$325 MILLION: Powerball lottery jackpot increased before draw date

Feb 10, 2012, 4:31 pm (214 comments)

Powerball

Will set US all-time record if no winner Saturday

By Todd Northrop

As a result of brisker than expected ticket sales, lottery officials announced today that the Powerball jackpot has been raised from $310 million to $325 million for Saturday's drawing.

The jackpot increase immediately launched Saturday's drawing to #9 on the United States all-time biggest jackpots list.  It will be the third-largest Powerball jackpot ever.  The jackpot's $202.9 million cash option is the highest in Powerball history.

With the new Powerball enhancements implemented in mid-January, the game has been redesigned to generate bigger jackpots and more millionaires.

The Powerball jackpot has been growing since Dec. 28 and has rolled 13 times.

If there is no Grand Prize winner Saturday night, the estimate for next Wednesday's drawing (Feb. 15, 2012) will be $415,000,000 — the largest lottery jackpot in United States history.

Powerball tickets are $2 per play.

Saturday's Powerball winning number results will be published at USA Mega (www.usamega.com) minutes after the 11:00 pm (Eastern Time) drawing takes place.

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

dr65's avatardr65

Let's keep it real people. One ticket is all you need.

I overheard a guy making a remark along the lines that people will play PB this week and not have food the next. True.

I remember a craze awhile back when the jackpot got real big....the machines were smoking trying to print all of the tickets people were buying.

It rolled that day and I believe went out the next draw. Sales were more than brisk, they were steaming.

Don't go overboard. Remember the odds but also remember it takes one ticket to win. It's okay to dream but don't lose your friggin mind.

And that folks is the public service announcement for today.

Oh and btw, I'm not playing. Razz

rad242

If this rolls over which I think it will, it will definitely set a new record $400m plus!

dk1421's avatardk1421

Wow! "If there is no Grand Prize winner Saturday night, the estimate for next Wednesday's drawing (Feb. 15, 2012) will be $415,000,000 — the largest lottery jackpot in United States history."

That would be amazing! I almost want it to rollover just to see that, but I think I'll be happy with JUST $325,000,000!

Kumo's avatarKumo

On a whim, I stopped by one of our local convenience stores this afternoon and picked up a $2 QP. To my surprise the ticket read Est. CV of 202,900,000! Seems like it has been a while since I remember the lottery raising the level of the jackpot mid drawing. Someone is definitely going to be very happy this weekend. Good luck to all!

RJOh's avatarRJOh

If this jackpot roll several more times, it could reach a billion dollars.  If that happens, I could see MUSL putting a cap on it and adding more money to the 2nd place winners with powerplay.

WesternRedDoug

Like I said on the eve of the last drawing, this would be a great weekend to grab the MM or your state's local lotto jackpot and slip off into oblivion. Good luck. Don't go crazy.

joshuacloak's avatarjoshuacloak

 the record cash jackpot is $240 million, which is currently held by Mega Millions

will mm could have it record broken, that will be fun to watch. the lottery fever buying of 400m plus jackpot!

anytime cash jackpot"real jackpot" gets above 200m, you have a epic jackpot on your hands!

am going to buy ether 2 or 3 tickets, as buy 5 bucks was my max for 300m jackpots , so i up my limit to 6 bucks  for now LOL.

if it rolls, , i up it to 10 bucks, 

i have to limit it to 10 bucks or 5 tickets max , even thro a 400m jackpot would more then likly make me get a 20 out LOL. we see if it rolls.

 

btw, that 415m is a low ball, just like 193.4 million cash jackpot was a lowball, any time jackpot gets above 300m,. they always Lowball  real amount,  and up it when near draw and had time to guest real total sells by end of draw, with a few days of selling to make a spot on guest.

i remb mm 240 cash jackpot, kept being upped like what 3 times before draw, and even atfer the draw, it was upped to final cash amount of 240, They just could not low ball it ever time :P

Kumo's avatarKumo

Quote: Originally posted by WesternRedDoug on Feb 10, 2012

Like I said on the eve of the last drawing, this would be a great weekend to grab the MM or your state's local lotto jackpot and slip off into oblivion. Good luck. Don't go crazy.

Completely agree. What a great time for other new lotto millionares to slip underneath the radar. :)

WesternRedDoug

Quote: Originally posted by Kumo on Feb 10, 2012

Completely agree. What a great time for other new lotto millionares to slip underneath the radar. :)

Yeah, expect as I posted it, it dawned on me how ridiculous the notion if "grabbing" a lotto jackpot is. Like, "ooh, this looks nice... I'll have one of those...and if there is room in the basket, go ahead and grab a lottery jackpot, too."

Oh well, silly thoughts. I knew what I meant.

Artist77's avatarArtist77

I agree and think anyone who wins the MM or any other lottery now will be (almost) ignored now till the big PB hits (so I will settle for MM).

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

Quote: Originally posted by RJOh on Feb 10, 2012

If this jackpot roll several more times, it could reach a billion dollars.  If that happens, I could see MUSL putting a cap on it and adding more money to the 2nd place winners with powerplay.

i like this ,but why would they do that instead of just building up the JP ?

LottoLin

I agree, people loose their heads when the Jackpot get really big. A friend from OK and I were just talking tonight, he said that he was at a place In OK on the I40 Interstate, and people were talking about how much they were playing for PB for Saturday, and it was Thousands of dollars, they were hoping to win something back or they wouldn't have any money for food the next week. Now Come On People, thats taking it to the crazy side or taking mortgages out on your home so that you think it's going to give you a edge. Play within you means, if you can only afford $4.00 on Powerball and $2.00 on Mega Millions then thats what it it is. Or don't play one of them, play the one you want to play the most that time and the next time play the other one. My husband and I have a set amount we play, we don't go over that amount no matter how high the pots get.

Good Luck to everyone Playing Mega Millions  tonight or those playing PowerBall on Saturday.

LottoLin

Nita & Bruce keep your fingers crossed that we get lucky and hit the PowerBallParty

VenomV12

I want to see a billion dollar jackpot, the media will lose their mind if that happens. I don't know how much I would throw at that, but it would be significant. 

There is a guy here in my town who no one really knows who he is, but everyday at the same store, he has slips already there, and plays thousands of dollars in 3 digit, 4 digit, Keno and other lottery every day. He played $8,000 in one day the clerk told me. I can only imagine how much money he is going to throw at this. 

If this hits $500 million I am going around the neighborhood and starting a lottery club.

Artist77's avatarArtist77

I always could afford to play a little more but I never buy more than two Pb tickets per drawing (usually one). It only takes one.  But it seems to me I recall reading that a lot of winners seem to say they purchased  somewhere between $ 20-60 worth of tickets.  That is too much for me. I see more than a few people in DC (mostly retirement age) who look like they have little money playing some keno lottery game (maybe the same game with the horses on the screen? Does not interest me.) and spending $60 or more at once. Always shocks me.  Very hardcore players who give you a dirty look if you get in their way just to get your single ticket.

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