A life-changing Labor Day weekend could be just one ticket away. Tonight'sPowerball drawing offers a chance at a $173 million jackpot with a cash value of $74.6 million after another rollover earlier this week.
No one hit the jackpot Wednesday, Sept. 3, pushing the prize higher and setting the stage for a high-stakes holiday weekend drawing. Less than a month after a player won $1.04 billion in Illinois, all eyes are on Saturday night's numbers.
Here is what you need to know about the upcoming Powerball drawing.
What are the winning numbers for the Sept. 5 Powerball drawing?
USA TODAY will post the winning numbers after the drawing, which is scheduled for about 10:59 p.m. ET Saturday.
How much is the Powerball jackpot?
The Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $173 million, with a cash option
worth $74.6 million, after no ticket matched all six numbers in Wednesday's drawing.
The current jackpot run comes just weeks after an Illinois player won an estimated $1.04 billion jackpot on Aug. 12, ending one of the game's largest recent streaks.
When is the next Powerball drawing?
The next Powerball drawing is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 7, Labor Day, at approximately 10:59 p.m. ET. Drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Largest Powerball jackpots ever won
- $2.04 billion, Nov. 7, 2022 (California)
- $1.817 billion, Dec. 24, 2025 (Arkansas)
- $1.787 billion, Sept. 6, 2025 (Missouri and Texas)
- $1.765 billion, Oct. 11, 2023 (California)
- $1.586 billion, Jan. 13, 2016 (California, Florida and Tennessee)
- $1.326 billion, April 6, 2024 (Oregon)
- $1.08 billion, July 19, 2023 (California)
- $1.04 billion, Aug. 12, 2026 (Illinois)
- $842.4 million, Jan. 1, 2024 (Michigan)
- $768.4 million, March 27, 2019 (Wisconsin)
How to play Powerball
Powerball tickets cost $2 per play and are sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Players choose five white-ball numbers from 1 to 69 and one red Powerball number from 1 to 26. To win the jackpot, all six numbers must match the numbers drawn. Players can also add Power Play for an additional $1 to multiply non-jackpot prizes.
Do you have to be a U.S. citizen to play?
No. Anyone who meets the legal age requirement where tickets are sold can purchase a Powerball ticket from an authorized retailer, regardless of citizenship or residency status.
What happens if nobody wins?
If no one matches all six numbers Saturday night, the jackpot will continue rolling and grow even larger heading into the Labor Day drawing on Monday, Sept. 7.
Contributor: USA TODAY's Anthony Thompson
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Powerball jackpot hits $173M on Labor Day weekend
