Have my 2 tickets--bring it on! 

It's Mine! It's Mine!

 Thank You, Todd Northrop and the Lottery Post Staff for this happy update. WOW !!

 It is great to be a part of lottery history. 

 Good Luck to all Lottery Post members who are playing this game.

 Power Ball rocks!!

COUPLE THINGS:

1. Hope it rolls all the way to $2 billion +
2. Hope there is only one winner (ME), not several.
   
   
   
   Lottery Post is under heavy traffic.  Dam!

lovely!  Time to go out and get an additional quick pick!

I like it.

High jackpots just does something to your soul:-)

I'm ready!

In addition to all the common sentiments many here share regarding this super-large jackpot, another thought on my mind is what happens if there's a computer glitch?

Many players don't realize Powerball (and likewise with Mega Millions) master numbers file is a collection of separate files submitted by each participating lottery. Each sells tickets utilizing their own separate systems and procedures.

Imagine the master numbers file being corrupted in some way, such as a participating lottery failing to properly submit all numbers sold. I can easily see that happening due to faulty software (ie. a race-condition due to extremely high sales), hardware issue (ie. cosmic rays flipping a bit), hacking, etc...

Imagine MUSL claiming there's no jackpot winner, but then one or more winners were to come forward with legitimately sold tickets. That would shake public confidence in such games.

Oh my, Champagne Wishes and Caviar Dreams indeed....

Pay attention to the CASH VALUE. Look at the JP/CV charts. $656m greater than $700m annuity. 2012 must have been a good year. Let it bounce  MO MONEY!.

For me, going to see the total solar eclipse yesterday was the main attraction, but this was the OTHER reason for me going to Tennessee - getting tickets for the big one!

This jackpot is cream personafied, it keeps rising to the top. I love it!

Good luck to all players!!!

Seriously Folks- Would you REALLY want all the stress of winning a $1 Billion Jackpot all by yourself?  Assuming it rolls tomorrow night of course. 

What would Gail Howard think of such a jackpot?  Bless her soul.  She probably would have unlocked the winning numbers by now.

I will take my $2 million and slip into the background thank you very much!-weshar75

Another welcome surprise:  The MM which is at $25 million is estimated to go up to $37 million if it rolls.  Normally, it would be the minimum of $5 million increase to $30 million. That is why it is great to have two large jackpots going at once since they drive up sales of both of them.   

I have no idea what the cash value and post tax amount of $37million would be. I know on $25 mil you wd take home about $9.5 million cash, so I guestimate that on $37 mil, it would be $13.5 mil. I would be more than happy to win tonight's MM jackpot and walk away with the $9.5 mil cash. 

A trust or some states you can remain anonymous.

Only a 40% chance it gets hit Wednesday night.  We may have a Billion dollar jackpot Saturday!

40% WOW !!! PB may surprise us again and roll over on Wednesday night. 

Agreed.   I also think there will be a winning ticket on Sat.  We all shall see.

I assume it will be won Wednesday, can't see it going past this but who knows. 

What stress?  I create a blind trust & enjoy the money with my family and closest friends.  Simple.

I'm ready to win, so bring it on! 

I went into a store at 5 AM on Sunday (on my way to work) and asked for a $10 quick pick. The worker told me he had two $10 quick pick tickets from another customer that asked for $20 worth, but didn't have enough money to pay for them.

I bought one of the $10 "mistake / unwanted" tickets. You never know.  

I'm amazed they sold to you at 5am. In Calif, the hours are 6am to something. But the only reason the computers are down is for maintenance and they turn them back on at 5:30 am.  I trained one guy to turn on the computers before 6 am but today there was a new guy.  This isnt booze. There are no laws forbidding tickets from being sold before 6 am. Finally, another clerk told him to do it. 

I am Hushed now !!!!

I need to get an ice cream cone from McDonalds and eat with Big Hamburger !!!

Let the Jackpot rise  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I do not know who the winner will be on Wednesday night - I see a rainbow i the SKY !!!!!

.

S - S - S - Seven Hundred Million?
Oh Boy!

Good Luck to all LP members, this Wednesday.  I just want the 2nd prize.

And that should be enough me. I tend to spend more than I should.
If I win prize #2, and I do get a basic 911 Porsche, I'll have to really trim down on every thing else.
Because that 911 will require some expensive insurance.

