Powerball jackpot: Largest in history?
| AUSTIN, Texas
The Powerball聽jackpot being drawn on Saturday night could be even higher than the record $600 million being advertised, pushing it near or above the largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history, a聽Texas聽Lottery official said on Saturday.
"Oftentimes, the advertised amount is lower than what the actual jackpot ends up being," said聽Kelly Cripe, a spokeswoman for the聽Texas聽Lottery. "It's entirely possible this $600 million jackpot will end up being a bigger jackpot."
The previous record Powerball聽in November 2012 was advertised at $550 million, she said, but ended up being $587.5 million when the winning numbers were drawn, thanks to last-minute sales.
Lottery officials in 43 states, Washington, D.C., and the聽U.S. Virgin Islands聽are waiting for an update at around 1 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT) from Powerball聽officials to determine whether the advertised amount will be pushed past $656 million - the largest jackpot in U.S. history, set by the Mega Millions jackpot in March 2012.
That prize was split between winners in聽Maryland,聽Kansas听补苍诲听Illinois.
As of Saturday morning, the odds of winning the Powerball聽were one in 175 million, Cripe said.
If Saturday night's drawing yields no winner, all records will be shattered as the jackpot for Wednesday's drawing would go to $925 million.
As exciting as it would be to win nearly a billion dollars next week, players across the country were trying their luck with tickets to take Saturday's jackpot.
"It's only a couple bucks for a small daydream," said聽Russell Williams, 35, a salesman in Austin,聽Texas.
In New York City, talent acquisition agent聽Michelle Amici聽is also playing and said she would use the winnings to satisfy a few of her passions.
"Not sure that I'd buy anything," she said. "Rather, I'd attempt to quench my wanderlust by traveling the world. I'd also donate a large portion to education reform."
For聽Texas聽marketing professional聽Becky Arreaga, the odds are not so long that she is discouraged about her chances.
"As long as the odds are 1 in anything, I'm in," said Arreaga, a partner at Mercury Mambo marketing firm in Austin. "I truly believe I could be the one."
The popular lottery has not had a winner in two months.
The $2 tickets allow players pick five numbers from 1 to 59, and a Powerball聽number from 1 to 35. The numbers will be drawn Saturday at 10:59 p.m. EDT (02:59 GMT on Sunday) in聽Tallahassee,听贵濒辞谤颈诲补.
(Reporting by Karen Brooks; Editing by Greg McCune and Eric Beech)
