By Todd Northrop
There was no jackpot winner in the Saturday night drawing of the multi-state Powerball game, causing the grand prize to increase to an estimated $260 million for Wednesday's drawing.
Saturday was the 11th consecutive drawing without a jackpot winner. The current jackpot run started February 9 as a $40 million jackpot.
The estimated cash value for the new jackpot is $161.1 Million. After-tax cash and annuity prize amounts are reported state-by-state on the Jackpot Analysis page at USA Mega, a web site devoted to the Powerball and Mega Millions multi-state lottery games.
This is the largest Powerball jackpot since the historic drawing on Nov. 28, 2012, when 2 tickets sold in Arizona and Missouri split the largest Powerball jackpot of all time. (See Record $587.5 million Powerball jackpot won by 2 tickets, Lottery Post, November 29, 2012).
Players should note that jackpot amounts are conservative estimates provided by the lotteries, and are often somewhat higher by the time the drawing occurs.
Even though there were no jackpot winners, 16 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize: 1 from Arizona, 1 from Colorado, 1 from Georgia, 3 from Illinois, 1 from Louisiana, 2 from Maryland, 1 from Missouri, 1 from New Jersey, 1 from New York, 1 from Texas, 1 from Virginia, 1 from Washington, D.C., and 1 from West Virginia.
Of all the second-prize winners, the ticket sold in Colorado and 2 of the tickets sold in Illinois were purchased with the Power Play option for an extra $1. Because they purchased the Power Play, those 3 tickets are now worth $2 million.
58 tickets matched four white numbers plus the Powerball and won $10,000. Of those tickets, 7 were purchased with the Power Play option, increasing the prize to $40,000.
When a Powerball ticket is purchased with the Power Play option for an extra $1 per ticket, any non-jackpot prize is increased according to a fixed prize schedule, which can be found on the Powerball Drawing Detail page at USA Mega, as well as on the Powerball Prize Payouts page at Lottery Post.
The Powerball winning numbers for Saturday, March 16, were 3, 7, 21, 44, and 53, with Powerball number 16.
Following the Saturday drawing, the Powerball annuity jackpot estimate was raised $44 million from its previous amount of $216 million. The cash value was raised by $28.3 million from its previous amount of $132.8 million.
The next Powerball drawing will take place Wednesday evening at 10:59 pm EDT.
Powerball is now played in 42 states, plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Wednesdays and Saturdays at 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Tickets cost $2 each.
On April 8, California will join the Powerball game, becoming the 43rd state to play the game. After California joins the game, Powerball will be available for purchase in every U.S. state that operates a lottery.
A 44th Powerball state will be added some time in the next year, as the state of Wyoming has approved a new state lottery with the intention of joining Powerball and other multi-state games. (See Wyoming officially becomes 44th state with a lottery, Lottery Post, Mar. 14, 2013.)
Powerball lottery results are published within minutes of the drawing at USA Mega.
Let the madness begin. Let's see if rolls up to a billion this time!
$260+ M
It's not likely to hit those stratoshperic heights, but I too would love to see it and be part of the ticket buying frenzy that would ensue.
would the ticket buying frenzy be anything like a feeding frenzy, msharky2001?
It will go higher than $260- I'm thinking $280 for Wednesday, Good Luck
Happy St Paddy's Day everyone! May the luck of the Irish shine on one of us this week!
Another chance to get it right, good luck everyone
$260 million sounds good to me
What's funny is that someone wrote that those numbers last night probably got a jackpot hit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That they were common "easy numbers".....HAHAHAHAHAHA!
There were 16 2nd tier hits... Which is quite a bit more than normal if I'm not mistaken... So although the jackpot was not hit,a lot of people were close!!
Lottery players in california are wishin it was mid april right now.
I can understand the 03-07-21, but how are 44 and 53 common?
44 for 44 magnum the most powerful handgun in the world!!!
All 6 winning numbers would "Make my day"
Lottery players are winners.
you've gotta ask yourself one question, "do I feel lucky?"
Congrats to the winners
A man's gotta know his limitations.
"Of all the second-prize winners, the ticket sold in Colorado and 2 of the tickets sold in Illinois were purchased with the Power Play option for an extra $1. Because they purchased the Power Play, those 3 tickets are now worth $2 million.
58 tickets matched four white numbers plus the Powerball and won $10,000. Of those tickets, 7 were purchased with the Power Play option, increasing the prize to $40,000."
Now that there is the reason I all the time kick in the extry buck for Powerplay.
I might strike out a lot when I'm swingin' fer the fences but it jest might pay off real good someday if I connect fer 5 numbers like 16 people just did or even for 4+1 numbers like 58 people just did. Dadgum straight.
Yes, the calvary arrives in April and starts cleaning house.