It will go up much more before tomorrow night. 

Just curious,

how do you figure a 40% chance it gets hit Wednesday night?

Well well well, I predicted it would be $700 million tomorrow night a few days ago.   Posted my thoughts on LP! Now my prediction of a big win just may come to fruition--for me.

So true.

In NY the lottery machines are down from 3:30 AM to 4:00 AM.

That would be great for me. I'm an early riser. 

With a new lump-sum cash estimate of $443.3 million, a single-ticket winner of the drawing would receive nearly a half-billion dollars in cash.

First off that is a lot of cash to have in your house. 

Second off they do not give you cash at all they wire the money into your account or give you a check.

Third off after all taxes are taken out you will end up with just over $200 million not $443,300,000.

YES!

Hi, Could you please tell me how to get animated emojis

The Texas Lottery posts the new Jackpot number (it will be $900M) for Saturday's drawing if it's not hit and also the percentage chance the current draw will get hit.  Good luck to all.  Praise the Living God.  He's good.  He's great.  HA!

There's a simple formula that tells you the chance of something happening based on the probability and the number of chances. As a rough approximation the increase in the annuity value is the same as the number of tickets sold. If the final jackpot is $700 million that's an increase of about 160 million dollars resulting from sales of about 160 million tickets.

Figuring the jackpot will get to 725 to 750 the actual sales will be closer to 185 to 210 million tickets. In that case the chance it gets hit is about 47 to 51%, with a single winner being about twice as likely as multiple winners.

I would donate several semi truck loads of water to my hometown of Flint,MI.

This might be the first time that there has been a huge jackpot where not a single major media company has interviewed Richard Lustig for advice. It took a while but seems everyone has finally caught on. I'll take the recycled "what you should and shouldn't do" over his snake oil nonsense any day. Even the "why it's dangerous to be neighbors with a lottery winner" didn't tee me off the way his self-aggrandizing idiocy does.

Thank you...a nice Ky lottery deposit confirmation of $20 on Mega Millions/MP last night.  Forgot all about it.

Please folks stop all this ranting and raving about politics.  Mum used to tell me you can't argue politics or religion, the other side always thinks they're are correct.  This LP is supposed to be for lottery only.  Your opinion and a dollar might be me a cup of hot tea and could care less what your views are.

:

its waaaaaaay too early for me to be up...........

I see the discussion about $700 Million jackpot is in full swing and even the trolls/snowflakes and other pot stirrers are coming out of yonder pile of kindling

good luck to all and s to it rolling over and growing to a billion dollars jejejeje

My husband and I have already made an "A" list of names of friends and family we're going to share with if we get the big one.  We put this list together last year when the $Billion mark was reached.  A Trust will claim the winnings and those on the list will be in that Trust before cashing in the ticket.  There is also a "B" list of names and they will receive a $14,000 check (max legal amount at present).

Suzy,

That $14,000.00 can be doubled if you give a check and hubby gives a check without incurring the dreaded gift tax, should you want to extend your giving ways 

The Powerball jackpot is now $700 million — here's Mark Cuban's advice for the winner

Libby Kane

(You don't become a smart investor when you win the lottery, says Mark Cuban.Brian Snyder/Reuters) 

The  Powerball jackpot  has reached $700 million.

That makes it the second-largest lottery jackpot in US history. The largest was $1.6 billion in January 2016.

Back then, Business Insider reached out to the billionaire Mark Cuban to ask about his tips for lottery winners.

He shared the advice he gave his local paper,  The Dallas Morning News. While he was talking specifically about the multibillion-dollar jackpot at the time, it's not a stretch to imagine his advice still applies.

Here's what he told The Dallas Morning News:

• Hire a tax attorney first.
• Don't take the lump sum. You don't want to blow it all in one spot.
• If you weren't happy yesterday, you won't be happy tomorrow. It's money. It's not happiness.
• If you were happy yesterday, you are going to be a lot happier tomorrow. It's money. Life gets easier when you don't have to worry about the bills.
• Tell all your friends and relatives no. They will ask. Tell them no. If you are close to them, you already know who needs help and what they need. Feel free to help SOME, but talk to your accountant before you do anything and remember this, no one needs $1 million for anything. No one needs $100,000 for anything. Anyone who asks is not your friend.
• You don't become a smart investor when you win the lottery. Don't make investments. You can put it in the bank and live comfortably. Forever. You will sleep a lot better knowing you won't lose money.

