In a disappointing turn of events, lottery officials have announced that no winning tickets were sold for Monday night’s highly anticipated $922 million Powerball jackpot. As a result, the grand prize for Wednesday night’s drawing is now estimated to reach an astonishing $1 billion. The drawn numbers on Tuesday night were 5, 8, 9, 17, 41, with a Powerball number of 21.
Presently, the cash value for Wednesday night’s pot of gold stands at approximately $516.8 million. However, it is important to note that jackpots have the potential to increase significantly if ticket sales surge leading up to the drawing, meaning Wednesday night’s prize could very well surpass the $1 billion mark.
This recent development follows the jackpot’s steady climb after no winner emerged on Saturday night, propelling the prize to an estimated $900 million. It further surged on Monday as a greater number of individuals purchased tickets in hopes of striking it rich.
Should the estimated amount hold, Wednesday night’s jackpot would rank as the third-largest in Powerball history and the seventh-highest in the history of U.S. lotteries, trailing only the staggering world record of $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot claimed last year and the remarkable $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot won in 2016.
Given the formidable odds of winning, standing at just 1 in 292,201,338, there have been a total of 38 drawings since the Powerball jackpot was last claimed in April. Despite the absence of a jackpot winner on Monday night, more than 2.8 million tickets did manage to secure winnings, with lucky buyers collectively earning smaller cash prizes amounting to a substantial $41.7 million, according to Powerball officials.
Had someone clinched the Monday night jackpot, they would have been faced with a pivotal decision—to opt for the $922 million in annual payouts or a considerably reduced lump sum cash payment. It is worth noting that both figures exclude tax implications.
Debbie Kempf, store director at Cosentino’s Price Chopper in St. Joseph, Missouri, shed light on the escalating excitement surrounding the growing jackpot. As the buzz intensifies, Kempf observed an influx in sales at her store, with individuals who don’t typically purchase tickets suddenly thinking, “Why not me?” She also noticed a surge in ticket purchases from regular customers, who, buoyed by the mounting jackpot, decided to seize additional opportunities.
Kempf highlighted the phenomenon of group purchases, where people or families pool their money to acquire a larger quantity of tickets, thus enhancing their chances of winning. “More opportunity,” she succinctly stated.
For eager participants, it is important to remember that winning Powerball numbers are drawn every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. Each Powerball ticket costs $2 and can be obtained in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Meanwhile, the Mega Millions lottery has been experiencing its own ascent, with the estimated jackpot reaching an impressive $640 million as of Monday night. Mega Millions drawings take place on Tuesdays and Fridays, providing yet another opportunity for hopefuls to chase their dreams of hitting the jackpot.