The sixth-largest prize in U.S. lottery history
En la víspera de las fiestas, Florida alberga un sorteo de Powerball cuyo premio acumulado ha alcanzado los 1.250 millones de dólares —el sexto más grande en la historia de la lotería estadounidense— tras quedar desierto el sorteo del lunes. Este tipo de acumulación refleja una tensión tan antigua como la esperanza misma: la posibilidad, por remota que sea, de que un billete de dos dólares transforme una vida ordinaria en algo extraordinario. El sorteo se celebrará esta noche a las 10:59 p.m. ET desde los estudios de la Lotería de Florida en Tallahassee, con una opción de pago en efectivo de 572,1 millones de dólares para quien logre la combinación ganadora.
- El bote no encontró ganador el lunes y se disparó hasta 1.250 millones de dólares, convirtiéndose en el sexto premio más alto de la historia de la lotería en Estados Unidos.
- Miles de floridanos se dirigen a los más de 13.000 expendedores autorizados antes de las 10:00 p.m. ET, ya que la ley estatal prohíbe la compra de boletos por aplicaciones como Jackpocket.
- La probabilidad de ganar el gran premio es de aproximadamente 1 en 292 millones, pero la magnitud del bote sostiene una ilusión colectiva que desafía cualquier cálculo racional.
- El sorteo en vivo desde Tallahassee a las 10:59 p.m. ET determinará si esta noche nace un ganador o si el premio sigue creciendo hacia territorios aún más históricos.
El bote de Powerball en Florida llegó al miércoles 17 de diciembre de 2025 con un valor acumulado de 1.250 millones de dólares, el sexto más alto en la historia de la lotería estadounidense. El detonante fue simple: ningún participante acertó la combinación ganadora del sorteo del lunes —23, 35, 59, 63, 68, con un Powerball de 2 y multiplicador de 4x—, lo que permitió que el premio rodara y se inflara hasta su cifra actual. Para quienes prefieren el dinero de inmediato, la opción de pago en efectivo asciende a 572,1 millones de dólares.
Jugar en Florida tiene sus propias reglas. Los boletos cuestan 2 dólares y deben adquirirse antes de las 10:00 p.m. ET en alguno de los más de 13.000 expendedores autorizados en el estado, pues las aplicaciones de compra en línea como Jackpocket están prohibidas. Quienes paguen con tarjeta de crédito deben gastar al menos 20 dólares en otros productos antes de añadir boletos a su compra. Los jugadores también pueden sumar opciones como Power Play o Double Play por un dólar adicional, aunque el multiplicador máximo de 10x solo aplica cuando el bote anualizado es de 150 millones o menos, umbral que este sorteo supera con creces.
El sorteo tendrá lugar a las 10:59 p.m. ET desde los estudios de la Lotería de Florida en Tallahassee y podrá seguirse en directo a través del sitio oficial de Powerball o su canal de YouTube. Si hay ganador, deberá elegir entre recibir el premio en 30 pagos anuales o en un único desembolso en efectivo, ambos sujetos a impuestos federales y estatales. Los premios menores de 600 dólares pueden reclamarse en los propios expendedores; los mayores exigen una visita a las oficinas regionales o a la sede central de la lotería.
Las probabilidades de acertar el gran premio rondan 1 entre 292 millones, una cifra que no disuade a quienes ven en ese boleto de dos dólares algo más que una apuesta: una invitación a imaginar. Si esta noche tampoco hay ganador, el bote seguirá creciendo y la historia continuará escribiéndose.
The Powerball jackpot in Florida has climbed to $1.25 billion for Wednesday's drawing on December 17, 2025—the sixth-largest prize in United States lottery history. The surge came after Monday's drawing produced no grand prize winner, leaving the pot to roll over and swell to its current staggering size. For those holding tickets, the cash option stands at $572.1 million, a lump sum available before the holiday season closes.
For Florida residents hoping to play, the mechanics are straightforward but bound by state rules. Tickets cost $2 each and must be purchased at one of more than 13,000 authorized retailers across the state. Florida does not permit online ticket purchases through applications like Jackpocket, so a physical visit to a licensed vendor is required. The deadline to buy a ticket is 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday. Those paying with debit cards face no minimum purchase requirement, but credit card buyers must spend at least $20 on other products before adding lottery tickets to their transaction.
