The Powerball jackpot rose to an estimated $1.4 billion after there were no winning tickets for the roughly $1.2 billion top prize in Wednesday night’s drawing. The numbers determined were 9, 35, 54, 63, 64 with a Powerball of 1.
The estimated jackpot for Saturday night’s drawing would be the third largest in Powerball history and the fifth largest in U.S. lottery history.
There has been no Powerball grand prize winner since a single ticket was sold in Los Angeles on July 19, netting a pot of gold worth $1.08 billion. Wednesday night’s drawing was the 33rd since then.
According to Powerball officials, this is the first time in Powerball history that two consecutive jackpots have reached the billion dollar mark.
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The largest jackpot in Powerball and U.S. lottery history was $2.04 billion, won in November 2022 by a man also from the Los Angeles area.
A single winner of Saturday’s drawing would have a choice between a lump sum payment of about $643.7 million before taxes or an annuity option consisting of an immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments.
The chance of winning the jackpot is one in 292.2 million.
Powerball tickets are $2 each. They are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings take place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 11pm Eastern Time.
Billion-dollar lottery jackpots have become more common in recent years as both Powerball and Mega Millions have increased ticket prices and lowered the odds of winning the jackpot. According to the Washington Post, in 2015 Powerball reduced the odds of winning from 1 in 175.2 million to the current 1 in 292.2 million.
—Brian Dakss contributed reporting
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