From $1.8 billion to $45 million. That's the reality check hitting lottery players tonight as Powerball resets for its New Year's Eve drawing. But hey, $45 million is still life-changing money for us regular degenerates.

The Quick Hit

• What happened: Some absolute legend in Arkansas claimed the $1.817 billion Christmas Eve jackpot
• The damage: Tonight's reset jackpot sits at $45 million (cash value: $20 million)
• Why you should care: Fresh start for the new year, fresh shot at a jackpot
• The move: Tickets are $2. You've probably spent more on worse bets today.

The Arkansas Christmas Miracle

Let's pour one out for the luckiest person in America right now. On Christmas Eve, while most of us were wrapping presents or losing parlays, someone walked into a Stoker's Mach 1 gas station outside Little Rock and purchased the winning ticket for the second-largest lottery prize in U.S. history.

The winning numbers were 1, 7, 46, 47, 63, with Powerball 6. One ticket matched all six. One person's life changed forever while the rest of us were fighting with relatives over holiday dinner.

The winner hasn't come forward yet, which is probably smart. When you're suddenly worth almost two billion dollars, you probably need a minute to figure out how to not blow it immediately. Unlike us degenerates who would've already booked the private jet to Vegas.

The NYE Reset

Tonight's drawing brings us back to earth with a $45 million jackpot. The cash option is $20 million, which after taxes in most states leaves you with around $10-12 million.

Is that life-changing? Absolutely. Is it billionaire money? Not even close. But there's something poetic about starting 2026 with a fresh Powerball jackpot. A clean slate. A new chance to dream about what we'd do with the money.

The odds remain a brutal 1 in 292.2 million. You're more likely to get struck by lightning while being attacked by a shark during a plane crash. But someone has to win eventually, and tonight's drawing could start another run toward a massive jackpot.

What Could You Do With $20 Million Cash?

Let's be realistic about what $20 million pre-tax actually gets you:

• After federal and state taxes: roughly $10-12 million depending on where you live
• A nice house in most cities: $2-3 million
• Investment portfolio generating passive income: $7-8 million at 4% = $280-320K per year

That's "never work again" money, but it's not "buy a sports team" money. It's not "private island" money. It's comfortable upper-class money for life, which honestly sounds pretty damn good from where most of us are sitting.

Tonight's Drawing Details

The Powerball drawing happens at 10:59 PM ET tonight. You can watch it live or check results on the Powerball website. Tickets must be purchased by the cutoff time in your state, which varies but is usually 1-2 hours before the drawing.

If you're buying a ticket today, remember: this is entertainment, not investment strategy. The expected value of a $2 Powerball ticket is about negative $1.50. You're paying for the dream, not for a positive EV play.

The Bottom Line

A $45 million jackpot won't break any records, but it's the first drawing of a new run. Someone hit $1.8 billion on Christmas Eve, and now we all get to start chasing again. Drop your $2, pick your numbers (or let the machine do it, the odds are the same), and welcome 2026 with the possibility of never having to work again. It's what degenerates do. Happy New Year.