The Powerball jackpot surged Wednesday to an estimated $850 million, the sixth-largest prize in the game’s history, with the drawing set for Wednesday evening.
There hasn’t been grand prize winner since May 31, when a ticket worth $207 million was sold at a convenience store in Arleta.
Ticket sales for Wednesday night’s drawing end at 7 p.m., and the drawing will be conducted at 7:59 p.m.
“America has signaled loud and clear — it’s ready to play for a massive Powerball jackpot,” Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair, said in a statement. “Powerball ticket sales have doubled in the past week, as more players join the fun with a $2 ticket, while also giving back to good causes in their communities.”
The odds of matching all five numbers and the Powerball number is 1 in 292.2 million, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association, which conducts the game. The overall chance of winning a prize is 1 in 24.9.
If a player wins Wednesday night’s jackpot, they will have the choice between an annuitized prize estimated at $850 million or a lump sum payment estimated at $383.7 million. Both prize options are before taxes
The Powerball game is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.