The pot just keeps growing.
The longer the Powerball game goes without a winner, the larger the payout grows. And since no one hit the $1.2 billion jackpot during Wednesday’s, the pot has now swelled to $1.5 billion.
But that’s only if winners take the 29-year annuity option. The cash value of the $1.5 billion jackpot stands at a cool $745.9 million.
Powerball tickets cost $2 per play. During a Powerball drawing, five white balls are drawn, each containing a number from 1 to 69, along one with red Powerball, which contains a number from 1 to 26.
In order to win the jackpot, players must match all six numbers.
Lucky Numbers vs. “Quick Picks”
Many people play the lotto with “lucky numbers” – combinations of birthdays, dates, phone numbers, digits that come to them in dreams, and more.
While some select their own lotto numbers, others play Quick Picks, which are numbers that are randomly generated by machines.
Chances of winning the lotto between playing quick picks or selecting your own numbers are both equal.
“Around 70 to 80 percent of Powerball players use Quick Pick tickets, and the same percentage of winning entries are Quick Picks,” one report said. “This shows that regardless of whether players choose to select their own numbers or not, the odds of winning remain the same.”
Despite having equal odds, both options have their pros and cons.
Playing Quick Pick is the fastest way to play, but leaves the possibility open for repeat numbers and combinations.
Selecting your own numbers gives you complete control over your numbers, but can take longer to play in stores, especially when the jackpot reaches enticing numbers for the non-regulars to want to participate.
Do You Need to Match All 6 Numbers to Win a Payout?
While players can win a payout in nine different ways, only the grand prize jackpot can be won by matching six numbers.
Players can win various payouts from one, two, three, four, or five matched numbers. That prize increases if the Powerball number is matched.
Here’s a Powerball Payout breakdown:
- 5 numbers matched: $1 million (1 in 11,688,054 odds)
- 4 numbers matched + Powerball: $50,000 (1 in 913,129 odds)
- 4 numbers matched: $100 (1 in 36,525 odds)
- 3 numbers matched + Powerball: $100 (1 in 14,494 odds)
- 3 numbers matched: $7 (1 in 580 odds)
- 2 numbers matched + Powerball: $7 (1 in 701 odds)
- 1 number matched + Powerball: $4 (1 in 92 odds)
- Powerball matched: $4 (1 in 38 odds)
Players also have the option of adding a “Power Play” to their ticket, which is an additional cost but can increase the amount of money you win if you get a match.
When is the Next Powerball Drawing?
The next Powerball drawing is Saturday, Nov. 5. 2 at 9:59 p.m. CST. It is currently worth $1.5 billion.
Powerball drawings are every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
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