Powerball jackpot hits $835 million with first UK ticket sales included

Mecklenburg County residents who buy Powerball tickets face a new prize structure tonight as the jackpot reaches $835 million. The drawing is scheduled for 10:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday. This amount represents the second largest prize of the year, trailing only the $1.04 billion won in Illinois in August.

Players can choose to take the winning sum as an annuity or a single cash payment of $357.9 million before taxes. If the jackpot is claimed, it will rank as the tenth largest in the game's history. The all-time record remains $2.04 billion, which was won in California in 2022.

This drawing marks a first for the lottery's international expansion. Powerball sales began in the United Kingdom in July, but this is the first multi-drawing stretch where British players have participated from the start. The Multi-State Lottery Association, which operates the game, cited this expanded player base as a factor in faster jackpot growth.

The association stated in a July release that the international expansion creates bigger prize opportunities without changing the $2 ticket price or the odds. The odds of winning the jackpot remain 1 in 292.2 million. A winner in the United Kingdom would receive the prize over 30 years and would not have the option of a lump-sum cash payment.

The current jackpot reflects the combined ticket sales from both sides of the Atlantic. Local players in Mecklenburg County contribute to the pool alongside their British counterparts. The next drawing will occur on Wednesday evening, with results available immediately after the 10:59 p.m. ET deadline.