He also shared one last bonus tip with Business Insider: "Be nice. No one likes a mean billionaire. :)"

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/powerball-jackpot-now-700-million-165244910.html

Thank You, Coin Toss for posting Mark Cuban's advice.

 Personally,  my age and health will determine whether or not to take the Lump Sum. 

 With the excellent financial advice, I should be able to earn more than 5 %.

 The IRS may come after my heirs to collect the taxes due at the time of my death. 

Would you post a link to this information?  Thanks!!

With certain relatives, spendthrift trusts, and even offshore trusts would definitely be in play.

I won't follow any advice from Mark Cuban!

I agree with you in principle that he is a slim ball for a multitude of reasons, but what he said about family members and "friends" is spot on.  A blind hog finds an acorn every once in a while.

If it rolls over the next estimate is 1 billion according to texas lottery

Cuban's advice is spot on.  His message is for the regular Joe and Jane who wouldn't recognize a T-bone about investing and managing their money.  If you are a smart investor doing it for years successfully, then the lump sum is for you.  If you are like most lottery winners who haven't ever seen $5ooK together (you get the point) in their lives, then you should choose the annuity, whether you are 18 or 99 years old.  Reality is nobody needs more than the first annuity payment to live and do their thing.  Your estate can claim the rest if you die.  Choosing the lump sum, just the worry alone about what your lawyers and investors are doing with your money (ponzies, plain thievery, bad investments, Madoff) is enough to cause you diabetes, or a heart attack.  You lose all your money and you are out of luck.  Yes, I am aware about the inflation year after year with the annuity.  Still it is a good price to pay for security and piece of mind, if you choose the annuity.  So Economics and business 101 will tell you to choose the lump sum.  Common sense 101 will tell you, choose the annuity, unless you are a successful investor or money man

If it rolls tonight, the jackpot for Saturday night is estimated to be $1 billion with a cash option of $633.3 million

Good luck to everyone.

ANSWER is yes.  It is an enjoyable stress I so badly want.  #timetobeselfish

I CUT the cord long time ago.  Is the media going crazy on tv about the jackpot or not yet?

That's right....forgot about that.  Married couples can double that amount....

Amen!

You are daft

No, music, think about taxes. Now California is the only state with an income tax that doesn't tax lottery wins, since PA started taxing them. If you get the lump sum you lock the exemption in. But, if the state tax code changes and you take the annuity, you might be giving 13.3% of your remaining checks to the FTB. (Yeah, they let New Jersey annuity winners keep the exemption, but only because the NJ Lottery heavily advertised the exemption -- CA doesn't.) You, me, and every other resident of a state that doesn't tax lottery wins should take the lump sum, don't think twice.

Well I've already hit the Powerball Number. I played 26 Tickets with all the Powerball Numbers. Now all I need is the 5 Winning Numbers to go with one of the Powerball Numbers.

 Thank You fellow Californian larmanya,  I am at that age and health that the Lump Sum would be the wise thing for me.  Each player must make this choice on their own.  Are you preparing and planning for a win tonight? 

 I will now go to Charles Schwab and read the latest there. 

thanks again,

music*

Here you go. They've updated it to be $1 billion by Saturday if it rolls tonight. Really thought it would have been bumped up to $750M for tonight. 

http://www.txlottery.org/export/sites/lottery/Games/Powerball/Estimated_Jackpot.html

.

I am planning -- a move to a state with no income tax. I hear a year in Florida is eight months of heaven and four months of hell, so I might need to summer elsewhere. Maybe the UK or the Republic of Ireland. Irish investor visas are only a million euros, with USD$267m in my back pocket I think I can afford it.

I hope it is a good idea JPNWV.  I just did the same thing you did.  Did you do Powerplay?  I did; after that crappy day in Peds ICU I deserve a win.

Salut Marie.

Todd, I thank you for not blocking me.  I am just really tired of our ELECTED President getting slammed by thugs. 

Tonight's drawing is up to at least $717M.  Probably go a little higher? 

Saturday- $1.03B.  Good luck to all!

Amen to all. Try living in liberal dc....ugh.

Good luck to all and do some good for others as well.

To know that, you must be pretty busy tonight!

