Two winning tickets for the Powerball lottery were sold in Missouri and Texas, each claiming a share of the estimated $1.8 billion jackpot. This marks the second-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history. The winning numbers drawn were 11, 23, 44, 61, 62, and the Powerball number was 17.

The jackpot ended a three-month stretch without a grand prize winner, following 41 consecutive drawings without a match. The last jackpot winner was on May 31, when a ticket worth $207 million was sold in California.

In addition to the jackpot winners, two players won $2 million by matching all five white balls but not the Powerball, thanks to the Power Play option. These tickets were sold in Kansas and Texas. Eighteen other players matched five numbers to win $1 million each, with winning tickets sold in several states, including California, Illinois, and New York.

Lottery officials had raised the jackpot estimate from $1.7 billion to $1.8 billion after reviewing ticket sales. The cash option for the jackpot is estimated at $826.4 million, while winners can also choose an annuity option that pays out over 29 years.

Powerball tickets cost $2 and are available in 45 states, along with Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, although the chances of winning any prize are better at 1 in 24.9.

The Powerball game has three drawings each week. Following this drawing, the estimated jackpot for the next drawing is $20 million. The largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history remains the $2.04 billion Powerball prize won in November 2022.