Behind the Billion-Dollar Powerball: Who Really Wins When Jackpots Soar?

The Powerball jackpot has climbed to an eye-popping estimated $1.3 billion after another round without a winning ticket, drawing millions of hopeful Americans into a gamble with nearly impossible odds. Yet beneath this headline-grabbing figure lies a troubling story about government-backed lotteries preying on working-class families while doing little to support real economic opportunity. How Much Does America Really Lose in the Lottery Dream? Since May 31, not one player has matched all six numbers—8, 23, 25, 40, 53 plus Powerball 5—allowing the prize pool to mushroom to what would be the fifth-largest jackpot in Powerball history. But while two...