The Powerball jackpot is climbing to mind-boggling heights. After another round of numbers failed to produce a winner on Wednesday night, the grand prize has skyrocketed to a whopping $1.23 billion — “billion” with a B!
The winning numbers were 11, 38, 41, 62, 65, and the Powerball number was 15.
If those weren’t your picks, you’re not alone. In fact, the odds of winning the top prize are a minuscule 1 in 292.2 million. To put that in perspective, the U.S. population clocks in at less than 335 million.
This massive prize has been growing for over three months, and it’s now the eighth-largest in U.S. lottery history. The last time someone hit the jackpot was way back on Jan. 1, and there have been 40 drawings since then without a single person matching all six numbers. Talk about a dry spell!
But don’t lose hope just yet. While the top prize has remained elusive, thousands of lucky players have won smaller prizes ranging from a measly $2 to a cool $2 million. They didn’t become multi-millionaires overnight, but they still walked away with a nice chunk of change.
If a player happens to defy the odds and hit the jackpot, he or she will have a tough decision to make. You can either choose to receive your prize as an annuity, paid out in 30 annual installments, or take the cash option. Most winners opt for the cash, which would be an estimated $595.1 million for the next drawing on Saturday night. Either way, the winner is set for life!
Powerball is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Mega Millions chose a lucky winner late last month after its own dry spell. Will Powerball be next?
The Associated Press contributed to this article.