7 Things You Need To Know About The Powerball Lottery In Maryland
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Powerball fever is in full swing around Maryland. The jackpot just went up to $500 million.
Here are some fun facts about the Powerball from the Maryland lottery:
- If a winning ticket is sold in Maryland, the state will win too! A winner's choice of the $337,800,000 cash option will net the state $29,557,500 in tax revenue (the federal government will receive $84,450,000). The winner would take home a cool $223,792,500 after taxes.
- If a winning ticket is sold in Maryland and the winner chooses the annuity, they will receive approx. $5,906,221 million a year (the first payment will be a little higher) for 30 years. That's after taxes.
- This is the third largest Powerball jackpot ever. A $590.5 jackpot was claimed in Florida in May 2013 and a $587.5 million jackpot was split between Arizona and Missouri in November 2012.
- If the jackpot is hit in Maryland, this would be the largest Powerball jackpot won in Maryland since the game came to the state in January 2010. A $128.8 million jackpot was purchased in Elkton (Cecil County) in December 2011 and a $108.8 million jackpot was purchased in Abingdon (Harford County) in September 2011.
- If a Maryland retailer sells a jackpot-winning ticket, the business will receive a $100,000 bonus. The business would receive $2,500 for selling a second-tier-winning ticket.
- In 2014, thirteen Marylanders won Powerball second-tier prizes (11 $1 million and two $2 million) and 69 won $10,000. Remember that there are many winners with each drawing and prizes start at $4.
- Ticket sales end at 9:59 tonight...so buy your tickets! Please sign the back immediately.
BONUS: The odds are not in your favor. Odds of winning the jackpot are approximately 175.2 million to 1.
