Cash value nearly $1 billion
By Todd Northrop
Is there anything happening this week that isn't Powerball?
Apparently not, because it seems that everyone in the US is buying Powerball tickets at a frantic pace, forcing officials at the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) to once again raise the Wednesday Powerball jackpot estimate by another $100 million to $1.5 billion.
The cash value of the jackpot is now raised to $930 million. By the time the drawing rolls around Wednesday night, we may be looking at a lump-sum cash payout of more than $1 billion.
Here's another crazy statistic: The Wednesday cash value is now nearly double of the previous record cash value of $471 million, set by Mega Millions in 2012.
This is the second — and probably not the last — time MUSL has raised the jackpot estimate since it was initially set to $1.3 billion early Sunday morning.
By Monday morning officials had decided that enough tickets were being sold that they raised the estimate to $1.4 billion. And now just 24 hours later, crazy-fast ticket sales prompted them to again increase the jackpot to $1.5 billion.
Players should watch for further jackpot increases before the Wednesday drawing. Long lines of ticket buyers across the nation are generating lottery ticket sales at unprecedented levels. Players absolutely should avoid waiting until the last minute to buy their their tickets. Because some of those lines are 4 or 5 hours long.
Players looking to purchase tickets at an out-of-the-way store with no lines should immediately download the free Lottery Places app, which is available on all modern mobile phones and computers. It is the only app on the market that can find lottery retailers in every state and jurisdiction in the United States. So while all those people are waiting in 4-hour lines, a Lottery Places app user can find another retailer a bit further away that may have no line.
Wednesday's jackpot started at $40 million on Nov. 7, 2015, and is the result of 19 drawings with no jackpot winner.
The final jackpot tally will be announced during the live draw show on Wednesday night, although it's still possible the official estimate will be increased again before then.
"This historic Powerball run has players across the country excited to join the fun, driving sales and the jackpot upward, all of which is a tremendous boost for the education programs funded by the Lottery," said Rebecca Hargrove, President and CEO of the Tennessee Lottery.
Although some lottery players (and some in the news media) believe Spain's El Gordo carries the largest lottery jackpot in the world, this is not the case. El Gordo, despite being termed a "lottery" is actually a raffle-style game, and the top prize is always divided between hundreds of winners. It is like a lottery scratch game in which is the total available prize pool of up to hundreds of millions of dollars is split between thousands of winners, and is not considered a "jackpot".
A jackpot is a large cash prize that accumulates until it is won, whereas a prize pool is the total value awarded to all players of a game. Thus, Powerball has the largest jackpot in world history, while El Gordo has the largest prize pool. Some may believe this is splitting hairs, but in the lottery industry it is an important distinction, and unfortunately one that the mainstream news media cares little to differentiate.
Powerball jackpots start at $40 million and roll until the jackpot is won. Players win the jackpot by matching five numbers from a field of 69 numbers and one Powerball number from a field of 26 numbers. Drawings are conducted each Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 pm Eastern Time.
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.
Lottery players are strongly encouraged to go to USA Mega Wednesday night to see the winning numbers. USA Mega remains generally responsive during high-traffic draw nights, even when most other lottery websites are crushed by lottery players all checking their numbers at the same time.
Top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time
Saturday's Powerball jackpot currently stands as the largest lottery jackpot of all time in the United States — and in the world. 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.
If nobody wins Wednesday... well, let's not even go there.
- Powerball: $1.5 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: $930 million cash, Jan. 13, 2016 ($1.5 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
This money will be won by me in Scottsdale Arizona
I will make history!!! ????????????????????????????
this thread will be on the news and the bonus ball will be 5
1.5 billion!
Can someone who knows about "poisson distributions" and other such esoteric topics update us neophites on the odds of a rollover, the odds of someone winning, how many combinations have been sold, etc.
What will be the jackpot Sat. if no body wins Wednesday?
PS my apologies if a similar post has been made recently. I just don't have the resources to read hundreds of posts.
I love it!!!
Me too!
Regards.
