Powerball jackpot climbs to estimated $675M

Michigan Lottery players have a chance to win the largest lottery jackpot in US history Saturday night.

With no winning tickets matching the numbers drawn for Wednesday night’s $500 million jackpot, a spokesperson for the Kentucky Lottery says the Powerball jackpot was raised to $700 million, with a cash option of $428.4 million. Kocks said he has seen an increase in Powerball ticket sales increase when the possible multistate game winnings reached $700,000,000.

The previous record for a USA lottery jackpot was $656 million. That jackpot was split between winners in Kansas, Illinois and Maryland. “However, that was far smaller than last year’s biggest jackpots of $564.1 million in February and $310.5 million in September”. Tickets cost $2 and can be purchased at West Virginia Lottery retailers across the state up until 9:59 p.m. on drawing dates. There’s even the story of an Iraqi man who won a $6.4 million dollar lottery drawing in Oregon. “Not only are regular Powerball players playing – but first-time players are jumping in – which is great, but then we’re trying to explain an entire game to someone who has never played before”, Neubauer says.

“Players around the country have joined the excitement for a chance to win such an incredible prize, but keep in mind to play responsibly; it only takes one ticket to win”, said Rebecca Hargrove, president and CEO of the Tennessee Lottery. So perhaps the $2 for a ticket is worth it, as long as you understand that at about 1 in 264.1 million, it’s more likely you’ll get bitten by a shark than win the jackpot. The Florida Lottery website was crashing periodically Thursday from the large number of people visiting the site.

“Oh, I got plans”, Bergeron said.

“The odds are 292 million to one”, McNay said. The $675 million prize is based on an annuity, which would pay out the money over 29 years. That you have a better chance of being struck by lightning in 2016 (1 in 960,000)?