Powerball soars to $605 million as Maryland players score big wins

The Powerball jackpot has climbed to a staggering $605 million, making it the largest prize of 2025 so far.

This comes as a Baltimore resident became an instant millionaire from a Maryland lottery scratch-off, leading a wave of significant wins across the state.

While the $605 million Powerball jackpot rolled over, the August 16, 2025, drawing still created two big winners in Maryland. 

Tickets being sold in Gaithersburg and Mechanicsville got the winners $50,000 each.

The jackpot was announced on May 31, 2025, and now offers a cash option of $263.4 million for the next drawing which was held on August 18, 2025.

The excitement over the growing multistate prize coincides with a lucrative week for local lottery games.

In addition to the Baltimore millionaire, scratch-off players in Rockville and Upper Marlboro claimed $100,000 prizes each.

From the winnings of August 11-18, the Maryland lottery paid out around $30.5 million.

While the prize amount is highly lucrative, the odds of winning this substantial prize remain incredibly slim at 1 in 292 million.

Despite this, the national sales of the game continue to rise, which first surpassed $100 billion in fiscal year 2023, fueled by record-breaking jackpots.

The ticket price has remained at $2 since 2012, but recently, Mega Millions increased its price. 

The next big chance to hit the millionaire jackpot is Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at 11:00 p.m. E.T.