I live in a suburb of Portland OR and am sick of the liberal nonsense. 

TEXAS LOTTERY posts all of this information about jackpot sizes. 

WHO IS NERVOUS?  LOL

Artist, I feel your pain.  lol

48% chance it is won tonight.  That means a 52% chance of a $1BILLION jackpot on Saturday!

 After you click on reply, a message box comes up.

Near the top on the left side there's a smiley face, click on that and make your choice.         

Well, since you insist on getting your digs in instead of keeping it only about the lottery, Hitler was duly elected too. How well did brainless subservience to him and his racist THUGS work out for that party?

Now, about the LOTTERY, here's hoping for a 750 bump before closing. And if it doesn't roll, here's hoping for one winning ticket. Took a long time for people to get interested in a JP of this magnitude. Even with the eclipse being a distraction, the lack of significant buzz at the half billion mark was unexpected. 

This is AMERICA.  God's Blessed Nation!  Good luck tonight dude!

Roll-over is looking very likely, and expect LP is ready for the onslaught of traffic, because it's going to get crazy like last time. Saw an article, I think it was on Consumerist, that mentioned USAMega. It's going to be wall-to-wall lottery news, if it rolls to a $billion. Get those tickets early.

Increasingly, many casual players won't bother with PB nor MM until jackpots are upwards of $500 million. $Billion dollar jackpots is what many players expect these days, especially being hitting even one number on PB or MM is so difficult now.

It's important to note the next estimate includes projected sales between now and the next draw. So while increases are to be expected, they may be more modest than many would expect even at this jackpot size level. Prime example is this jackpot rolled to $650 million and has only increased once so far to $700 million. So it could take another roll-over in addition to tonight to break the all-time record of $1.5+ billion. If that second roll were to occur, it could break $2 billion.

I got news for you, the IRS is always going to come after your heirs. Just like winners can expect to be audited. It's just something that is. It's what they do because it's easy pickings. Lottery winners usually don't have the wherewithal to avoid common tax mistakes, so they circle like vultures over a carcass. All the people who receive windfalls that suddenly find themselves afoul of the taxman isn't a coincidence.

I know of only one foolproof loophole for avoid inheritance taxes altogether and they were trying to it close years ago, probably have by now. Me, I'm going to do my best to avoid getting murdered by letting everyone know that upon my death everything goes to charities. with that comes the freedom of not worrying about how much my heirs will pay in taxes. Win-win. 

Now you know what liberals had to go through for eights years with Obama and the thug conservatives that would bash him.

Yep, casual players coming out, seen on the news a retailer that had a makeshift sign on the counter

"Powerball tickets $2 cash only"

 Guess he got tired of casual players that thought they were still $1

At what point does Powerball raise the price to $3 per ticket?  I kinda like that idea.

No more politics please. 

At $3 a ticket that would limit me to jackpots over $100m only.

A few months back I did read that MegaMillions will be going to $2 this October.

Powerball and Megamillions need to merge.  Have drawings 3 x week.  Then mega jackpots come more frequently.  MM is a dog anyway.  30 rolls and only got to $300M recently... U kidding me?

Lol what a joke.

I'm with you Larmanya. Maybe the Virgin islands.

Not true - 29 rolls and close to $400 million.

If that is your definition of a dog, you are spoiled.

Final jackpot amount of $758.7 million tonight.

With those birthday numbers, I think we'll get a winner for sure.  Maybe multiple.

With those low numbers and low Powerball number, almost guaranteed to be atleast one winner.

I won something but obviously not the jackpot because I wouldnt be posting here if I did. 

The CA lottery website stinks in the best of times but now it is down. I got the power number plus 3 but under the parimuteul system, who knows the amount?? 

I agree, I think we got a winner too!  QP gave me 6-16-26. Hey, that's $7

I didn't play birthday numbers ...<snip>! I figured we would get high number but I was wrong again. I hope it rolls but I am guessing it won't. 

Because of those low numbers I would estimate that there was a 98% chance that there was a winner(s).  I hope I'm wrong though.

I run three pools at work.  88 lines between the three of them.  We got the matching PB of 4 on one line and literally nothing worth pay on any other line.  Only $6 of that was my money but it just goes to show you that it's absolutely pointless to waste money on more then one line for your personal tickets.  If it's meant to be its meant to be on that one line.

There were no jackpot winners in California.  Surprise!

