Wait. Stop looking at your old tickets for a second. If you were holding out hope that the Labor Day drawing in 2025 was going to be the one to change your life, you're probably either a millionaire today or you're part of the massive crowd that watched the jackpot climb even higher.
Honestly, it was a wild night.
The Powerball numbers for sept 1 2025 were 8, 23, 25, 40, 53, and the Powerball was 5. The Power Play multiplier? That was a 3x.
Now, here is the kicker: nobody actually hit the grand prize. We were all staring at a massive $1.2 billion jackpot—which is basically a life-changing amount of money by anyone's standards—but it just didn't happen. No one matched all six numbers. Because of that, the jackpot rolled over and became even more of a monster for the next drawing.
Why the sept 1 2025 drawing was actually historic
People often think these big holiday draws are "lucky" or somehow different, but this one actually was significant because of the sheer scale. We were looking at the fifth-largest jackpot in the history of the game at that point.
The cash value was sitting at $544.1 million.
Think about that for a second. That is half a billion dollars in a single lump sum, before the IRS comes knocking, of course. While the "billion" number gets all the headlines, the cash option is what most people actually care about.
The "Millionaire-Maker" States
Even though the big one didn't drop, a bunch of people woke up a lot richer the next morning. It's kinda crazy how often people forget about the Match 5 prizes.
🔗 Read more: The Attack of the Dead Men: What Really Happened at Osowiec Fortress
There were 12 tickets that matched all five white balls but missed the red Powerball. Those are $1 million prizes. They were spread out all over the place:
- California (standard)
- Florida
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Jersey (two separate winners!)
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Virginia
But wait. Two lucky souls in Montana and North Carolina were even smarter—or just luckier. They spent the extra dollar on the Power Play. Instead of $1 million, they walked away with **$2 million** each. Honestly, that extra buck is the best investment those people ever made.
What most people get wrong about the odds
You've heard it a thousand times: you're more likely to get struck by lightning. While that's technically true, people still flock to gas stations when the numbers get this high. The odds of hitting the jackpot are exactly 1 in 292,201,338.
It doesn't matter if it's Labor Day, your birthday, or a random Tuesday. Those odds are fixed.
💡 You might also like: Why That Kamala Harris Video to Supporters Still Matters Right Now
The interesting part about the sept 1 2025 drawing was that it was the 40th consecutive draw without a jackpot winner. The streak started way back in May 2025 after a win in California.
The tax bite nobody talks about
If you had won that $1.2 billion, you wouldn't have actually kept $1.2 billion. Not even close.
First, the $1.2 billion is the annuity—30 payments over 29 years. If you want the cash, you're down to that $544 million. Then, the federal government takes a mandatory 24% off the top for tax withholding, though you'll likely owe closer to 37% by the time you file.
Then there are state taxes. If you won in Florida or Texas, you're in luck—zero state tax on lottery winnings. If you're in New York? You're giving up another chunk.
✨ Don't miss: Tennessee Forest Fires: What the History and Recent Data Actually Tell Us
What happened next?
Since nobody won on September 1, the jackpot jumped to an estimated $1.3 billion for the Wednesday, September 3 drawing. It was reaching "national phenomenon" levels of hype.
Practical steps for old tickets
If you still have a ticket from this date tucked in a drawer, check it again. Even if you didn't hit the millions, you might have won $4 or $7.
- Check the Powerball only: If you got just the 5, you won $4.
- Verify the dates: Make sure it actually says Sept 1, 2025.
- Check the expiration: Most states give you 180 days to 1 year to claim. Since we are in 2026 now, you need to move fast.
The deadline for a September 2025 ticket is likely fast approaching or has just passed depending on your specific state’s rules.
Go to your state's official lottery website—like the CA Lottery or the NY Lottery portal—and use their "Check My Ticket" feature. Don't rely on a manual scan if you're looking at a high-value prize; take it to a licensed retailer and have them run it through the machine.