The Powerball is one of the most popular lottery games in the United States. It is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association and is available in 45 states, as well as Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday evening, offering players a chance to win jackpots that frequently climb into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
In this article, we will look at the specific Powerball draw that was held on December 24, 2022 and analyze the winning numbers and other key details about that drawing.
The Powerball drawing on December 24, 2022 was the 1192nd drawing since the lottery game began in 1992. It took place at the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee, Florida. The winning numbers selected that night were:
White balls: 3, 25, 44, 53, 64
Powerball: 18
In addition to the six main numbers, a Power Play multiplier of 3X was drawn. We will break down the significance of the multiplier and other aspects of the winning combination later on.
First, let’s look at some key details about the December 24th Powerball drawing:
- Date: Saturday, December 24, 2022
- Drawing #1192 since Powerball began
- Location of drawing: Florida Lottery draw studio, Tallahassee FL
- Winning Numbers: 3, 25, 44, 53, 64, PB: 18
- Power Play multiplier: 3X
- Jackpot: $378 million annuity ($216.2 million cash)
- Rollovers since last jackpot win: 39
The advertised annuitized jackpot for the December 24th drawing was an estimated $378 million, with a lump sum cash payout option of $216.2 million. The jackpot had been rolling over since October 17 without a grand prize winner, resulting in 39 consecutive drawings without someone hitting the big prize. This long roll helped build up the jackpot to one of the largest of the year.
Breakdown of Winning Numbers
Now let’s take a closer look at the six main numbers that were drawn on December 24th:
- 3 (white ball)
- 25 (white ball)
- 44 (white ball)
- 53 (white ball)
- 64 (white ball)
- 18 (Powerball)
Analyzing these numbers reveals that:
- There were no repeats of any single digits
- All numbers were below 65, with no 70s, 80s, or 90s drawn
- The Powerball 18 was the only number below 20
- Overall, it was an evenly distributed set of numbers
The Powerball jackpot can only be won by matching all five white balls in any order, plus the red Powerball. The odds of hitting this combination are incredibly small – just 1 in 292.2 million. Not surprisingly, no ticket matched all six numbers on December 24th. However, seven tickets matched the five white balls to win $1 million apiece, including:
- Two tickets in New York
- One ticket in Illinois
- One ticket in Arizona
- One ticket in California
- One ticket in Missouri
- One ticket in New Jersey
None of these second prize tickets also had the Power Play to win $2 million. The Power Play multiplier drawn was 3X, which would have tripled the $1 million prize to $3 million if one of the five main number winners also matched the Powerball. With no jackpot or second tier winners, the next biggest prize was $50,000 for the 39 people who matched four white balls plus the Powerball.
Which Numbers Hit the Most Frequently?
Looking back over past Powerball results provides insight into which numbers are most common and which rarely come up. Analyzing the frequency of numbers being drawn can potentially help players choose numbers with better odds, although every combination has the same statistical chance of winning.
Here are the five most frequently occurring main numbers over the history of Powerball drawings prior to December 24, 2022:
| Number | Frequency |
|---|---|
| 61 | 278 times |
| 32 | 265 times |
| 21 | 264 times |
| 63 | 262 times |
| 69 | 262 times |
And here are the five numbers that had come up the least:
| Number | Frequency |
|---|---|
| 26 | 194 times |
| 54 | 201 times |
| 13 | 202 times |
| 24 | 203 times |
| 76 | 203 times |
Analyzing the red Powerball numbers reveals slightly different trends. Here are the five most common Powerball numbers leading up to the December 24th draw:
| Number | Frequency |
|---|---|
| 24 | 65 times |
| 18 | 64 times |
| 4 | 60 times |
| 21 | 59 times |
| 10 | 58 times |
And the five least common Powerball numbers:
| Number | Frequency |
|---|---|
| 26 | 49 times |
| 13 | 51 times |
| 23 | 51 times |
| 12 | 52 times |
| 17 | 52 times |
As we can see, the Powerball number 18 ranks near the top of the most frequently occurring red balls. This might explain why it came up on December 24th after a long absence of 39 drawings without being selected. Number 18 was last drawn over two months earlier on October 15th.
Which Numbers Were Due to Hit on December 24 Based on Previous Drawings?
Looking at the recent Powerball results leading up to the December 24th draw provides insight into which numbers were overdue to be picked. While past draws don’t necessarily predict future outcomes, extensive dry spells can point to numbers that might have an increased probability of being selected.
