Much of US seeks Powerball jackpot, but 6 states opt out
The Powerball jackpot grew another $100 million to $1.5 billion on Tuesday and it could grow even more before the drawing Wednesday night if brisk ticket sales remain. Only a ticket holder who opts to collect the jackpot in annual payments will collect the entire $1.5 billion. And if your group is lucky, lottery officials recommend preventing hard feelings by putting in writing how you plan to split the prize, since it’s easy for misunderstandings to crop up when hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake.
Anticipation turned to disappointment for thousands of people who purchased Powerball tickets ahead of Saturday night’s drawing for the biggest USA lottery prize in history.
NIPTON, Calif. (AP) – Lottery ticket buyers have to suspend their belief in math to drop $2 on an infinitesimal chance to win the Powerball jackpot, but in Nevada, they also have to drive across the desert and wait in lines that can stretch for hours. If you buy more tickets, your odds increase, but they’re still woefully small.
Jerry Cox, president of the Family Council, said he doesn’t believe that the lottery is any better under the control of the Hutchinson administration.
The Powerball lottery draw is on Wednesday.
“I honestly don’t know why we don’t have one”, said Castle, explaining that she has friends in OR who are buying her Powerball tickets this week. Per $2 ticket, that works out to $1.43, plus 32 cents for the lower-tier prizes, minus 70 cents for taxes, totaling $1.05 in expected earnings per ticket.
Powerball’s jackpot could go to a single victor. This is true, as the Multi-State Lottery Commission last fall added more numbers to choose from.
As of Monday afternoon, the estimated Jackpot was at $1.4 billion with an estimated cash value of $868 million. When possible, these state residents are crossing the border to buy Powerball tickets.
“What that means for policymakers, that’s their business”, said Gary Grief, executive director of the Texas Lottery.
You don’t become a smart investor when you win the lottery. That increases the chances – but doesn’t guarantee – that someone will win the jackpot. The overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.9.