The Lastest
The Powerball jackpot has jumped to an eye-popping $1.7 billion after yet another drawing passed without a big winner. The numbers selected Wednesday were: 3, 16, 29, 61 and 69, with the Powerball number being 22. Since May 31, there have been 41 straight drawings without a big winner. The next drawing will be Saturday night, with the prize expected to be the third-largest in U.S. lottery history. The prize amount is for a winner who chooses payment over 29 years through an annuity. A winner who opts for cash would receive an estimated $770.3 million. Powerball tickets cost $2, and the game is offered in 45 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Original Story
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An estimated $1.4 billion lottery jackpot will be up for grabs Wednesday night thanks to dozens of drawings without a big winner.
The massive Powerball prize is the sixth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot. It’s a result of 40 consecutive drawings stretching over the summer without anyone matching all of the game’s six numbers.
No one has won the grand prize since May 31, and the 41st drawing on Wednesday will be just one fewer than the record set last year.
All of that losing stems from Powerball’s abysmal odds of 1 in 292.2 million, though lottery officials note that the odds are far better for the game’s many smaller prizes. There are three drawings each week.
The $1.4 billion jackpot is for a winner who opts to receive 30 payments over 29 years through an annuity. Winners almost always choose the game’s cash option, which for this drawing would be an estimated $634.3 million.
Powerball tickets cost $2, and the game is offered in 45 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