Here are the main white balls that had gone the longest without being drawn in Powerball:
- 26 – last drawn on November 2 (7 drawings)
- 18 – last drawn on November 19 (6 drawings)
- 13 – last drawn on November 23 (5 drawings)
- 4 – last drawn on November 30 (4 drawings)
- 16 – last drawn on December 7 (3 drawings)
Number 26 was the most overdue, having not come up in the previous 7 drawings. However, it did not get picked on December 24th. Number 18 was second most overdue at 6 straight drawings without appearing, until getting selected on December 24.
For the red Powerball, these numbers had gone the longest without being chosen leading up to the Christmas Eve draw:
- 23 – last drawn on November 19 (6 drawings)
- 5 – last drawn on November 30 (4 drawings)
- 12 – last drawn on December 3 (3 drawings)
- 13 – last drawn on December 7 (3 drawings)
Powerball 23 was most due to get picked after being absent for 6 consecutive drawings. However, Powerball 18 got selected instead, ending its dry spell after 5 straight omissions from the winning numbers.
How Many Consecutive Drawings Had Passed Without a Jackpot Winner?
As mentioned previously, the jackpot for the December 24th Powerball drawing had rolled over 39 times without a grand prize winner. This long stretch without someone taking home the jackpot helped contribute to the large $378 million annuity prize up for grabs.
The previous Powerball jackpot win occurred back on October 17, 2022. That drawing made two tickets – one in California and one in Florida – split a $494 million prize. Since that dual state win nearly 2 months prior, there had been 39 draws in a row without a ticket matching all six numbers.
Here is a quick summary of the consecutive rollovers without a jackpot winner leading up to the December 24th drawing:
| Draw Date | Rollovers |
|---|---|
| October 19 | 1 |
| October 22 | 2 |
| October 24 | 3 |
| October 26 | 4 |
| October 29 | 5 |
| November 2 | 6 |
| November 5 | 7 |
| November 7 | 8 |
| November 9 | 9 |
| November 12 | 10 |
| November 14 | 11 |
| November 16 | 12 |
| November 19 | 13 |
| November 23 | 14 |
| November 26 | 15 |
| November 28 | 16 |
| November 30 | 17 |
| December 3 | 18 |
| December 5 | 19 |
| December 7 | 20 |
| December 10 | 21 |
| December 12 | 22 |
| December 14 | 23 |
| December 17 | 24 |
| December 19 | 25 |
| December 21 | 26 |
| December 24 | 39 |
This long run of rollovers was due in part to decreased Powerball ticket sales before the holidays. Fewer players participating meant reduced odds of anyone hitting the jackpot. But the lure of a nearly $400 million annuity prize on December 24th brought hopeful ticket buyers out in droves before that draw.
What Were the Top 10 Powerball Jackpots Leading up to the December 24th Drawing?
Even though the advertised $378 million annuity jackpot on December 24th was substantial, it ranked just outside the top 10 Powerball prizes. Here is a look at the 10 biggest Powerball jackpots leading into that drawing:
| Rank | Date | Annuity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 13, 2016 | $1.586 billion |
| 2 | November 8, 2022 | $1.537 billion |
| 3 | May 18, 2013 | $590.5 million |
| 4 | March 27, 2019 | $768.4 million |
| 5 | August 23, 2017 | $758.7 million |
| 6 | January 20, 2021 | $731.1 million |
| 7 | November 28, 2012 | $587.5 million |
| 8 | November 2, 2022 | $556 million |
| 9 | February 11, 2015 | $564.1 million |
| 10 | October 4, 2021 | $699.8 million |
As the 11th largest Powerball jackpot, the $378 million prize on December 24th was certainly significant. However, it paled in comparison to the world record $1.537 billion jackpot hit just weeks earlier on November 8, 2022. In fact, the top three Powerball annuities were all over $500 million, which dwarfed the Christmas Eve drawing.
Conclusion
In summary, the Powerball drawing on December 24, 2022 produced a substantial but not record-setting jackpot of $378 million. The winning numbers were 3, 25, 44, 53, 64 and Powerball 18. While no ticket matched all six numbers, seven players hit the 5 main numbers to win $1 million each.
The Christmas Eve draw marked the 39th consecutive roll without a grand prize winner. This long stretch allowed the jackpot to grow steadily for nearly two months. While certainly a sizable prize, the $378 million annuity fell just short of making the list of the 10 biggest Powerball jackpots ever.
Analyzing the frequency of past numbers drawn provided insight into which numbers were most overdue ahead of the December 24 results. In particular, the white balls 26 and 18 and the Powerball 23 stood out for having been absent for a number of consecutive drawings leading up to Christmas Eve.
In the end, while no one went home with the huge jackpot on December 24, millions of Americans likely enjoyed the holiday excitement generated by such a large prize up for grabs on Christmas Eve. The Powerball game continues to produce massive jackpots that capture public attention and bring optimism to players during major drawings.