Initial estimate is $1.3 billion, but will undoubtedly go higher
By Todd Northrop
Is it even possible to imagine what it would be like to win more than $1 billion?
Millions of people around the nation will get the chance this Wednesday night, when Powerball is set to offer the largest lottery jackpot prize ever awarded in history.
The country came to a standstill Saturday night, as the Powerball lottery drew five numbers plus one Powerball number. Those numbers were 16, 19, 32, 34, and 57, with Powerball number 13.
Amazingly, not one single ticket sold for Saturday's drawing matched all of the numbers drawn, so the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) has set the initial Powerball jackpot estimate for Wednesday to $1.3 billion.
Yes, that's billion, with a "B".
After the Saturday estimate was raised three times after it's initial estimate of $675 million, finally landing at $949.8 million by draw time, it is a sure-fire bet that Wednesday's jackpot will similarly spark so many ticket sales that MUSL will push up the estimate once or twice — or three times — before Wednesday.
At this point it's almost quaint to think of the previous world record set by Mega Millions in March, 2012, of $656 million. That jackpot was won by three tickets sold in Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland.
The initial estimate for the lump-sum cash option for Wednesday's Powerball drawing is $806 million. Again, this easily crushes the previous Mega Millions cash value record of $471 million.
Doubtless, there will be a rush of media pundits clamoring to cite the tiny chance each player has of winning. There will probably be a thousand different analogies designed to explain how small the chances are. Maybe this time the odds are actually better of getting struck by lightning while at the same time being eaten by a shark than it is to win the Powerball jackpot.
But no matter how hard they try to convince people to resist the urge to play, the pundits are up against a simple fact: there is enough money at stake to make even the most pessimistic person line up at the lottery ticket counter this week.
If you're not sure where to buy your tickets, or if you're traveling out of state to buy tickets, head right over to the Lottery Places website to download the free app on your phone or Windows 8 or Windows 10 computer. Lottery Places is the only app on the market that will locate lottery retailers in every state and jurisdiction throughout the United States.
Following the Saturday drawing, the Powerball annuity jackpot estimate was raised $350.2 million from its previous amount of $949.8 million. The cash value was raised by $217.1 million from its previous amount of $588.9 million.
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.
Lottery players seeking to check the winning numbers Wednesday night are urged to use USA Mega (www.usamega.com). State lottery Web sites are normally brought to a standstill during busy periods, while USA Mega normally remains responsive. That was the case Saturday night, when USA Mega delivered the winning numbers to hundreds of thousands of lottery players immediately following the drawing.
Powerball drawing results will be posted immediately after the 10:59 pm Eastern Time drawing at USA Mega (8:59 pm Pacific Time). 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.
Players are advised not to wait until the last minute to buy their lottery tickets. Sales will remain open until around 10:00 pm Eastern Time on Wednesday, although players should check with a lottery retailer in their state for the exact sales cutoff time.
The odds of winning the jackpot are approximately 1 in 292 million. The odds of winning any of the Powerball prizes are approximately 1 in 24.
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.
Powerball is now played in 44 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Tickets cost $2 each.
Powerball lottery results are published within minutes of the drawing at USA Mega (www.usamega.com). The USA Mega Web site provides lottery players in-depth information about the United States's two biggest multi-state lottery games, Mega Millions and Powerball.
Top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time
Wednesday's Powerball jackpot currently stands as the largest lottery jackpot of all time worldwide. The amount of the jackpot may rise even further before the drawing Wednesday night, as lotteries are typically conservative in their initial estimates, and brisk sales will certainly continue to push the jackpot estimate higher by draw time.