This thing is going to PLUTO! It may it $1.7B by draw time. We may see a cash value at/over a billion!
ΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛV
to 1 in 292,201,338
or 66% higher which is why the jackpot has gone to Pluto.←
ΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛVΛΛV
This is awesome. I thought it was gonna be won a week ago, but I was wrong. Wow. I am excited to see what this will do to the psychology of lottery players. It has been that JPs don't start really moving until $100 + million. Now that we have seen the "B" word, seen JPs jump $100 million in a day, and seen what 1 in 292 million REALLY means, when will people really start playing now? That $15 mil. MM jackpot looks pretty sad next to 999 on the billboard near my house (though $15 mil. is a LOT of money!).
One Ticket
One Winner
I think Mega will soon set their odds at some where around 1 in 310-320 million. We've already seen that 1 in 292 million is winnable.
Amazing.
What with the rest of Tuesday and Wednesday available for the purchasing of tickets you've got to expect this JP to climb a bit more if not a lot more. The insane thing is that the jackpot rose $427.7M from Wednesday to Saturday and already with the projection of a $1.5Billion JP is a rise of $550.2M so the JP projected climb is already $122.5M more than the last time around.
Of course we all know it's winnable because the new odds were in effect beginning October 7, 2015 and someone won 9 drawings later November 4, 2015 taking down a $144.1M JP.
I just got back from making them need to raise it again before the draw.
I'm ready!
And where are all these lines? I've made over a dozen separate Powerball purchases over the past week and have not stood behind another individual a single time. I cannot imagine having to stand in line for over four hours to buy lottery tickets. I can, however, think of lots of ways to spend all this money.
I think it depends on where you live. Here in NYC there aren't many lines other than the ones that are created when these daily draw players want to recite 20+ combinations to the clerk for Win 3 and Win 4 games. There are so many retailers in NYC as many as 4 per block sometimes but I have seen lines out the door on TV.
Ahhh. Thank you. One more reason not to live in NYC.
Divorce lawyers must be really busy now.
TWO TICKETS
ONE WINNER
The lines are probably at retailers near the borderline of states that don't have PB.
I'm going to need a bodyguard when I collect my winning ticket.
NYS Lottery used to have standards and would refuse to let stores be Lotto retailers if another one was within a certain distance. Now it seems they don't care. It seems like as long as you have a high speed Internet connection and enough counter space for a terminal you're good to go.
I was at a store a few months back and the owner had all his scratch offs right by the grill. You could see the grease build up on some of the tickets lol.
Two girls
One... oh wrong thread...
Wooow.. It's kind of funny seeing that the mega millions jackpot is 1% of the powerball jackpot..those record breaking times we live in today..
Wonder if it will go to $2 billion if not won tomorrow night!?
If it rolls, it would be 2 billion
for what? do you plan on taking it all in cash?
Sorry you guys, I need my Ferrari so I'm gonna have to win.
And I want the whole thing so don't hold out any hope of multiple winners.
I'm okay with sharing. Me and four other winners. Spread the love.
I want this
.
Yes, indeed.
To ALL USA Lawyers out there:
Please expect your business to grow by leaps and bounds, when this Lotto hits.
THE IRS WILL ALSO HAVE A BOOT CAMP ESTABLISHED TO COLLECT THEIR PORTION IN TAXES!!!
ANY GOOD FINANCE ADVISOR AROUND?
.
Yes, if I tookie one lookie at a cookie like sookie, you would!
(that's considering you really do like your posted image, and are not one of these she-males)
I was going to post "Billionaire" by Bruno Mars but LP blocked it.
.
I have visited Phoenix, Tucson, and a few other cities in AZ.
Scottsdale, as you mention is where actor Bob Crane (Colonel Hogan, from Hogan's Heroes) was murdered.
Wow... it went even higher
Actually no matter how you paint it you still lose.
If the ticket was purchased during the marriage and then the divorce is done and then the party goes ands claims the ticket 50% is still owed to the ex-spouse after the fact.
