Powerball jackpot climbs to largest in history
INDIANAPOLIS (AP, WISH) – The estimated prize for this weekend’s Powerball drawing is the largest jackpot of any lottery game in U.S. history.
Texas Lottery spokeswoman Kelly Cripe says Saturday’s drawing will be worth about $700 million. That’s because no one matched the numbers drawn for Wednesday night’s estimated $500 million jackpot. The winning numbers Wednesday were 2, 11, 47, 62, 63 with Powerball 17 and Power Play 3.
In Indiana, tickets worth $50,000 were sold in Noblesville, Greenwood, Vincennes, and two other locations in Lake County.
The previous record for a jackpot was a $656 million Mega Millions jackpot won in March 2012. That’s well above the Powerball record of $590 million in 2013.
Hoosier Lottery says Indiana leads the nation with 38 jackpot wins since Powerball started back in 1992.
So what numbers should you pick? How should you pick them? Experts say there are charts online that could help you narrow down the choices. You can find the most frequent numbers chosen, the most overdue, and the least chosen. Here are a few statistics on Powerball’s website.
Some experts say you should just let the computer pick your numbers for you – the majority of the winners have been picked by computers!
Of course, remember your odds: about one in 292 million – and that may climb as Saturday nears.
Here are the locations around Indiana where a free $2 Powerball ticket will be available to the first 200 adults, age 18 and older, on Friday:Northern Indiana
- Noon EST Kroger at 130 West Hivley in Elkhart
- 4 p.m. EST Kroger at 4526 Western Ave. in South Bend
Southern Indiana
- 11 a.m. CST Fastbreak at 805 E. Oak St. in Fort Branch
- 5 p.m. CST Schnuck’s at 3501 N. Green River Rd. in Evansville
Central Indiana
- 8 a.m. EST Kroger at 11101 Pendleton Pike in Indianapolis
- Noon EST Kroger at 1330 W. Southport Rd. in Indianapolis
- 5 p.m. EST Marsh at 5624 Georgetown Rd. in Indianapolis
You have until Saturday evening at 9:58 p.m. to buy a ticket.