The $1.8B Powerball jackpot winner can stay anonymous. For now.
- - The $1.8B Powerball jackpot winner can stay anonymous. For now.
Julia Gomez, Fernando Cervantes Jr. and Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY December 26, 2025 at 9:33 PM
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One lucky person in Arkansas won the second-highest Powerball jackpot of all time, but it could take years for their identity to be released to the public.
On Christmas Eve, Wednesday, Dec. 24, after months of the Powerball jackpot continuing to grow, someone finally got lucky and won big. Talk about a great Christmas present!
The $1.817 billion jackpot was won by a single ticket. If the lucky winner chooses to collect the cash option, they will receive an estimated $834.9 million.
If the winner chooses to remain anonymous, the world won't know who won the grand prize − but only for a limited time.
Here's what to know.
Can Arkansas lottery winners remain anonymous?
Yes, according to Arkansas law. If a person wins over $500,000 through the lottery, they may request to remain anonymous. But, after three years, the name of the person who claimed the jackpot will become public information. The law was enacted in 2021.
This is the second time in the game's history that a jackpot was won by a ticket sold in Arkansas. The first time was in 2010.
More news: Powerball jackpot reaches $1.6 billion. See game's top 10 jackpots.
See other states that allow lottery winner anonymity
Over a dozen states let winners collect their prizes anonymously, and in some places, such as Arizona or Virginia, the condition depends entirely on the amount of money that is won.
Michigan, Ohio, the territory of Puerto Rico and other states have specific stipulations regarding anonymity.
Only 10 states, including Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, North Dakota, South Carolina, and Wyoming, grant true anonymity.
Arizona: prize must be over $100,000
Delaware: any prize
Georgia: prize must be over $250,000
Illinois: prize must be over $250,000
Kansas: any prize
Maryland: any prize
Minnesota: prize must be over $10,000
Mississippi: any prize
Missouri: any prize
Montana: any prize
New Jersey: any prize
North Dakota: any prize
Oregon: any prize
South Carolina: any prize
Texas: prize must be over $1 million
Virginia: prize must be greater than $10 million
West Virginia: prize must be over $1 million
Wyoming: any prize
Did anyone else win the Powerball jackpot?
Powerball tickets in New Jersey.
No other tickets won the Powerball jackpot, but according to Powerball, tickets sold in California, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, and two tickets sold in New York, won the Match 5 $1 million prize.
Additionally, 114 tickets sold across the country won $50,000 prizes, while 31 won $100,000 prizes. In Colorado and South Carolina, two more tickets won a $500,000 prize in the Double Play drawing.
Powerball winning numbers for 12/24/2025
The winning numbers for the Wednesday, Dec. 24, drawing are: 4, 25, 31, 52, 59, and the Powerball is 19. The “Power Play” multiplier is 2x.
Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.
What are the top 10 Powerball jackpots? -
$2.04 billion- Won on Nov. 7, 2022, in California
$1.1.817 billion– Won on Dec. 24, in Arkansas
$1.787 billion- Won on Sept. 6, 2025, in Montana and Texas
$1.765 billion- Won on Oct. 11, 2023, in California
$1.586 billion- Won on Jan. 13, 2016, in California, Florida, and Tennessee
$1.326 billion- Won on April 6, 2024, in Oregon
$1.08 billion- Won on July 19, 2023, in California
$842.4 million- Won on Jan. 1, 2024, in Michigan
$768.4 million- Won on March 27, 2019, in Wisconsin
$758.7 million- Won on Aug. 23, 2017, in Massachusetts
2025 has been a big year for Powerball. In September, the jackpot reached $1.787 billion, the second-highest in the game's history. Two people, one in Fredericksburg, Texas, and one in St. Louis, Missouri, won the jackpot.
When is the next Powerball drawing?
The next drawing will take place on Saturday, Dec. 27, at 10:59 p.m. ET.
Because someone won the grand prize, the jackpot will reset to an estimated $20 million with a cash value of $9.2 million.
How to play Powerball
To play Powerball, you have to buy a ticket for $2. You can do this at a variety of locations, including your local convenience store, gas station, or even grocery store. In some states, Powerball tickets can be bought online.
A person holds tickets for the $1.25 billion jackpot in the Powerball lottery drawing in New York City on Dec. 17, 2025.
Once you have your ticket, you need to pick six numbers. Five of them will be white balls with numbers from 1 to 69. The red Powerball ranges from 1 to 26. People can also add a “Power Play” for $1, which increases the winning for all non-jackpot prizes.
The “Power Play” multiplier can multiply winnings by: 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or 10X.
If you are feeling unlucky or want the computer to do the work for you, the “Quick Pick” option is available, where computer-generated numbers will be printed on a Powerball ticket. To win the jackpot, players must match all five white balls in any order and the red Powerball.
Powerball drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights. If no one wins the jackpot, the cash prize will keep ticking up.
Where to buy lottery tickets
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050(MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms.
Julia is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers scientific studies and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at [email protected]
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Powerball $1.8B jackpot winner in Arkansas can choose to be anonymous
Source: “AOL Money”