- Powerball: $1.3 billion, Jan. 13, 2016 - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Mega Millions: $656 million, Mar. 30, 2012 - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Mega Millions: $648 million, Dec. 17, 2013 - California, Georgia
- Powerball: $590.5 million, May 18, 2013 - Florida
- Powerball: $587.5 million, Nov. 28, 2012 - Arizona, Missouri
- Powerball: $564.1 million, Feb. 11, 2015 - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
- Powerball: $448.4 million, Aug. 7, 2013 - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
- Powerball: $425.3 million, Feb. 19, 2014 - California
- Mega Millions: $414 million, Mar. 18, 2014 - Florida, Maryland
- Powerball: $399.4 million, Sep. 18, 2013 - South Carolina
- Mega Millions: $390 million, Mar. 6, 2007 - Georgia, New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $380 million, Jan. 4, 2011 - Idaho, Washington
- Powerball: $365 million, Feb. 18, 2006 - Nebraska
- The Big Game: $363 million, May 9, 2000 - Illinois, Michigan
- Powerball: $340 million, Oct. 19, 2005 - Oregon
- Powerball: $338.3 million, Mar. 23, 2013 - New Jersey
- Powerball: $337 million, Aug. 15, 2012 - Michigan
- Powerball: $336.4 million, Feb. 11, 2012 - Rhode Island
- Mega Millions: $336 million, Aug. 28, 2009 - California, New York
- The Big Game: $331 million, Apr. 16, 2002 - Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $330 million, Aug. 31, 2007 - Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia
- Mega Millions: $326 million, Nov. 4, 2014 - New York
- Mega Millions: $319 million, Mar. 25, 2011 - New York
- Mega Millions: $315 million, Nov. 15, 2005 - California
- Powerball: $314.9 million, Dec. 25, 2002 - West Virginia
For those keeping score, the number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 13
- Mega Millions: 10
- The Big Game: 2
The Big Game is the original name of Mega Millions, from the game's first drawing on Sep. 6, 1996 through May 14, 2002. The name was changed to Mega Millions starting with the May 17, 2002 drawing.
Top 25 cash value jackpots
Since many lottery winners collect their winnings in cash, the lump-sum payout is an important measure of what a winning ticket could be worth.
The new Powerball jackpot ranks as the largest lump-sum cash value jackpot in history.
- Powerball: $806 million cash, Jan. 13, 2016 ($1.3 billion annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Mega Millions: $471 million cash, Mar. 30, 2012 ($656 million annuity) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Powerball: $384.7 million cash, Nov. 28, 2012 ($587.5 million annuity) - Arizona, Missouri
- Powerball: $381.1 million cash, Feb. 11, 2015 ($564.1 million annuity) - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
- Powerball: $370.9 million cash, May 18, 2013 ($590.5 million annuity) - Florida
- Mega Millions: $347.6 million cash, Dec. 17, 2013 ($648 million annuity) - California, Georgia
- Powerball: $258.2 million cash, Aug. 7, 2013 ($448.4 million annuity) - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
- Mega Millions: $240 million cash, Jan. 4, 2011 ($380 million annuity) - Idaho, Washington
- Mega Millions: $233.1 million cash, Mar. 6, 2007 ($390 million annuity) - Georgia, New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $230.9 million cash, Mar. 18, 2014 ($414 million annuity) - Florida, Maryland
- Powerball: $227.8 million cash, Feb. 19, 2014 ($425.3 million annuity) - California
- Powerball: $224.7 million cash, Aug. 15, 2012 ($337 million annuity) - Michigan
- Powerball: $223.3 million cash, Sep. 18, 2013 ($399.4 million annuity) - South Carolina
- Mega Millions: $214 million cash, Aug. 28, 2009 ($336 million annuity) - California, New York
- Powerball: $211 million cash, Mar. 23, 2013 ($338.3 million annuity) - New Jersey
- Powerball: $210 million cash, Feb. 11, 2012 ($336.4 million annuity) - Rhode Island
- Mega Millions: $202.9 million cash, Mar. 25, 2011 ($319 million annuity) - New York
- Mega Millions: $197.5 million cash, Nov. 4, 2014 ($326 million annuity) - New York
- Powerball: $197.4 million cash, Sep. 30, 2015 ($310.5 million annuity) - Michigan
- Mega Millions: $194.4 million cash, Aug. 31, 2007 ($330 million annuity) - Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia
- Mega Millions: $185 million cash, Nov. 15, 2005 ($315 million annuity) - California
- The Big Game: $180 million cash, May 9, 2000 ($363 million annuity) - Illinois, Michigan
- Mega Millions: $177.3 million cash, Jan. 16, 2015 ($270 million annuity) - Illinois
- Powerball: $177.3 million cash, Feb. 18, 2006 ($365 million annuity) - Nebraska
- Powerball: $170.5 million cash, Dec. 25, 2002 ($314.9 million annuity) - West Virginia
The number of jackpot cash values in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 13
- Mega Millions: 11
- The Big Game: 1
Like I said in the other post we have all been wanting this for years..... It's a perfect storm
Now you are really going to see ticket sales explode. Going to be at least $1.5 billion by drawing.
I think the only words to describe this would be HOLY CRAP!
It only took odds of 1 in 292M to make it.
I had 2 tickets in this draw, any more than that and would have felt foolish.
Well, I will raise the limit to 10 for the next draw. And I am very confident that there will be one or more winners.
What were the odds of being no winner tonight? does anyone know?
