The Powerball jackpot is not far from the all-time lottery record. According to Powerball officials, the jackpot for Saturday night’s drawing will be at least a projected $1.5 billion because no winning tickets were purchased for Wednesday night’s top prize of $1.2 billion.
Currently, that would fall just shy of the $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot award shared by three winners in 2016, which set a global record. Providing enough tickets are sold prior to the drawing, the prize could still increase.
A $1.5 billion jackpot would trail just the world record and a $1.537 billion Mega Millions prize. In the drawing held on Wednesday night, the winning numbers were 02, 11, 22, 35, 60, and a Powerball number of 23.
Since the last jackpot was won on August 3, there have been 39 consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner. The Powerball milestone for consecutive drawings without a grand prize winner is 40, so another record is about to be broken.
Jackpot winners have the option of receiving their prize as a lump sum payment or as an annuity spread over 29 years. The prize on Saturday night will have a cash value of at least $745.9 million, according to estimates. Before taxes, all of that is.
One in 292.2 million is likely to win the Powerball jackpot. Each Powerball ticket costs $2. In addition to the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, they are offered for sale in 45 states.