Powerball jackpot now $1.5 Billion; MLive to broadcast Lottery Show

“We’re very happy that one of our great customers won it”, Food Lion manager Donald Walsh told ABC News today.

The Massachusetts State Lottery said Tuesday it has sold tens of millions of dollars worth of Powerball tickets during this record run.

The Lottery will also be communicating this message through social media, its website, and electronic billboards.

If do you beat the odds, you’ll get to choose between being paid $1.4 billion through annual payments over 29 years or one cash payment of $867 million.

This history-making Powerball jackpot has skyrocketed sales statewide to $155.8 million for drawings leading up to, and including, Saturday’s record jackpot drawing.

The Powerball jackpot has rolled 19 times since the November 7 drawing.

The victor will received an estimated $806 million after taxes. He stopped by Convenience on the Go, 1441 Holland Road in Suffolk, and bought three Powerball tickets. That’s when he discovered his ticket matched the first five numbers to win $1 million.

Tickets for Powerball can be purchased at any Massachusetts Lottery retailer and cost $2.

A $2 ticket has a one in 292.2 million chance of winning the grand prize, Powerball said. The odds of taking home the 2nd place prize are 1 in 11,688,053.

The prize could grow even more before Wednesday’s drawing if ticket sales remain intense.

With all the Powerball mania going on right now, you might not have noticed the Florida Lottery jackpot has risen to $31 million. To put that into perspective, you’re more likely to become a movie star, get drafted to the National Basketball Association or be killed by lightning.

So, the odds of winning $1.5 billion are essentially impossible. The next drawing is scheduled for Wednesday, 10:59 p.m. EST. All winnings over $600 are subject to income taxes.