Sunrise, FL – A Powerball ticket sold in South Florida made one lucky player a millionaire just days before Christmas, while the record-shattering jackpot continues its march toward an estimated $1.7 billion ahead of the Christmas Eve drawing.
The winning $1 million ticket was sold in Sunrise for Monday night’s drawing, which offered a $1.6 billion top prize that went unclaimed. According to lottery officials, the Florida ticket was one of nine across the country to match all five white balls, missing only the Powerball number needed to claim the jackpot.
Monday’s winning numbers: 3 – 18 – 36 – 41 – 54 and Powerball 7
While the top prize rolls over, excitement across the nation continues to build as the Christmas Eve drawing could rank among the largest in Powerball history. The odds of winning the jackpot remain 1 in 292.2 million, but players across Florida have been lining up at convenience stores and supermarkets hoping to capture a piece of the holiday fortune.
The Powerball jackpot is expected to reach $1.7 billion by Christmas Eve after no one matched all six numbers in Monday’s drawing.