Powerball Prize Swells To $1.5B, Could Grow
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — The largest lottery jackpot in the world is up for grabs Wednesday in the latest Powerball drawing.
The prize has climbed to an estimated $1.5 billion, easily surpassing all other lotteries. The jackpot estimate is reviewed daily, so it could increase before the 7:59 p.m. drawing if ticket sales continue to exceed expectations.
KNX 1070's Pete Demetriou reported dozens of Powerball players were coerced into signing a minimum-wage petition as they waited in line to purchase tickets at Bluebird Liquor in Hawthorne.
The jackpot for the twice-weekly game started at $40 million on Nov. 4. No one has matched all six Powerball numbers since then, so the prize kept growing.
Lottery officials expect at least 80 percent of the 292.2 million number combinations will be purchased before the drawing.
The Powerball drawing is played in 44 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, City News Service reported.
Powerball tickets cost $2 each.
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