A Powerball player there holds the winning ticket from Wednesday night's drawing for the game's $1.817 billion jackpot. The winner, who so far hasn't gone public, can choose between an annuitized prize of $1.817 billion or a lump sump payment of $834.9 million (both prize options are before taxes).

Santa might have a gigantic present in his bag on Christmas Eve, when the estimated jackpot for that night's drawing will be an estimated $1.7 billion — the fourth largest in Powerball and U.S. lottery history. That's because no tickets came up winners of Monday night's jackpot of an estimated $1.6 billion jackpot.

A ticket sold in Arkansas matched all six numbers to win a $1.817 billion jackpot -- the second biggest U.S. lottery ever, according to Powerball.

Christmas Eve Powerball win in Arkansas nearly broke the record of Edwin Castro of California, who won $2.04 billion Powerball in November 2022.

Powerball announced the winning numbers for a massive $1.817 billion jackpot on Christmas Eve — and there’s a winner!