A Florida Lotto winner many years ago had his daughter from his first marriage claim the ticket and the 2nd wife got screwed big time. Although they were married, she was/is not married to his daughter and she (ex wife #2) lost her legal battle.
Same thing with me today.
I think most people are depressed due to winter, or just S.A.D. (the seasonal thing)
But I made my contribution, I know that.
Just kidding! I want a chauffeur. The world would probably be a safer place.
ALL ABOUT TAX FROM UNCLE SAM
Tax his land, tax his wage,
Tax his bed in which he lays.
Tax his tractor, tax his mule,
Teach him taxes is the rule.
Tax his cow, tax his goat,
Tax his pants, tax his coat.
Tax his ties, tax his shirts,
Tax his work, tax his dirt.
Tax his chew, tax his smoke,
Teach him taxes are no joke.
Tax his car, tax his grass,
Tax the roads he must pass.
Tax his food, tax his drink,
Tax him if he tries to think.
Tax his sodas, tax his beers,
If he cries, tax his tears.
Tax his bills, tax his gas,
Tax his notes, tax his cash.
Tax him good and let him know
That after taxes, he has no dough.
If he hollers, tax him more,
Tax him until he's good and sore.
Tax his coffin, tax his grave,
Tax the sod in which he lays.
Put these words upon his tomb,
"Taxes drove me to my doom!"
And when he's gone, we won't relax,
We'll still be after the inheritance tax
All those people who are waiting in line for PowerBall tickets can go home. I've got the winning ticket right here.
Well the trash is coming out. I am getting emails telling me to use my lottery winnings......blah blah....
Someone wrote in to the 700 club asking if it was wrong to want to buy a lottery ticket since it is so high.
Guess the scammers will soon be out as well. Too bad a good thing has the propensity to turn ugly.
Speaking of S.A.D I never knew it existed until I moved to the Pacific Northwest lol. Ready to win and get outta Dodge.
Yes, I always thought SAD was "just in your head" but when I lived in Vancouver, I learned it was real. All that dismal constant grey! Now I live in Florida and no SAD.
Connecticut
I predict jackpot will be 1.8 billion by time of draw. And if it rolls next one will reach 2.5 billion. Let's see how close I get to my predictions.
No I look more like Rita Hayworth actually. But because I am a single woman there is no way I'm going down there myself. Luckily I live in anonymous state and I will be pretty low key.
I like your predictions!
dc
Perfect for the downtown traffic
I'm sick of these drunk on taxation, gold-digging politicians!
... and the powerball number is 12. Good Luck and good night.
"Let's see, yep, got that one, yep those are good, first five good, wow, that a match, what.. the powerball matches too! WE WON, BABE THEY JUST HAD THE DRAWING AND WE WON! THAT'S THE BILLION DOLLAR JACK (knock, knock, knock). Who would be knocking this time of night? Hide the ticket! "
"Sir, we're from the IRS and understand you just won the lottery. We are here to ensure the taxes are promptly collected. That will be $500,000,000.00. Will you be writing a check or we have a credit card terminal with us if you prefer..."
If nobody wins tomorrow, how much would the jackpot be?
If it rolls to $2.5 billion, people will start thinking this is getting out of control. At some point we have to think, is this alright?
Do you honestly think they will let you remain anonymous if you're the sole winner of $1.5 billion dollars?
What a scary thought and probably not far from the truth. I still think they should be dismantled and the sooner the better.
It's mine! :)
Yea at the press conference when they present the gint check say " WTF is this , you only accept cash/ WELL SO DO I! where's my cash "
I'm totally with you on that cash thing.
I just realized this little 5"x3" piece of paper sitting in front of me could be one of the most valuable pieces of paper in history. Maybe I should take proper care of it, eh?
You couldn't pay me a billion dollars to drive one of those much less own one. I wouldn't touch that with a billion foot pole. I am reminded of a lottery winner that went and bought a bicycle with his winnings....How Boring!
The winner(s) will get international media attention, which is why I decided to not get anymore PB tickets.
Brad Duke. But it was a $13,000 bike. Doesn't that make it a little more exciting?