Arkansas Powerball Player Wins $1.817 Billion Jackpot on Christmas Eve

An Arkansas resident has claimed a historic $1.817 billion Powerball lottery jackpot in the Christmas Eve drawing, marking one of the most significant lottery wins in United States history and the largest Powerball prize of 2025.

The winning ticket, sold at a Murphy USA gas station in Cabot, Arkansas, matched all six numbers in Wednesday night’s Christmas Eve drawing: 4, 25, 31, 52, 59, with a Powerball of 19. Final ticket sales pushed the jackpot beyond expectations, elevating it to a figure that places it as the second-largest U.S. lottery prize ever awarded.

The jackpot followed an extended streak of 46 consecutive drawings without a top-prize winner, underscoring the extraordinary rarity of such a historic payout in the Powerball game.

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Historic Win and Options for Payout

The winner now faces a seminal decision on how to claim the prize: taking the full annuity amount of $1.817 billion paid out over 30 annual installments, or opting for a one-time lump-sum cash payment, reported to be approximately $834.9 million before taxes.

Powerball jackpots are known for their astronomical rollovers, with prizes growing as long as no ticket matches all six numbers. The odds of winning the jackpot stand at 1 in 292.2 million, emphasizing the extraordinary fortune bestowed upon the Arkansas ticket holder.

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Community and National Impact

As details continue to emerge, the identity of the winner remains unknown while lottery claim centers remain closed for the holidays. Officials in Arkansas have confirmed that winners must contact a claims center to begin the process, which may take place once normal operations resume.

Cabot, a community of roughly 27,000 residents located about 26 miles northeast of Little Rock, is now at the center of a national story capturing widespread attention.

The Powerball game, played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, generates significant interest whenever jackpots reach historic levels, focusing attention on both the odds of winning and the economic impact of ticket sales on public programs.

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A Rare Christmas Eve Miracle

This remarkable win also carries the distinction of being the largest Powerball jackpot won on Christmas Eve since records began — and only the second time a jackpot ticket sold in Arkansas has hit the top prize. The last time a Powerball jackpot was claimed on Christmas Eve was in 2011, albeit at a far lower top-tier prize.

As the lottery community and news outlets await further developments, this record-setting jackpot will be remembered not only for its staggering size but as a once-in-a-generation holiday event that turned an ordinary ticket into an extraordinary life-changing moment.

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