Take-Home Jackpot

Powerball after taxes in Louisiana

Powerball jackpot $360 million, winner living in Louisiana. Cash option $153.6 million.

You keep about

$92.2 million in cash, single filer

Ninety-two million two hundred ten thousand and 00/100 dollars

Jackpot data as of Sep 24, 2026, for the Saturday, Sep 26 drawing.

Cash option, from advertised jackpot to what you keep
ItemAmountShare of jackpot
Advertised jackpotSum of 30 annuity payments$360,000,000
Cash optionOfficial cash value$153,600,000
Federal tax withheld at claim24% of the prize−$36,864,000
Federal tax still owed at filingTop bracket is 37%−$19,918,000
Louisiana state tax3% of the prize; $4.6 million withheld at claim−$4,608,000
You keep25.6% of the advertised jackpot$92,210,000
Payout

Louisiana moved to a flat 3% individual income tax starting in 2025. The Louisiana Lottery withholds 24% federal tax on prizes over $5,000 and 3% state tax on prizes of $5,000 or more.

Lump sum or annuity in Louisiana

Lump sum and annuity after tax in Louisiana
Cash optionAnnuity (30 payments)
Before tax$153,600,000$360,000,000
Total tax−$61,390,000−$142,500,008
You keep$92,210,000$217,499,993
In today's dollarsannuity discounted at 3% a year$92,210,000$131,704,124
When you get itAll at once$3.3 million now, then yearly up to $13.4 million

The annuity keeps $125.3 million more after tax in total but pays it over 29 years; the cash would need to earn 5.47% a year after tax to fund the same payments. How to think about the choice.

The 30 annuity payments

30 payments from $3.3 million to $13.4 million after tax
30 annual payments, taxed in the year received (2026 brackets assumed every year)
PaymentYearBefore taxFederalStateAfter tax
12026$5,418,517−$1,954,851−$162,555$3,301,110
22027$5,689,442−$2,055,094−$170,683$3,463,665
32028$5,973,915−$2,160,349−$179,217$3,634,349
42029$6,272,610−$2,270,866−$188,178$3,813,566
52030$6,586,241−$2,386,909−$197,587$4,001,744
62031$6,915,553−$2,508,755−$207,467$4,199,331
72032$7,261,331−$2,636,693−$217,840$4,406,798
82033$7,624,397−$2,771,027−$228,732$4,624,638
92034$8,005,617−$2,912,078−$240,169$4,853,370
102035$8,405,898−$3,060,182−$252,177$5,093,538
112036$8,826,193−$3,215,692−$264,786$5,345,715
122037$9,267,502−$3,378,976−$278,025$5,610,501
132038$9,730,877−$3,550,425−$291,926$5,888,526
142039$10,217,421−$3,730,446−$306,523$6,180,452
152040$10,728,292−$3,919,468−$321,849$6,486,975
162041$11,264,707−$4,117,942−$337,941$6,808,824
172042$11,827,942−$4,326,339−$354,838$7,146,765
182043$12,419,339−$4,545,156−$372,580$7,501,603
192044$13,040,306−$4,774,914−$391,209$7,874,184
202045$13,692,322−$5,016,159−$410,770$8,265,393
212046$14,376,938−$5,269,467−$431,308$8,676,162
222047$15,095,785−$5,535,441−$452,874$9,107,471
232048$15,850,574−$5,814,713−$475,517$9,560,344
242049$16,643,103−$6,107,948−$499,293$10,035,861
252050$17,475,258−$6,415,846−$524,258$10,535,154
262051$18,349,021−$6,739,138−$550,471$11,059,412
272052$19,266,472−$7,078,595−$577,994$11,609,883
282053$20,229,795−$7,435,024−$606,894$12,187,877
292054$21,241,285−$7,809,276−$637,239$12,794,771
302055$22,303,349−$8,202,239−$669,100$13,432,009
Total$360,000,000−$131,700,008−$10,800,000$217,499,993

Full-page version with every state: Powerball annuity schedule for Louisiana.

How Louisiana compares

Louisiana ranks 15th of 51 for what a single winner keeps from this jackpot in cash ($92.2 million).

Neighbouring states, same jackpot, cash option, single filer
StateState taxCash kept
Louisiana3%$92.2 million
Arkansas3.7%$91.1 million
Mississippi4%$90.7 million
Texasnone$96.8 million

All 50 states and DC for this jackpot
Best states to win the lottery

Questions

How much is a $360 million Powerball jackpot after taxes in Louisiana?

About $92.2 million if you take the cash option ($153.6 million before taxes), or about $217.5 million in total over 30 annual payments if you take the annuity. Louisiana taxes the prize at 3%.

How much tax is taken out of lottery winnings in Louisiana?

At claim the lottery withholds 24% for federal tax on prizes over $5,000. Louisiana withholds 3% at claim. On a jackpot this size the final federal bill is closer to 37% of the prize because most of it falls in the 37% bracket, so about $19.9 million more is owed when you file.

What is the Louisiana tax rate on lottery winnings?

3%. Louisiana taxes lottery prizes as income; a jackpot is taxed almost entirely at the top rate of 3%, which is about $4.6 million on the cash option.

Is it better to take the lump sum or annuity in Louisiana?

The annuity pays about $125.3 million more after taxes in total, spread over 29 years. The cash option comes out ahead only if you can earn more than 5.5% a year after tax on it. Many winners take the cash; the annuity protects against spending it too fast.

Which states do not tax lottery winnings?

Alaska, California, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming do not tax lottery prizes (California only exempts prizes from tickets bought there). Among the 50 states and DC, Louisiana ranks 15th of 51 for what you keep from this jackpot.

These figures describe the taxes on a prize that has already been won; they are not a reason to buy a ticket. Jackpot odds are hundreds of millions to one. If gambling is causing problems for you or someone close to you, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER (National Problem Gambling Helpline, 24/7).

Sources for this page

Figures are estimates for planning, not tax or legal advice. How they are calculated: methodology. Read the disclaimer.