Holiday Jackpot Dream Comes True: Arkansas Player Hits Record $1.817 Billion Powerball Prize
Published Date: 26th Dec, 2025
December 26, 2025
In what may be the ultimate Christmas miracle, a lone Powerball ticket purchased in Arkansas matched all numbers to claim a jaw-dropping $1.817 billion jackpot—the second-biggest lottery payout ever recorded in the United States.
Christmas Eve Drawing Delivers Historic Windfall
The life-changing numbers pulled on December 24 were 4, 25, 31, 52, 59, and the red Powerball 19, with a 2x Power Play. Surging holiday ticket sales pushed the final jackpot amount from a projected $1.7 billion to $1.817 billion, ending one of the longest rollovers in Powerball history at 47 consecutive drawings without a top winner.
The winning ticket was sold at a Murphy USA convenience store attached to a Walmart in Cabot, a quiet town of about 26,000 residents northeast of Little Rock. The store stands to pocket a handsome retailer bonus for hosting the golden sale.
A Rare Billion-Dollar Moment for the Natural State
This colossal prize ranks as the largest ever won in Arkansas and the second-highest in Powerball annals, trailing only the $2.04 billion jackpot claimed in California in 2022.
Winners can opt for the full annuity paid over 30 years or a lump-sum cash value estimated at $834.9 million before taxes. Given Arkansas's option for anonymity on major wins, the new billionaire may choose to stay out of the spotlight indefinitely.
It's only the second Powerball jackpot to land in the state, the previous one dating back to 2010.
Mystery Winner Sparks Statewide Buzz
As lottery offices reopen after the holidays, anticipation builds over whether the winner will surface quickly or embrace the privacy afforded by state law for prizes exceeding $500,000.
Social media and local chatter are alive with speculation—did a holiday traveler, a regular customer, or a last-minute gift buyer snag the ticket that turned a routine stop into fortune?
More Winners and a Fresh Start
Beyond the grand prize, several tickets nationwide matched five white balls to win $1 million each, including sales in California, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Funds from the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery support higher education scholarships, meaning the massive sales spike benefits students across the state.
With the jackpot claimed, Powerball resets to a modest $20 million for the next drawing on Saturday, ready to spark new dreams.
This festive triumph captures the pure magic of the lottery: against astronomical 1-in-292.2 million odds, one ticket transformed an ordinary evening into an extraordinary legacy.
Arkansas has its newest billionaire—anonymous or not, their holiday story is already legendary.
Date: 26th Dec, 2025
