By Todd Northrop
Due to larger than expected sales volume, the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) has raised the official Powerball lottery jackpot estimate for Saturday's drawing to $300 million.
The all-important lump-sum cash value of the jackpot has been raised to $172.7 million.
Lottery players seeking to check the winning numbers Saturday night are urged to use USA Mega (www.usamega.com). State lottery Web sites are normally sluggish or brought to a standstill during busy periods, while USA Mega normally remains responsive.
Powerball drawing results will be posted immediately after the 10:59 pm drawing at USA Mega. The number of winners and new jackpot will be announced after all participating Powerball states have reported their data, which normally occurs within a couple of hours after the drawing.
Tickets will remain on sale typically until 10:45 pm Eastern Time on Saturday, although players should check with a lottery retailer in their state for the exact sales cutoff time. Players are advised not to wait until the last minute.
The odds of winning the jackpot are approximately 1 in 175 million. The odds of winning any of the Powerball prizes are approximately 1 in 32.
Powerball tickets cost $2 each.
Lottery players can see an after-tax analysis of the current Powerball jackpot by visiting USA Mega's Jackpot Analysis page.
Powerball features nine different prize levels, ranging from $4 all the way up to the jackpot. Players can win even if they just match one number — the Powerball number.
All states except California also offer the Power Play option for an extra $1 per ticket purchased. The Power Play multiplies any non-jackpot prizes won by a fixed amount, depending on the prize level won.
Players who purchase the Power Play and win second prize will automatically have their prize increased by 2x to $2 million.
So Buying tickets
WOW!!! Time for me to go find Mindy, so I can cut in line. LET THE MADNESS, I MEANT, FUN BEGIN
I haven't had good luck the last 2 months. Think I go to a different store in a different zip code to buy my tickets
Maybe she can make a deal with one the local retailer to be standing in line at their store at a particular time to attract customers who may think cutting in front of her could be lucky.
I purchased to quick picks with my $4 win on Wednesday!
Woo HOO!
good luck to yinz all
I just got a text on my lunch from the OKLC that the jackpot increased.
*two LOL
"Powerball drawing results will be posted immediately after the 10:59 pm drawing at USA Mega."
Hey Todd, The way this is worded makes it sound like the drawing is at USA Mega. Hey, that would be great PR if they would go for it!
Good Luck to all!!
If I win this HUGE jackpot I will be buying a HUGE motorhome to avoid the crowds of beggars,
I bought my tickets yesterday. I wanted to beat the rush.
If I win the Powerball jackpot, I will not consider buying a yacht or any boat. A large motorhome, a big ' YES ' on that one.
good luck
Yes, it has become one of those weekend when players at their work places start hastily organizing lottery pools without a plan other than to get everybody money and buy a bunch of quick picks.
If they are lucky they won't win anything, other wise there be a lot of co-workers pissed off at each other.
Its nice that its going down on a Sat. night. Everyone will have their pay checks tonight to buy extra tickets.
I need THRIFTY to explain his Stop Loss System one more time before I make any decisions.
He's never around when you need him.
Ridge, if I remember correctly, Thrifty's Stop Loss System went like this: he "stopped" playing so he wouldn't "lose" anymore money.
Maybe he couldn't continue saying what he had been saying with a straight face.
Last time I talked with him he had spent $2. on a PB ticket and had a $4. winner. He was talking about parlay wagering the entire $4. on the next draw, but he may have saved it for the big drawing on Sat. night.
Its ok to dream. Thrifty will win the lottery jackpot someday.
last time i saw THRIFTY he had bought $50 of tickets on a big draw and won nothing. was seen mummbling something like mother #%^&$@* son of a %#%^&
and swearing never to play again
Well I agree with Thrifty about setting limits, but he lost me when he thought buying a house was not a good idea.
But I was still thrifty and I had two hot lotto tickets with the HB number and one with the HB number plus one number....so I bought one more PB ticket.
I bought my ticket today at albertsons here in mcminnville and I was so pissed when I saw my numbers they were two lines and both lines were full of numbers below 30. So I grit my teeth and said well maybe I can hit the powerball and get a $12 winner since I powerplayed the ticket of two lines. Good luck to all who play tomorrow.-weshar75
Yes, you ought to expect that most players play numbers between 1 and 31 i.e. those are the numbers between all the months. I too am playing mine tomorrow. Here in Flagstaff, I have never seen any line beyond 5-10 people, maybe because Arizona was one of those states that had much earlier embraced the Powerball regime and in addition, there are many lotto retailers in one small area. Regardless, I will make sure I play the game before my afternoon work shift.
It's the weekend, the first of the month, and the jackpot is huge. I'd call it the "perfect storm".
" I was so pissed when I saw my numbers"
What's up with that? Don't you have the option of picking your own numbers if you don't trust the terminal to pick the ones you want?
A When the new powerball record was hit the prize amounts are pretty close to where they were then after 11 rollovers. Annuity is at 300 mill opposed to 270 mill then but the cash value then was 176 mill so its a little lower then that now but not by much. Last time it rolled to 364 annuity and 232 cash befor it rolled once more to the 591 annuity and 371 cash prize that was won. If it rolls Sat then it should go up to probably high 300s annuity and around 230 cash. What may boost this one a bit more is its the beginning of the month and the MM jackpot is low as opposed to being close to 200 mill last time. 2 more rolls and we will see the usual madness in buying tickets like the last time. Once you see JP get up to the high 300s or 400 or more then ticket sales really explode. While im greedy and want to hit this Sat or the following Wed if it rolls agaian if i dont hit then id like to see 2 more rollovers and the early estimate keep going up by the day as always happens when you start out advertising over 400 mill. While 173 million cash option is more then i would know what to do with I love it when they start advertising like 450 mill and within 24 hrs its already moved up 75 million or so then usually is changed agaian at least one more time befor the drawing. 2 rollovers and i figure we will be looking at a 600 million annuity JP. Would take anothe rollover after that to break the 471 cash that MM set awhile back. Let the madness begin and good luck to all.