In an extraordinary festive windfall, a single Powerball ticket holder in the United States has claimed a life-changing £1.3 billion ($1.817 billion) jackpot on Christmas Eve. The monumental win marks one of the biggest lottery prizes in history.
A Festive Fortune in Arkansas
The winning ticket was purchased in the state of Arkansas and correctly matched all six numbers drawn on 24 December 2025: 04, 25, 31, 52, 59, and the Powerball 19. This is only the second time a Powerball jackpot has been won by a ticketholder in Arkansas, with the first instance occurring back in 2010.
Lottery officials confirmed this is the second-largest lottery win in US history, narrowly surpassing a $1.787 billion prize shared by winners in Missouri and Texas last September. The Christmas Eve draw followed a remarkable 46 consecutive drawings without a top prize winner, allowing the jackpot to roll over and grow to its colossal sum.
Choosing a Lump Sum or Annuity
The lucky winner now faces the enviable decision of how to receive their fortune. They can opt for a lump-sum payment of $834.9 million or choose to receive the full advertised jackpot amount spread as an annuity over 29 years. Powerball's odds of winning the grand prize are famously long at 1 in 292.2 million, a structure designed to create these massive, headline-grabbing jackpots.
Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO, celebrated the win. "Congratulations to the newest Powerball jackpot winner!" he said. "This is truly an extraordinary, life-changing prize. We also want to thank all the players who joined in this jackpot streak — every ticket purchased helps support public programs and services across the country."
A Rare Christmas Lottery History
The timing of the win adds a special chapter to lottery history. Powerball confirmed that the last time someone won its top prize on Christmas Eve was in 2011. Furthermore, the draw has been won on Christmas Day itself four times, most recently in 2013.
The staggering prize naturally spurred a last-minute rush for tickets. "With the prize so high, I just bought one kind of impulsively. Why not?" said Chris Winters, a glass artist from Indianapolis, reflecting the sentiment of many hopeful players. Tickets for the multi-state game cost $2 and are sold in 45 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.
While the eye-watering jackpot captures imaginations, lottery officials are keen to note that the odds are significantly better for the game's many smaller, yet still substantial, tier prizes. For one Arkansas resident, however, this Christmas will be remembered as the moment they beat the odds in the most spectacular fashion imaginable.
