwide that matched the five white balls. Those players are receiving a stocking stuffed with a $1 million prize this Christmas. Those tickets were sold in California, Florida, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire and Ohio. 

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The draw also produced 22 tickets that won at least $150,000 and guess what? One of those tickets was sold in Idaho! 

December 20 Drawing Produces TWO Big Winners in Idaho

According to the Idaho Lottery’s Powerball page, one ticket in Idaho matched four numbers and the Powerball. Since every Powerball ticket in Idaho automatically adds the Power Play option that means the normal prize for that tier ($50,000) increased to $150,000 when the number three came up as the Power Play multiplier on Saturday night.  

Idaho Powerball players may also add the Double Play option to their tickets for $1. That allows them to play their numbers again in a second drawing that happens immediately after the main Powerball Draw. One Idaho player matched four white balls and the Powerball in that drawing on Saturday night. That means they have a prize of $50,000 coming their way! 

Monday’s Powerball Drawing Makes History

If you follow Powerball closely, you probably know that the last time someone actually won the jackpot was back in September when players in Missouri and Texas had to split the $1.787 billion prize. That means this jackpot run is leading to two back-to-back drawings having a prize over $1 billion. It’s only the second time in history that two back-to-back drawings have prizes over $1 billion. It happened in 2023, too

Don’t Forget to Buy Your Tickets

For many Idahoans, Friday was the last workday of the year which means your regular routine will probably look different the week of Christmas. If you’re hoping to win big before Santa shimmies down the chimney, don’t forget that you only have until 7:54 p.m. MT/6:54 p.m. PT to buy your tickets on Monday night.