Stay ahead of the curve as a political insider with deep policy analysis, daily briefings and policy-shaping tools.
Request a Demo
The lottery billboard on Tara Boulevard in Jonesboro. (Credit: Tammy Joyner)
Georgia Lottery jackpots are once again up for grabs to lucky winners, with the Powerball soaring to $865 million and the Mega Millions has reset to $20 million. That’s because a winner walked away this week with the more than $1 billion Mega Millions jackpot, according to reports.
The next drawing for Powerball is tonight.
Since the Powerball jackpot began growing in January through the last drawing, it has generated approximately $17.5 million for education in the state, a Georgia Lottery representative told State Affairs on Wednesday. Georgia Lottery players have won approximately $8.6 million in Powerball prizes.
And the Mega Millions jackpot has funneled approximately $23.2 million into education in Georgia, since that jackpot began growing in December, the official said. Lottery players in the state have won about $8.7 million in Mega Millions prizes.
Not only have the jackpots sparked dreams of fortune among players, but millions of students have been granted higher education opportunities through the state’s HOPE Scholarship program. The funds raised by the lottery have also been used to support other educational initiatives like Georgia’s Pre-K program.
Your odds of winning tonight’s Powerball? Roughly 1 in 302.6 million. But don’t let that discourage you.
Students like Moises Guzman have benefited from it. As previously reported, profits from the state’s lottery made it possible for Guzman to become the first in his family to go to college, thanks to his Zell Miller Scholarship.
Check out more stories on the Georgia Lottery and the education programs it funds:
- College applications to GA schools are free in March. Here’s how to snag that scholarship.
- What to know about the new Georgia Match direct college admissions program
- HOPE Scholarship vs. Zell Miller Scholarship: Key differences
- Is Georgia’s Zell Miller Scholarship still worth the effort?
- Georgia’s Lottery Funds Preschools, Scholarships. But It May Not Be As Much As You Think
Issac Morgan is the newsletter editor for State Affairs. You can contact him on X or at [email protected].
And subscribe to State Affairs so you do not miss any news you need to know.
X @StateAffairsGA
Facebook @StateAffairsGA
Instagram @StateAffairsGA
LinkedIn @StateAffairs
Correction: This story has been updated to accurately state when the jackpots began growing. We sincerely regret the error.
Know the most important news affecting Georgia
Get our free weekly newsletter that covers government, policy and politics that impact your everyday life—in 5 minutes or less.
Latest Stories
Newly minted Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones II: ‘I’m not the typical back-slapping politician’
Nearly 10 years into legislative life, Sen. Harold Jones II wouldn’t change anything about the experience. “I love every minute of it. Even when I hate it, I love it,” the 55-year-old Augusta Democrat told State Affairs. Come January, Jones will add another role to his legislative duties: Senate minority leader, a job held for …
Gov. Kemp calls on state agencies to be fiscally restrained amid record $16.5B surplus
The Gist Gov. Brian Kemp asked the state’s 51 government agencies for continued fiscal restraint when drafting their amended fiscal year 2025 and 2026 budgets. Most agencies adhered to his request even as the state’s general fund surplus hit a record $16.5 billion last month. Forty-five agencies, excluding state courts, followed the governor’s instructions to …
Georgia defies bomb threats as election chief declares a “free, fair and fast” vote amid record turnout
ATLANTA – Despite dealing with over 60 bomb threats, Georgia’s election chief said Tuesday the state’s general election went smoothly. Georgia had a record turnout with nearly 5.3 million people voting, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger told reporters. Election officials in the state’s 159 counties have until 5 p.m. to certify votes. “We had a …
In the (state)house: Meet the newest members of the Georgia legislature
When lawmakers reconvene at the state Capitol on Jan. 13, there’ll be a cadre of new faces in the 236-member Georgia General Assembly, one of the nation’s largest state legislatures. All 236 statehouse seats were up for election this year. Most candidates ran unopposed. Incumbents in contested races easily kept their seats, with the exception …