Landmark $100m Powerball tops sixth-highest lotto jackpot in Australian history, but only third-highest in past five months

Powerball’s $100m jackpot has cracked a surprising landmark as the sixth-largest in Australian history, but only the third-largest in the past five months. No Division 1 winners were announced in Thursday’s draw, with the jackpot climbing to $100m for next week’s draw on May 16. The nine-figure value has been driven by the past five draws having no Division 1 winners. May 16’s $100m draw is one of a growing trend in high-value prize pools, being the sixth biggest in Australian history, but only the third-largest in the past five months. “It’s been almost four months since Powerball last offered $100m to Australian lottery players,” The Lott spokeswoman Anna Hobdell said. “On that occasion the prize wasn’t won and we saw it jackpot to the record-breaking heights of $200m.” “We will be waiting on the edge of our seats to see if Powerball welcomes another division one winner or if history will repeat itself and the jackpot climbs higher. “If just one player wins the entire $100m prize, they’ll not only expect to receive a multimillion dollar boost to their bank account, but they’ll also share the crown of Australia’s second biggest individual lottery winner ever.” Of the twenty Powerball division one winners last year, eight were from NSW, seven in Victoria, two each in South Australia and WA, and one in Queensland. That totalled to a $552m aggregated prize pool. The draw closes on Australia’s east coast at 7:30pm next Thursday. “Many Aussies are likely already imagining their plans for the remainder of 2024 and beyond if they won a portion of Powerball’s $100 million. A dream vacation, early retirement, the ideal home, and fulfilling other aspirations could become tangible realities,” Ms Hobdell said. “Our biggest tip to players is to register their entries to a player card or online account. “By registering an entry, we’ll be able to reach out to the division one winner immediately after the draw. “Registering your ticket also means your entry is secure and minimises any risks if a winning ticket ends up misplaced or lost.”