The Powerball jackpot soared to an estimated $1.4 billion for Saturday -- which would be the third largest jackpot in the game's history -- after Wednesday night's drawing turned up no grand prize winner.
The prize up for grabs Saturday would also be the fifth largest US lottery jackpot, Powerball says.
If one ticket matches all six numbers Saturday, the holder would have a choice between an annuitized prize worth an estimated $1.4 billion or a lump sum estimated at $643.7 million, both before taxes, according to Powerball's website.
Powerball has had no grand prize winner since July 19, when a single ticket sold in California won a jackpot worth $1.08 billion.
Wednesday's Powerball drawing was the 33rd consecutive with no jackpot winner. The numbers were 9, 35, 54, 63, 64 and Powerball 1.
Some tickets still scored big Wednesday.
Seven tickets sold in California, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas matched all five white balls to win base prizes of $1 million. The two sold in California will be worth more than $1.2 million each, because prizes in that state vary depending on ticket sales and number of winners.
Another three tickets in Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Texas matched all five white balls and won $2 million each because their holders activated a "power play" multiplier, Powerball said.
Odds of winning a Powerball prize of any amount are 1 in 24.9, the lottery says. But the chances of winning a grand prize are exceedingly slim at 1 in 292.2 million.
The largest Powerball jackpot was a $2.04 billion prize won November 2022 in California, followed by $1.586 billion won in January 2016.
