Nov. 3 (UPI) — The Powerball jackpot is soaring closer to world-record territory after no ticket was lucky enough to match all six winning numbers in Wednesday night’s $1.2 billion drawing.
The next chance to win will come Saturday, when the prize grows to $1.5 billion — the second-largest jackpot in U.S. history, according to a statement from Powerball headquarters in Florida.
Lottery winners typically end up with a bigger share of the money by electing to take regular cash payouts over the course of 30 years, but would come out with far less if taking a cash payout all at once.
Electing a lump sum on Saturday’s prize would pay about $745.9 million, or about half the money. Moreover, the IRS collects on the staggering sum up front.
Wednesday’s winning white ball numbers were 2, 11, 22, 35, 60, and the red Powerball was 23.
Powerball, played in 45 states, has gone three months without a winner, with Saturday becoming the 40th consecutive drawing in the drought. The last time someone hit all six numbers was Aug. 3.
Despite no first-prize winner, more than 7 million tickets did win cash, with 16 winners in 11 states claiming $1 million for matching all five white balls. Three tickets sold in Arkansas, Montana and New Jersey won $2 million because each was wagered with a Power Play option that costs an extra $1.
Another 49 tickets sold nationwide won $100,000, while 189 tickets each hit for $50,000.
Regular Powerball tickets cost $2 and the numbers are drawn at 10:59 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
A lottery prize has eclipsed the $1 billion mark four other times in U.S. history, with the latest colossal jackpot standing to become the second-largest prize ever.
The biggest jackpot was claimed in 2016 when the holders of three Powerball tickets split a $1.586 billion prize. One person in South Carolina picked the winning Mega Millions numbers in October 2018 and won $1.537 billion; in 2021, a Mega Millions ticket sold in Michigan hit for $1.05 billion. And in July, the Mega Millions lottery jackpot surged to $1 billion after 29 straight draws without a winner.
