The excitement is rising along with the jackpot in America's favorite lottery game. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Wednesday but 352,433 players across the nation won a total of more than $2.9 million in prizes in America's Game.
Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Wednesday's drawing the jackpot will grow to an estimated $33 million.
The cash option for the Saturday, May 22 drawing will be an estimated $16.7 million.
The numbers drawn were: 14, 15, 31, 37, 41, and the Powerball was 31. The Power Play multiplier was 5.
Four players correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. The tickets were sold in Kentucky and Pennsylvania (3). None of the winners purchased the Power Play option. If they had, they would have multiplied their prize by 5 for a total win of $500,000.
Sdventeen players matched 4 white numbers plus the Powerball and won $5,000. One of the winners purchased the Power Play option, giving them a total win of $25,000.
More than 47,000 winning Powerball players multiplied their prize by 5 Wednesday. They were able to do that by purchasing the Power Play option for one dollar. With Power Play you can multiply your winnings, except for the jackpot. At the beginning of each drawing a wheel is spun to select that night's multiplier.
Players should carefully check their tickets after every draw. Even if there are no jackpot winners there are always tens of thousands of winners at other prize levels.
Players purchased more than 12.6 million tickets between Sunday and Wednesday night.
The lotteries sold more than $2 billion in Powerball tickets in 2003. That translates into more than $600 million for worthwhile state projects.
Nobody has commented on this story yet.