Powerball Jackpot Hits $605 Million Ahead of Drawing

(NEW YORK) — The Powerball jackpot has surged to an estimated $605 million ahead of Monday night’s drawing. This marks the largest prize of the year, up from its last winning draw on May 31 in California, where a ticket holder took home $204.5 million.

The jackpot grew after no one matched all six numbers in Saturday night’s drawing, which featured the white balls 23, 40, 49, 65, and 69, along with red Powerball number 23. Now, the cash value available for the jackpot is approximately $273.4 million, according to lottery officials.

Since then, there have been 32 consecutive drawings without a grand prize winner. In the last three months, from June 2 to August 13, 37 players matched all five white balls and won $1 million each. Additionally, nine players who added the Power Play option won $2 million by matching all five white balls.

The odds of winning the jackpot remain staggeringly low, at 1 in 292.2 million, while the odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.9. As the excitement builds, players can tune in to watch the Powerball drawing live at 10:59 p.m. ET on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.

Players can purchase $2 tickets through various retailers, including gas stations, convenience stores, and supermarkets across 45 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The game allows players to select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls and one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball. There are additional prize tiers as well, including options to multiply non-jackpot winnings with Power Play.