Ticket sold in Arkansas wins $1.8B Powerball jackpot in Christmas Eve drawing

A Powerball player in Arkansas is due to receive an unforgettable Christmas gift -- a ticket sold there matched all six numbers to win a $1.817 billion jackpot -- the second biggest U.S. lottery ever, according to Powerball.

The winning numbers picked in Wednesday's drawing were: 4, 25, 31, 52 and 59 with Powerball 19.

The winner has the choice between a lump sum cash payment of $834.9 million or an annuitized prize paid out over about 30 years of the full prize amount. Both options are before taxes.

The Christmas Eve jackpot was the game's second billion-dollar-plus prize this year after 46 consecutive draws without a winner.

The game's jackpot was last won in September, when two tickets in Missouri and Texas split the $1.787 billion prize -- Powerball's second-largest jackpot ever.

The game's largest prize ever was $2.04 billion, won on Nov. 7, 2022, in California.

Tickets are $2 per play and are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Monday night's drawing is at 10:59 p.m. ET.

Top 10 Powerball jackpots and winning locations

1. $2.04 billion -- Nov. 7, 2022 -- California

2. $1.787 billion -- Sept. 6, 2025 -- Missouri, Texas

3. $1.765 billion -- Oct. 11, 2023 -- California

4. $1.6 billion (current estimated jackpot)

5. $1.586 billion -- Jan. 13, 2016 -- California, Florida, Tennessee

6. $1.326 billion -- April 6, 2024 -- Oregon

7. $1.08 billion -- July 19, 2023 -- California

8. $842.4 million -- Jan. 1, 2024 -- Michigan

9. $768.4 million -- March 27, 2019 -- Wisconsin

10. $758.7 million -- Aug. 23, 2017 -- Massachusetts