California Dreamin’: SoCal Player Strikes $2.3 Million Gold as Powerball Jackpot Rockets to $1.6 Billion

OXNARD, Calif. – While millions across the country held their breath on Saturday night, one lucky Southern Californian is waking up to a life-changing windfall. A Powerball ticket sold in Oxnard matched five out of six numbers in the December 20, 2025, drawing, securing a massive $2,323,527 prize.

The win comes as the main Powerball jackpot remains unclaimed, catapulting the grand prize to an estimated $1.6 billion for the upcoming Monday night drawing.

The Winning Moment in Oxnard

The high-tier winning ticket was sold at Wright’s Market, located at 2691 Ventura Blvd. in Oxnard. According to California Lottery officials, the ticket successfully matched the five white balls—4, 5, 28, 52, and 69—missing only the red Powerball of 20.

Under California law, lottery prizes are parimutuel, meaning the payout amounts are determined by total sales and the number of winners in each prize category, rather than being fixed amounts. This explains why the Oxnard winner is receiving over $2.3 million, whereas “Match 5” winners in other states typically receive a flat $1 million (unless they purchased the Power Play option).

The store itself has also become a local landmark overnight. Retailers who sell winning tickets of this caliber typically receive a substantial bonus from the lottery, often referred to as a “retailer’s commission,” sparking a celebratory atmosphere at the Ventura Boulevard marketplace.

The Billion-Dollar Behemoth

While the Oxnard winner celebrates, the rest of the nation turns its eyes toward Monday, December 22. Because no ticket matched all six numbers on Saturday, the jackpot has officially entered the stratosphere of American lottery history.

At an estimated $1.6 billion, the next drawing represents:

• The fourth-largest Powerball jackpot in history.
• The fifth-largest jackpot in U.S. lottery history (including Mega Millions).
• The second time in 2025 that the Powerball has surpassed the billion-dollar mark.

“This is the holiday season’s ultimate gift,” said one lottery official. “We are seeing unprecedented excitement at retail locations. The dream of a billion-dollar win is more alive than ever.”

Cash vs. Annuity: The $735 Million Choice

Should a lucky player beat the astronomical odds on Monday night, they will face a monumental financial decision. The $1.6 billion figure is the annuitized value, which is paid out over 30 years.

1. The Annuity Option: The winner would receive one immediate payment, followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each year. This is designed to help winners maintain their lifestyle and protect the principal against inflation.
2. The Lump Sum (Cash) Option: Most winners choose this route—an immediate one-time payment. For Monday’s drawing, the estimated cash value is $735.3 million.

Note: Both options are subject to federal taxes. While California does not tax lottery winnings, the federal government takes a 24% bite off the top for the IRS, with the final tax bill often reaching 37% depending on the winner’s other income and deductions.

A Record-Breaking Run

This current jackpot cycle is already one for the record books. Saturday’s drawing marked the 45th consecutive draw without a jackpot winner, setting a new record for the longest “roll” in Powerball history.

The last time the grand prize was hit was on September 6, 2025, when two tickets in Missouri and Texas shared a $1.787 billion jackpot. This year has been particularly lucrative for the game; 2025 marks only the second time Powerball has produced back-to-back jackpots exceeding $1 billion. The first time this happened was in 2023, with massive wins in July ($1.08 billion) and October ($1.765 billion)—both of which, notably, were also won in California.

The Real Winner: California Public Schools

While individual winners capture the headlines, California Lottery officials are quick to point out that the state’s education system is the biggest beneficiary of these massive jackpots.

During this current 45-draw run alone, ticket sales have generated more than $100 million for California’s public schools. By law, a portion of every dollar spent on a lottery ticket goes toward supplemental funding for K-12 schools, community colleges, and public universities.

“Every ticket sold contributes to our mission of raising extra money for public education,” a Lottery spokesperson said. “These funds support everything from teacher salaries and art programs to state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and after-school initiatives.”

The Top 10: Where Does $1.6 Billion Rank?

The modern era of lottery “megadraws” has seen jackpots reach heights once thought impossible. Here is how the upcoming Monday drawing stacks up against the all-time greats:

Playing the Odds

As the jackpot grows, so does the number of casual players who “jump in” when the prize hits ten figures. However, the odds of winning remain a constant: 1 in 292.2 million.

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