The drawing itself will take place at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery's studios in Tallahassee. Anyone interested can watch live on the official Powerball website or through the lottery's YouTube channel. The winning combination from Monday's draw—23, 35, 59, 63, 68, with a Powerball of 2 and a Power Play multiplier of 4x—went unclaimed, setting the stage for this week's historic pot.
Players looking to boost their secondary prizes can add options like Double Play or Power Play for an extra dollar per ticket. The Power Play multiplier can reach as high as 10x, though it only activates when the annuity jackpot is $150 million or less—a threshold this week's drawing will not meet. The standard game requires matching five white balls in any order plus the red Powerball number to win the grand prize. Matching only the red ball or some combination of white balls yields smaller but still meaningful prizes.
Understanding the prize structure matters for anyone holding a ticket. Winners can choose between receiving the jackpot as 30 annual payments or taking a single lump-sum cash payment. Both options are subject to federal and state taxes. Prizes up to $600 can typically be claimed at authorized retailers, while larger amounts require a trip to regional lottery offices or the state lottery headquarters. The deadline to claim any prize varies by jurisdiction but generally ranges from 90 days to one year; the exact expiration date appears on the back of each ticket.
For those unfamiliar with how the jackpot grows, the prize amount depends on ticket sales and interest rates. Higher sales and favorable economic conditions allow lottery officials to announce larger jackpots. The $1.25 billion figure represents the annuity value—what it would cost to fund 30 years of annual payments. The $572.1 million cash option is the present-day value needed to generate that same payout stream.
Florida law also requires that winners of large prizes be identified publicly in most cases, though some jurisdictions allow claims through trusts or legal entities for a degree of privacy. If a winner passes away before collecting all annuity payments, the remaining balance passes to their estate and continues to designated heirs under state law. Unclaimed prizes that go unpaid eventually revert to the lottery jurisdiction where the ticket was sold, typically funding other state games or general revenue.
As Wednesday evening approaches, thousands of Floridians will make their way to ticket retailers, hoping to match the five white balls and the red Powerball. The odds of winning the grand prize are steep—roughly 1 in 292 million—but the $1.25 billion jackpot represents the kind of life-altering sum that keeps people playing. For those who do win, the choice between annuity and cash, the tax implications, and the logistics of claiming the prize become immediate and serious considerations. Until then, the drawing at 10:59 p.m. remains the only thing that matters.
Citas Notables
The unclaimed prize from Monday's drawing rolled over, causing the jackpot to escalate to its current historic level.— Florida Lottery context
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does a lottery jackpot grow so large when no one wins?
Because the money from ticket sales keeps accumulating. Every time someone buys a ticket and no one claims the grand prize, that money rolls into the next drawing. It's like a pot that never empties—it just keeps filling.
And the $1.25 billion figure—is that what someone would actually receive?
Not quite. That's the annuity value, spread over 30 years. If you won and took the cash option instead, you'd get $572.1 million right now. The difference is what it costs to fund those annual payments over three decades.
Why would anyone choose the annuity if they could have the cash immediately?
Some people do choose the lump sum for control and flexibility. But the annuity protects you from yourself—it forces discipline. You can't spend it all at once. And if you die, your heirs keep receiving payments. It's a different kind of security.
Florida doesn't allow online ticket purchases. Why is that?
State law. Each state sets its own rules about how lottery tickets can be sold. Florida decided to keep it to authorized retailers only. It's partly about regulation and partly about ensuring the state can track and verify every ticket sold.
What happens if someone buys a ticket online illegally and wins?
The lottery won't pay. That's the risk. Tickets purchased through unauthorized websites or across state lines are not valid. The lottery makes this clear because it protects the integrity of the game and ensures only legitimate tickets are honored.
If no one wins this week either, does the jackpot just keep growing forever?
Theoretically, yes—until someone wins. But there's a practical limit. At some point, the odds become so astronomical that ticket sales might actually decline because people lose hope. The lottery is a business; it needs players to believe winning is possible.