The most recent Powerball lottery took place on Wednesday, February 16.
There was a jackpot prize of $20 million up for grabs and a 2X Power Play multiplier was in effect, giving players the chance to double their winnings.
In terms of the regular white balls, the winning numbers were 22, 30, 40, 42 and 48. Meanwhile, the red Powerball was 16.
Did Anyone Win the Powerball Jackpot?
By heading over to the official Powerball website, you can see the full results for Wednesday's draw, including a thorough breakdown of how many people won in each prize tier (of which there are nine) and which of them used the multiplier option.
Nobody managed to correctly guess all five white balls and the red Powerball ball on this occasion, meaning that the jackpot wasn't awarded. However, someone already claimed the grand prize on Valentine's Day, so it would have been quite impressive if there were two consecutive big wins.
After being reset to the base sum of $20 million on Monday, the jackpot money will now roll over into the next draw on Sunday, February 20.
Powerball 2/17/2022 Results
Not a single player managed to claim the second-tier prize of $1 million either. To get this, you needed to match all five regular white balls.
Going down to the next level, five lottery entrants matched four of the white balls and the red Powerball together. Hailing from Florida, Massachusetts, Mississippi and Missouri, each of these players also used the Power Play option and so won a total of $100,000.
149 players got all four white balls, netting them $100 each. Out of this group, 43 opted to pay the extra $1 for a multiplier ticket and ended up doubling their winnings.
336 people correctly guessed three white balls and the red Powerball (also worth $100) and 139 of them used the Power Play option.
In terms of the smaller prizes, a total of 16,865 players got $7 each (by matching either three white balls or two white balls and the red Powerball). Meanwhile, 201,969 players got $4 (by matching either one white ball and the red Powerball or just the latter on its own).
How to Play the Powerball Lottery
You can buy Powerball Lottery tickets for $2 each. They are available in 45 states, as well as in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
After buying a ticket, you will need to select six lucky numbers, five of which are for the regular white balls. These can be anything between one and 69.
You must then also pick a number for the red Powerball (which can be anything between one and 26). You have a choice of either selecting these numbers yourself on a play slip or allowing the lottery terminal to do it on your behalf.
Finally, you can choose to pay an extra $1 for the Power Play multiplier. If you opt-in for this bonus, then you could potentially increase your winnings by two, three, four, five or even 10 times their original amount (the effect of this multiplier is randomly decided at the start of each draw).
What Are the Powerball Prizes?
The amount of money that you earn by playing the Powerball lottery is entirely dependent on how many numbers you get right. The winning criterion for each prize is broken down in this table.
| Numbers | Prize | 2X Power Play | 3X Power Play | 4X Power Play | 5X Power Play | 10X Power Play |
| 5 White Balls + Power Ball | Grand Prize | Grand Prize | Grand Prize | Grand Prize | Grand Prize | Grand Prize |
| 5 White Balls | $1 Million | $2 Million | $2 Million | $2 Million | $2 Million | $2 Million |
| 4 White Balls + Power Ball | $50,000 | $100,000 | $150,000 | $200,000 | $250,000 | $500,000 |
| 4 White Balls | $100 | $200 | $300 | $400 | $500 | $1,000 |
| 3 White Balls + Power Ball | $100 | $200 | $300 | $400 | $500 | $1,000 |
| 3 White Balls | $7 | $14 | $21 | $28 | $35 | $70 |
| 2 White Balls + Power Ball | $7 | $14 | $21 | $28 | $35 | $70 |
| 1 White Ball + Power Ball | $4 | $8 | $12 | $16 | $20 | $40 |
| Just the Power Ball | $4 | $8 | $12 | $16 | $20 | $40 |
While most prizes are fixed cash amounts, the value of the jackpot fluctuates based on ticket sales and whether or not anyone has claimed it recently. For instance, it reset to $20 million after somebody won it on Valentine's Day.
If you win this grand prize, then you can choose to receive it as a lump sum or in annuity payments that are spread out over the course of 29 years. This is the same choice that is presented to winners of the Mega Millions lottery.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
