With a jackpot of $750 million New Yorkers are gearing up for Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing, the third largest in the game’s history. The jackpot has been rolling since December 29, the first drawing to take place after Brooklynite David Johnson won $298.3 million.

New York Lottery Director Gweneth Dean said players in the Empire State have their sights set on winning the fourth jackpot in a row.

“New York is already home to four $1,000,000 winning second-prize prize tickets and a collective $13.4 million in other Powerball prizes during this run,” said Dean. “We are hopeful that New York can go four-for-four and win the top prize.”

Dean emphasized that while players can get caught up in the excitement of a big lottery game jackpot, customers should play responsibly and within their budgets.  

In 2018 New York Lottery players had quite a string of good fortune in the multi-state Powerball game. New Yorkers claimed the last three Powerball jackpots, winning a cumulative $887.8 million. In August of 2018, the Sea and Sand Trust won $245.6 million; in October Robert Bailey won $343 million as he split a $687 million jackpot with a winner in Iowa, and Johnson won $298.3 in the last drawing of the year on December 26.  

New York Lottery players aren’t the only winners when the jackpot rolls. Ticket sales during the 13-weeks leading up to this Wednesday’s drawing for $750 million have generated more than $40.5 million in Lottery Aid to Education. Licensed Lottery retailers have cleared $6.9 million in commissions during the same period.

New York began selling Powerball tickets in 2010. Since then, New York has sold nine jackpot-winning tickets worth a collective $1.6 billion.  Individual winners include:

• Jeffrey & Christine Pintuff of Gansevoort who won $48.8 million in 2010
• Stephen Kirwan of Purling who won $122.1 million in 2011
• 1937 Flatbush Avenue Dodgers Group of Jericho who shared $201.9 million in 2011
• Case Park, LLC of Hartsdale who claimed $70 million in 2012
• Maksim Nikolayev of Brooklyn who took home $130.3 million in 2013
• Anthony Perosi and his son Anthony Perosi III of Manhattan who split $136 million in 2015
• Sea and Sand Trust of Uniondale who won $245.6 million in 2018
• Robert Bailey of Manhattan, who split a jackpot of $687.8 million in 2018
• Dave Johnson of Brooklyn, who won the last jackpot of $298.3 million in 2018

Tickets for Wednesday’s Powerball drawing may be purchased until 10 p.m. 

New Yorkers struggling with a gambling addiction, or who know someone who is, can find help by calling the State's toll-free, confidential HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (467369).