On Christmas Eve, one single ticket sold in Arkansas matched all six numbers drawn to win the $ 1.817 billion jackpot, which has a cash option of $834.9 million before taxes. If the winner selects the annuity option, they will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% every year.

The Powerball jackpot has climbed to $1.7 billion for the Christmas Eve drawing, marking the fourth-largest prize in the game's history. The winner can choose a massive $781 million lump-sum cash option before taxes, sparking a surge in ticket sales across the country.

Just in time for Christmas, one lucky Powerball player could win $1.7 billion before taxes in tonight's lottery drawing.