$1.3 billion US Powerball jackpot to be world lottery record – Powerball’s jackpot is now at $1.3 billion and it is expected that it would increase by Wednesday’s draw. The US multi-state lottery is offering the world’s richest grand prize that may be won by a single ticketholder, officials said on Sunday.
The pot increased in value as no ticket holder had the winning combination of six numbers selected during Saturday’s drawing, when the grand prize reached nearly $950 million.
“It’s crazy how big this jackpot is,” said Alex Traverso, a spokesman for the California Lottery, confirming that the current Powerball prize was record setting. “Buckle up: It’s going to be a crazy ride between now and Wednesday night.”
California is one of 44 states, including Washington D.C. and two US territories, that participate in Powerball.
The $1.3 billion is without doubt the largest lottery money ever up for grabs in North America, Spain’s latest elG6ordo lottery, or “The Fat One,” had a prize pool of $2.4 billion prize. But the money was awarded to thousands of ticketholders, elGordo’s website said. Powerball’s riches could be won by a single ticketholder.
The grand prize of Powerball has increased steadily for weeks after repeated drawings produced no big winners. But ticket purchases surged last week and it pushed up the size of the pot.
It has prompted some Americans who normally are uninterested in lotteries to join the long lines of people buying tickets at retail stores across the country. The excitement would grow ahead of the next drawing. The grand prize in Wednesday’s drawing is worth $806 million if the winner wishes an immediate cash payout instead of annual payments over 29 years, the Multi-State Lottery Association said on the Powerball website.