I wonder what they're going to do on the billboards because they only have three digits, for the millions.... Lol
Wow...just Wow...Can't believe it.
about 20%
Wow so all those sales and not all combinations were covered. Shows you how absurd the odds to win are.
yup about $900M in sales as well the next few days will be absolutely insane
Have mercy, that's a lotta money!
LOL, Lottery Post was not built to handle jackpots greater than $1 billion. It's showing up as $1300 million. Guess I have some work to do!
SENSATIONAL
Thanks Todd
UNBELIEVABLE! How can that be? Wow! I'm speechless
Your doing a great job. I so enjoyed while all the other sites were down I was able to check my numbers on your site.
I saw that and I thought that was such a fun new way to think about it.. 1300 million.. I kinda like it
Just curious but how do you figure that about 20% of the combinations were not played. I remember someone on here awhile back explaining something about how to figure it but cant recall the details.
This will be an amazing week of media hype. I look forward to all the crazy stories going up this week. Todd needs to get invited on CNN.
I can't even imagine a billion dollars!
If i wasn't hammered I'd run up to the mobil to see what the sign says.
Neither are all the California electronic jackpot advertisement boards, only has three digits... :)
I figure it would roll, I matched 2 numbers lol. I am just glad it rolled since I lost as everyone would have been very disappointed if it got that close and did not reach a billion or over and now it has! Bring it baby!
so according to the texas lottery spreadsheet about 75% of combos were sold at a jackpot of 914M - extrapolated it a bit for one of 950M
http://www.txlottery.org/export/sites/lottery/Documents/jackpotestimates/pb20160109.pdf
You just did. Now try your best to win some of it. Good luck to you.
Whoppie the states R going to make Mo money
Holy moly that is a lot of money!
I cannot believe it, this must be a dream.
texas's website shows 1.30 billion now
I wanna be a billionaire so frickin' bad
Here come the billion jackpot that everyone waiting for :)
Have fun everyone !!!
There are 4 full days before the next drawing. Expect this to jump up by at least 500 million before then. This previous drawing went from 675 to 956 million in a 3 day period. This is gonna be the biggest news story for the next 4 days!!!!
think there will probably be about $1.3B in sales which should bring the jackpot to $1.6B for the draw
Yes, something like that.
Likewise.
Yeah Todd, that $1300 million looks a little strange.
There's a passage in the Bible about 'two hundred thousand thousand' (200,000,000), it made me think of that.
I simply can't comprehend the prize.
Will I be expected to wear all white robes and the turban?
So this will make the a sole winner (technically) on the FORBES BILLIONAIRES LIST?
OH MY GOODNESS!!
wow!! It's about to get craazy!!
HAHA
Not even close. Even a billion liquid or in assets or a combination won't get you on the list I believe.
HAHAHA
7-11s will look like Walmarts on Black Friday
I hope there are many winners...and we hear about how it turned things around for many people!
Wow this is truly unbelievable, that is a lot of money. I surely thought that somebody was going to win tonight's drawing. I guess new players are going to come out to play.
this is really stupid because no matter who wins the next jackpot, we now know that same thing can happen again. another long run to a big jackpot that takes peoples money just to make a few millionaires (or one single billionaire)..what is really the purpose of this isht... to make money for the lottery and the states that allow it...median individual income in us is $24,000..median household is $52,000..just dangle a billion dollar carrot jackpot and suckers will buy it at $2 a ticket. there is a sucker born every minute.
New players will see that 1.3 billion jackpot and be like:
Dunno about you others but I like being a sucker......Ideally a very, very wealthy sucker.
Lol, yup, this will be the talk of the country for the next week and when people see $1.3 billion dollar jackpot on billboards while driving, talking about it on social media, at work, or wherever, they will want to play for that chance to win.
One Ticket
One Winner
Awesome stuff. Powerball's at $1.3 Billion! You'll be up there with Bill Gates's net worth if you win this.
Bill Gates is worth anywhere from $80 billion to $100 billion, you won't be anywhere remotely near him even if you win this.
Enough Already! This is getting ridiculous!
Funny also how back when the MM got up to $656 million after they changed it they said Powerball sales slumped, and then they changed PB to make it harder and look at it now lol. Also funny how people disregard "smaller amounts" that are still huge amounts and life changing. But most of society is financially illiterate and have no clue just how much money millions or billions is. Then you get some new players who buys a ticket on a whim and wins it all who is not even prepared at all. The lottery plays no favorites.
I got the 13,16 57.
And 19 in a separate ticket.
Worth a few bucks for the next draw.