Powerball Jackpot Continues To Grow
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Powerball jackpot for Saturday has jumped to an $800 million annuity value, or a $496 million cash prize, due to brisk ticket sales, according to lottery officials.
Lottery officials say it is already the largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history.
This jackpot has been rolling since the November 4, 2015, drawing, according to lottery officials. Since then, in Pennsylvania alone, Powerball has produced one $2 million winner, two $1 million winners and nearly 1.2 million winners of over $13.6 million in prizes, according to lottery officials.
Lottery officials say tickets for the next Powerball drawing will be available until 9:59 p.m. on Saturday, January 9. The televised drawing takes place at 11 p.m.
If this jackpot is won by a Pennsylvania player, lottery officials say it would become the state's 20th multi-state jackpot win. The Pennsylvania Lottery has sold 17 jackpot-winning Powerball tickets and two jackpot-winning Mega Millions tickets, according to lottery officials.
Philadelphians are loading up on Powerball tickets, now that that jackpot has topped $800 million.
Barry Jackson from Northeast Philadelphia bought one, single ticket at a kiosk at the corner of 13th and Market. He says, it only takes one to win, and it's fun to dream.
"And you just would like to have something nice like that happen in your life, and you could do something for your family and your friends."
Brother and sister Dante and Veronica pooled together $34 and picked up 17 tickets at the 7-Eleven at Broad and Market. If they win, Dante wants to leave town.
"There's better cities than Philadelphia, so I"m moving," he said.
His sister says they'll bring their family along, maybe.
"We want to take everybody, though, in our family," said Veronica.
"Some people, some, some, some," laughed Dante.
This morning, not too many people KYW Newsradio saw were buying tickets for an office pool. A couple said coworkers discussed it, but no one made plans to actually organize the pool.
Powerball is sold in 44 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In Pennsylvania, tickets are sold until 9:59 p.m. on drawing nights, Wednesday and Saturday.
KYW Newsradio's Marcy Norton contributed to this report.