Can't say I am sad to hear that

Haymaker.......thank you

The Power Ball website says "Results Pending"

How do you know there were no jackpot winners in CA?

If you know that....were there any jackpot winners anywhere?

Checked our office pool lines. 60 tickets and and #4 power ball three times. $6 dollars in total wins

I looked.  The CA Lottery official twitter feed posts is.

Can you imagine getting the 1st five numbers and the sweaty palms you would get checking the powerball? I would be happy I won a 2nd prize, but I think I would have to feel a little let down getting that close to winning that much money.

Having just the Powerball number pays $4. 

So wouldn't that mean you won $12 if you had the PB number x 3?

You would be correct. I was thinking it was $2 for some reason. Tells you how often I win any money at this game.

For those who question advice from Cuban, as OldHippie said Cuban might be a slimeball in some regards but who would you prefer to get $$$ advice from, Bernie Madoff?

I hope someone did win the PB tonight, to put a governor on the building insanity.

Several major state lottery websites still having problems.  Florida is still melted down completely.  California only showing Powerball numbers.  New Jersey site up, but no numbers posted yet.  Other examples exist.  This is almost an hour after the drawing.

Not in California. Sometimes the Power number is $3 bucks, other times $4. plus, I got 3 numbers plus the power number.  Last spring I had the same and won $157. But with so many buying tickets, there will probably be a lot of 3 plus PB winners which means a smaller prize.

And this is why the parimuteul system stinks. 

I didn't have NOT 1 number or the Powerball.

My co-worker had 23, 24, 25, 26, lol, 

Another had, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, lol

Good Luck though.

I dont remember the CA website going crazy when we had the $1.5 billion jackpot in 2016. 

4 out of 5, no ball, I'll take the $100. Ball and the $50,000 would have been nice, 5 numbers and a million would have been even better. Oh well. If this wasn't won with those low numbers I will be very surprised. 

I remember it a bit differently.  I remember being just about the only lottery websites still standing (LP and USA Mega).  There were maybe a couple-few others.

 I guess that when you write that Florida is melting down then that means no LP Members from Florida can update us here.

I just meant the Florida Lottery website was unresponsive.

the lottery pyramid I had wrote up at least one had 3 numbers shown.  I am curious if there was a winning ticket.  Here is something interesting.  16 23 26.   1626 was my gparents address number.   When I usually do the math 3x2=6.  And of course I didn't quite play that.  I thought 3 and 9.  bummer.  Wait and see.  23 could be lottery thinking the sept and dec calendar because my bdate is in dec. 

your coworker did they have 4?

Lets just hope they are taking so long because they are guessing where to set the next jackpot.

You're scaring me Todd.  The news report about the idiot in Tx with that lottery correct. 

I agree with your one link.  Get rid of computerized and go back old way.  Wait and see.  It has to have results.

One winner from Massachusetts took it all!

I hope it's here in Michigan

I like that idea....I'm with you...

No jackpot winner from Michigan, but three 5+0 winners in Michigan.

Here's a cool winner this drawing:  1 second-prize ticket from the U.S. Virgin Islands -- and they purchased Power Play for a $2 million prize.

 The cool winner was so close. Maybe he or she is someone on vacation there. A European maybe.

Already lives in paradise then wins two mil. Some people are TOO lucky :)

Don't be scared.  They just need to improve their web hosting and technology infrastructure.

So one ticket massachusetts.  Where did you see this at?

Mass. has a 5% state tax which means another $39 million to the tax man.  

someone's about to get bugged by a lot of people

That is a new record $758.7 million to one ticket beating gloria.-weshar75

CA website working now. I got $4 bucks for my PB x 2 and $124 for my PB +3 numbers. There were over 2600 3+PB winners which decreased the prize. 

Oh, well, better than nothing. 

I did confirm earlier, but now you can see the full news story posted: https://www.lotterypost.com/news/314850

 I see that worked for you, always glad to help.

While Gloria held the annuity record for a single winner she was second to last years MM winner in July in actual cash winnings. The MM winner received 378 mill and Gloria 370.9 mill. Gloria is from Fl which has no state tax on lottery winnings while the MM winner was from Indiana i think which does tax lottery winnings so in that case Gloria would come out ahead. I doubt if either Gloria or the MM winner are all that upset about having there record beat though