Throughout 2025, the Powerball has witnessed several record-breaking jackpots that have left an indelible mark on the lottery’s history. One of the most notable wins occurred in September, when a $1.787 billion prize was claimed by two ticket-holders, one of whom purchased the winning ticket at a QuikTrip gas station in St. Louis, Missouri, and another at a convenience store in Fredericksburg, Texas. This landmark win, which followed over 40 consecutive drawings without a winner, set a new benchmark for the largest U.S. lottery jackpot. The winning numbers were 11, 23, 44, 61, and 62, with a Powerball number of 17.
In March, the California Lottery reported a $526.5 million win, with a cash value of $243.8 million, which was purchased at an Orange County 7-Eleven in Anaheim. The winning numbers for this draw were 7, 11, 21, 53, 61, and 2, with a Power Play multiplier of 3X. Additionally, this drawing produced five $1 million winning tickets sold in Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and Georgia. Another significant win of 2025 came in January, when a 79-year-old man from Beaverton, Oregon, named Abbas Shafi, claimed a $328.5 million prize, with a cash value of $146.4 million. Shafi, who purchased the winning ticket from a local Fred Meyer store, plans to use his winnings for travel, investments, and donations to charities.
The Powerball has also seen stories of generosity and charity, such as the case of a Virginia grandmother who used ChatGPT to select her numbers, winning $150,000. Instead of keeping the windfall, the grandmother decided to donate the entire amount to various charities, emphasizing the importance of giving back. These stories highlight the Powerball’s role in not just providing life-changing sums but also influencing the decisions and actions of its winners. With the current jackpot at $273 million, the Powerball continues to capture the imagination of players across the nation, promising the possibility of winning massive sums and creating stories of triumph and generosity.