The Powerball jackpot has surged to an estimated $1 billion following Wednesday night’s drawing, where no one matched all six numbers to claim the top prize.
The next chance to win comes Saturday at 9:59 p.m. CT, drawing players from 45 states in hopes of turning a $2 ticket into an overnight fortune. The prize has ballooned through months of rollovers since the last grand winner in September, when a $1.787 billion pot — the second-largest in Powerball history — was split between winners in Texas and Missouri.
Wednesday’s numbers were 10, 16, 29, 33, 69, and red Powerball 22, with a 3X Power Play multiplier. Though the jackpot eluded players, three tickets worth $1 million each were sold in Maryland, Michigan, and New Jersey, according to the official Powerball site.
The odds of hitting the jackpot stand at 1 in 292.2 million, but smaller prizes — from $4 to $1 million — offer better chances for most entrants. Tickets cost $2 and are sold in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Five states — Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah — do not participate, due to historical lobbying or lack of legislative incentives.
Drawings happen every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET, broadcast on local TV stations and streamed live on the Powerball website.
As the prize crosses the billion-dollar mark, ticket sales are sure to spike. Whether Saturday brings a winner or another climb remains anyone’s guess, but millions will tune in to watch the balls drop.