The second largest Powerball jackpot in history is up for grabs Wednesday, clocking in at a cool $1.2 billion. Sandra Torres has more.
The second largest Powerball jackpot in history is up for grabs Wednesday, clocking in at a cool $1.2 billion.
But that's only if you take the annuity option paid out over 29 years. The cash payout, which most winners opt to take, is nearly $600 million dollars -- nothing to sneeze, at considering a Powerball ticket costs $2.
Each Powerball drawing consists of five different numbers from 1 to 69, as well as one Powerball number from 1 to 26.
In order to win the jackpot, a player must match all five numbers and the Powerball number. And according to Lotto America, the odds are incredibly steep, at 1 in 292,201,338.
The good news is, it's not the only way to win some cash. In fact, there are nine other ways you could take home a prize.
Here's a Powerball payout breakdown:
- 5 numbers matched: $1 million (1 in 11,688,054 odds)
- 4 numbers matched + Powerball: $50,000 (1 in 913,129 odds)
- 4 numbers matched: $100 (1 in 36,525 odds)
- 3 numbers matched + Powerball: $100 (1 in 14,494 odds)
- 3 numbers matched: $7 (1 in 580 odds)
- 2 numbers matched + Powerball: $7 (1 in 701 odds)
- 1 number matched + Powerball: $4 (1 in 92 odds)
- Powerball matched: $4 (1 in 38 odds)
As far as recent winners, on Monday, a $1 million "Match 5" Powerball ticket was sold in Indiana. Tuesday, a Lucky Day Lotto ticket worth $1 million was sold in Prospect Heights.
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And earlier this year, in July, a $1.34 billion Mega Millions ticket was sold at a gas station in the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines. The winners, who have chosen to remain anonymous, selected the cash prize.
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