Powerball Sales Push Lottery To $250 Million Dollars

There were no jackpot winners Saturday, but 1,455,015 players across the nation won more than $13 Million in prizes in America's Game. Now the strong sales of lottery tickets push powerball to $250 Million dollars.

According to Powerball.com "Stronger than expected sales are pushing the Powerball jackpot to a new estimated jackpot of $250 million ($124,800,000 cash option) for the Wednesday, August 19th drawing. Besides being the largest lottery jackpot currently offered in the United States, the new estimate of $250 million is the 10th largest Powerball jackpot ever awarded if won on Wednesday. The current run began on Wednesday, July 1st and is on its 15th draw without a jackpot hit. Powerball has produced approximately 10 million winners during this run.

"The all time record Powerball jackpot of $365 million was won by a group of 8 co-workers at the Con Agra Foods plant in Lincoln, Nebraska, on February 18, 2006."

The next cash value is expected to be 124.8 million dollars.

The Powerball jackpot for the Wednesday night drawing has rolled to an estimated $250 million! It’s the largest current lottery jackpot in the world.

Powerball sales across the country and here in North Carolina are brisk prompting an increase in the estimated jackpot from the original estimate of $245 million. In the lunchtime hour, Powerball sales in North Carolina were averaging about $900 per minute.
If the jackpot is won Wednesday, it will be the 10th largest in Powerball history. The estimated lump sum cash option is $124.8 million.

Powerball is the world’s best known jackpot lottery game. Drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday night at 10:59 EST.

For prizes of $5,000 and greater, 25% federal tax and 7% state tax are withheld.

By Armen Hareyan
Press information from NC Lottery and Powerball.com are used in this report.