Powerball jackpot rises to estimated $1.4 billion after no winners Wednesday
The Powerball jackpot rose to an estimated $1.4 billion after there were no winning tickets for the grand prize of roughly $1.2 billion from Wednesday night's drawing. The numbers that came up 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 fifth-biggest in U.S. lottery history.
There haven't been any Powerball grand prize winners since a single ticket sold in Los Angeles claimed a $1.08 billion pot of gold on July 19. Wednesday night's drawing was the 33rd since then.
This marks the first time in Powerball history that two back-to-back jackpots have reached the billion-dollar mark, according to Powerball officials.
The biggest jackpot in both Powerball and U.S. lottery history was $2.04 billion, which was won in November 2022 by a man also in the Los Angeles area.
A single winner in Saturday's drawing would have a choice between a lump sum payment of roughly $643.7 million before taxes or an annuity option consisting of an immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments.
The odds of winning the jackpot are 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 Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 11 p.m. Eastern.
Billion-dollar lottery jackpots have become more common in recent years as both Powerball and Mega Millions have raised ticket prices and lowered the odds of winning the jackpot. According to the Washington Post, in 2015 Powerball lowered the odds of winning from 1 in 175.2 million, to where it currently stands at 1 in 292.2 million.
-- Brian Dakss contributed reporting