TALLAHASSEE, Florida: After three months without a top-prize winner, the Christmas eve draw of the Powerball lottery threw up a winner from Arkansas who took home a US$1.817 billion jackpot.

The winner chose the numbers 04, 25, 31, 52, and 59, with the Powerball number being 19.

With final ticket sales pushing the jackpot higher than previously expected, it became the second-largest in U.S. history and the largest Powerball prize of 2025, according to www.powerball.com. The lump-sum cash payment option was $834.9 million.

"Congratulations to the newest Powerball jackpot winner! This is truly an extraordinary, life-changing prize," Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO, was quoted as saying by the website. "We also want to thank all the players who joined in this jackpot streak — every ticket purchased helps support public programs and services across the country."

The prize followed 46 consecutive drawings in which no one matched all six numbers.

The last drawing with a jackpot winner was September 6, when players in Missouri and Texas won $1.787 billion.

This was only the second time a ticket sold in Arkansas had won the Powerball jackpot. The first time was in 2010.

Powerball said the last Christmas Eve jackpot win happened in 2011. The game has also been won on Christmas Day four times, most recently in 2013.

The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are about 1 in 292.2 million. These long odds are meant to create very large jackpots that grow when no one wins. Lottery officials said the chances of winning smaller prizes are much better.

"With the prize so big, I just bought a ticket on impulse. Why not?" said Indianapolis glass artist Chris Winters.

Powerball tickets cost $2. The game is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.