The jackpot in one of many main US lotteries has topped $1bn – and may very well be gained within the Halloween draw tonight.
The prize within the Powerball is the fifth-biggest jackpot in US historical past.
Americans have rushed to outlets, supermarkets and petrol stations to purchase tickets, which value $2, forward of the draw simply earlier than 11pm Eastern time.
No one has matched all six numbers since 3 August, when a ticket holder from Pennsylvania claimed a $206m (£179.5m) prize.
The greatest prize ever gained within the US was a $1.586bn (£1.383bn) Powerball jackpot in 2016, which was claimed by three ticketholders.
“The odds of winning the jackpot are one in 292.2 million”, lottery officers mentioned.
Another lottery jackpot topped $1bn mark final yr.
On 22 January, a ticket matched all six numbers within the Mega Millions lottery to win the $1.05bn jackpot.
Big lottery jackpots have grow to be extra frequent lately as lottery officers have adjusted recreation guidelines and ticket costs to pump up the highest prizes.
Powerball officers made the newest tweak in August by including an extra drawing day – going from two attracts per week to a few – in an effort to construct larger prizes and increase gross sales.
Though there’s a slim probability of successful, the chances of somebody – and even a number of gamers – developing with the successful numbers is rising, as a result of extra persons are enjoying because the jackpot grows.
The $1bn jackpot prize is for winners who select to take the total quantity piecemeal over 29 annual funds.
Almost all jackpot winners resolve to go for a decrease one-off cost, which for the draw tonight could be an estimated $497.3m (£433.6m).
The Powerball jackpot begins over once more at $20m (£17.4m) as soon as a successful ticket matches the drawing, and continues to develop every drawing till it’s gained.
Powerball is performed in 45 states throughout America, in addition to Washington, DC Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
Source: information.sky.com”