Powerball jackpot hits $20 million giving someone the chance to change their life

The Powerball numbers have been announced — and The Lott says you’re more likely to win a top prize if your name starts with the letter A, D or J.

The jackpot has risen to a huge $20 million for Powerball’s draw — and if your name includes the letters A, D and J then you’re more likely to win.

The winning numbers in Thursday’s draw are 21, 34, 10, 16, 23, 14, 25. The Powerball is 9.

No one scooped the top prize, meaning the huge sum will jackpot to the next draw. Three division two winners won $140,955.10 each, with 58 people taking home $4,455.50 apiece in division three.

People with the initials of A, D and J took home more than a quarter of all division one wins across all lottery games last year, according to data crunched by The Lott.

Last year, and for the second year in a row, it was players with the first initial of J that snagged the most division one wins, scoring 11 per cent.

The Andrews, Annas and Amelias of the country weren’t far behind, with the initial of A taking home 8.2 per cent of division one wins.

The year 2020 also turned out to be a fortuitous year for lottery players with the first initial of D. They accounted for 8.14 per cent of last year’s big wins.

No one with a first name starting with X or U claimed a major lottery prize last year, while there was only one division one win each for players with an initial of O, Q, and Y.

In terms of age, it was players in their sixties who had the most lottery success in 2020, accounting for about a quarter of division one wins.

Not far behind were players in their forties, who enjoyed a fifth of major lottery wins last year.

RELATED: Why couple sat on lotto win for months

There have been six division one Powerball winners since the start of the year. Picture: Supplied

It’s the fifth time this year that Powerball has offered a $20 million jackpot.

In January, the $20 million Powerball jackpot prize was won by two players – one from Queensland and one from New South Wales.

Every other time the $20 million jackpot hasn’t been won and instead, it climbed higher for the following week’s draw.

The Lott’s Ally Ramsamy said anyone who took home a division one prize in this week’s draw would join the exclusive list of Powerball millionaires.

“So far this year, Powerball has crowned six division one winners who have pocketed $200 million in prize money,” she said.

“Just last month a Smithfield man confessed he had tears streaming down his face when he realised he was $40 million richer. Meanwhile, a Campbelltown retiree refused to believe she became an overnight multi-millionaire thanks to Powerball.

“While we weren’t able to call any division one winners from last week’s Powerball draw, maybe we’ll get the chance this week.”

In 2020, 14 Powerball division one winners across Australia pocketed more than $470 million in prize money.