For Immediate Release
Oct. 1, 2021
Media Contact:
Anna Domoto
515-453-1401
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POWERBALL® Jackpot RAISED to $635 Million for Saturday Drawing
Jackpot Ranks as 6th Largest in Powerball History
JOHNSTON, Iowa – An even larger Powerball jackpot is in play for Saturday night! Game leaders increased the jackpot estimate this morning from $620 million to $635 million ($450 million cash value). The jackpot ranks as the 6th largest in Powerball history and the 10th largest in U.S. lottery history.
“When the jackpot reaches this level, we have more players jumping into the game, so we are continuously reviewing ticket sales to provide an up-to-date jackpot estimate,” said May Scheve Reardon, Powerball Product Group Chair and Missouri Lottery Executive Director. “We want players to enjoy playing Powerball and that means playing responsibly.”
The Powerball jackpot has been growing for nearly four months. The jackpot was last hit in the June 5, 2021 drawing when a ticket worth $285.6 million was sold in Florida. Since then, there have been 39 drawings in a row without a Grand Prize winner.
The jackpot run is creating a lot of big winners. In the Wednesday, Sept. 29 drawing alone, five tickets matched all five white balls to win $1 million. The $1 million-winning tickets were sold in California, Florida, Indiana, New York and Wisconsin. Three tickets, sold in Michigan, Ohio and Oklahoma, doubled the $1 million prize to $2 million by including the Power Play® feature for an additional $1. In total, more than 1.6 million tickets won prizes ranging from $4 to $2 million in the Wednesday night drawing.
Powerball tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee. Powerball and Double Play® drawings are also live streamed online at Powerball.com.
Jackpot winners may choose to receive their prize as an annuity, paid in 30 graduated payments over 29 years, or a lump sum payment. Both advertised prize options are prior to federal and jurisdictional taxes. The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.
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