I heard Governor Moonbeam might have to "borrow" people's big lottery winnings to cover those unfunded monster pensions for government employees out there.
Gov Moonbeam may or may not think what he wants rdgnr, but the Lottery spells it mission out in no uncertain terms..
"
The Birth of the California State Lottery
The Lottery was created by a ballot measure, Proposition 37, which was approved by 58 percent of voters on Nov. 6, 1984. The Lottery Act gave the Lottery a clear mission: to provide supplemental funding for public schools and colleges.
NOT to fund pensions etc etc. In order for Moonboy to attempt to raid anything, he would have to put it on the ballot- no way it would pass, not in a million years.
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.
George Bernard Shaw
It should easily be over $300 million when the drawings happens on wednesday.
I predict it'll get to 1 billion the Wednesday after this Wednesday.
don't forget 16 (4 numbers under 20)
03-07-21-44-53**16
Happy St.Patrick's Day
Hmmm... it's possible... but I'd be surprised. With MM sitting at a whopping 13M, most folks will be dumping thier cash into PB... that could goose the jackpot.
With a $260 million jackpot I am thinking that the annuity looks like a nice option because in your first year it is like $4 million and in your last year it balloons to $14 million. If you are a young person who can wait out the 30 years it would be a good option. Come on my ticket!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-weshar75
That would be sweet...
I am only 27... But no way I'd take annuity.. even though its about 70mil more... Many different reasons... 115milliin is plentyfor me and my family...
You also live in a state that has a lot of powerball luck on its side too with all those jackpots won. Good luck to you on wednesday night!-weshar75
no one said indiana people were smart.
I heard the IndianaKid say that Indiana people were smart.
oh yeah where's he at????
Current Jackpot: $260 Million
Cash Option: $161.1 Million before taxes
Next Drawing: 03/20/2013
Hint: He resides in a state called Indiana.
see what i tell ya
Happy St. Patrick's day
hope you are enjoying yourself today
Say what.......
wow you are exceeding you bedtime tonight huh? it is 8:00 here i bet it is 9 there
If it keeps going until April 8 when CA joins Powerball, how much would the jackpot be?
not sure anyone could know that yet depending how Many ticket selling may go up may go down but most likely it will go up due to a extreme frenzy.
Unfortunately, the jackpot will be won by then, however there will be more PB money in the pot going forward. Californians have been chomping at the bit for a long time to bring PB to the State.
Let the winning begin.
I just hope he doesn't have to "invoke special powers" in a "state emergency" or anything like that.
Those government workers are demanding every dime of their monster pensions.
Rdgnr- He may " have special powers" but those powers will not encompass the State lottery. If there is one thing you do not screw with in California, its putting something on the ballot for the people to vote on either up or down and then try and circumvent the will of the people by doing something else.
Get this:
Education FAQs
How much does the Lottery give to California public schools?
In total Lottery contributions, California public schools have received more than $25 billion in Lottery funds since the Lottery began in October 1985. This contribution currently represents approximately 1.5% of the state’s public school annual budget. Remember, Lottery funds are to supplement public education, not to replace state and local funding.
How are Lottery funds distributed?
The Lottery’s mandate, as defined in the California State Lottery Act, is to provide supplemental funding to California public education on all levels from kindergarten through higher education, plus several specialized schools.
All segments of public schools receive the same per pupil funding level from the Lottery based on the average daily attendance of students in each school district. Since 1985, the educational institutions that receive Lottery funds and their cumulative distributions are listed below:
K-12th Grade -- 76.71%
Community Colleges -- 16.22%
California State University System -- 4.30%
University of California -- 2.70%
Other Educational Entities -- .07%
Moonbeam cannot get his greasy fingers on any of the money- its all allocated.
Thanks! U too!
There's some smarticles around these parts... I can learn ya!
Hi everyone,
I actually made a $3 profit after my betting on Powerball this time. I correctly predicted the number 16 as the PowerBall number, except for one other regular number, all of my other numbers were wrong. I'm reasonably happy about this and I have already predicted another number as the PB number for the next drawing. One of the few times I have made any profit at all after a drawing in PowerBall in 16 years of playing. I'll see what happens on Wednesday night like everyone else. Good luck all :)
If no one wins this jackot!
Where will this madness go to, maybe the jackpot might be $400 million!!!
Take a deep breath, please do not fart!!!!
GLORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah but I'm just worried if Linda Ronstadt comes back around and starts all that old 'Roll Me Baby' stuff that he'll do anything she says.
There's no tellin' what any man might do in that situation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s4_teISos0
I'm just sayin...
Linda is now singing Spanish songs or Gospel Music and has no interest in Brown since they parted ways decades ago. They were certainly not John and Yoko.