Powerball Jackpot Rises To Record $1.5 Billion

The largest jackpot in USA history shot up to $1.5 billion on Tuesday, driven by record sales as people flock across state lines and worldwide borders to buy tickets, a lottery executive said. According to Powerball officials, about 75 percent of those playing Powerball use the quick pick, where the computer randomly selects five numbers representing the white balls, and one representing the Powerball.

Yolanda Vega, New York Lottery draw team says, “I never envisioned that being a bodega or a lottery retailer of any kind would give you such financial rewards”.

About the time the game was changed, various lottery sites run by gaming marketing and technology companies predicted that the jackpots would get huge, even a billion dollars or more.

But after various taxes, including federal, state and local, the victor is estimated to walk away with just $422.2 million.

If you elect to take the jackpot in one lump sum, the jackpot is cut 38 percent to $930 million.

It hit $700 million on Thursday after nobody won on Wednesday night – the 18th drawing without a victor.

“The excitement is growing tremendously, not only state and nationwide, but also across the entire world for this historic jackpot on Wednesday night”, Florida Lottery Secretary Tom Delacenserie said in a statement sent to FLORIDA TODAY.

The more tickets you buy, the higher your chances, but buying all possible number combinations probably wouldn’t be smart.

He made his fortune winning lottery game grand prizes and says there are plenty of opportunities to win big on other lottery games besides Powerball.

David Doucheutt of Chicopee told 22News he’d rather buy a ticket and have some chance than no chance at all.

“Birthdays, birthdays, birthdays. I’m consistent”, Hernandez said. He was on the phone with his wife, Tanya, after the drawing when he discovered the winning numbers. On a normal day, when there is not such a big jackpot, he said he’d sell about $5,000 worth of lottery tickets a day. The winning ticket was sold at Clarendon Wine Co. on Boylston St.