A lottery ticket sold in Louisiana matched the five white balls in Wednesday night's Powerball drawing and, with the Power Play option, doubled a standard $1 million prize to $2 million.
There was no ticket that matched all six numbers to claim the top prize, so the grand prize rolls over and is now an estimated $526 million for Saturday's drawing. Lottery officials have not yet disclosed where in the state the $2 million ticket was purchased.
What won and what's next
The numbers drawn Wednesday were 2, 7, 18, 29, 38 with a Powerball of 16 and a Power Play multiplier of 2. Because the winning ticket included the Power Play add-on, the typical $1 million payout for matching the five white balls became $2 million.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Wednesday winning numbers | 2, 7, 18, 29, 38 |
| Powerball | 16 |
| Power Play | 2 |
| Saturday estimated jackpot | $526 million (lump sum est. $233.5 million) |
How Powerball works in Louisiana
Powerball drawings take place three nights a week — Monday, Wednesday and Saturday — with the televised drawing late in the evening Eastern time. Each play costs $2. Players may add Power Play for an extra $1 per play to multiply non-jackpot prizes by 2, 3, 4, 5 or 10, depending on that night's Power Play draw.
- Ticket sales close about an hour before each drawing; exact cutoff times vary by state.
- Players pick five numbers from 1–69 and one Powerball number from 1–26, or choose Quick Pick.
- Powerball is offered in 45 states, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Because the jackpot has no statutory cap, it can grow rapidly when no ticket wins the top prize. The advertised jackpot reflects annuity payments over decades; the immediate lump-sum cash option is significantly smaller — in this case an estimated $233.5 million before taxes if a winner opts for the cash payout.
State lottery officials will announce the location of the winning Louisiana ticket once that information is verified and released. Players who did not win on Wednesday will have another chance on Saturday when the next drawing is held.
As the grand prize swells, interest typically increases at local convenience stores and lottery retail locations, where sales clerk staffing and security procedures often shift to handle higher traffic. Anyone holding a ticket that matches multiple numbers should verify results through official Louisiana Lottery channels and seek guidance on claiming procedures and tax implications.
