Powerball’s second-largest jackpot — an estimated $1.2 billion — up for grabs Wednesday
(CNN) — Powerball players will be taking their shot Wednesday night at an estimated $1.2 billion jackpot — which would be the second-largest pool in the game’s 30-year history.
The jackpot has grown to that level in part because no jackpot has been won for 38 consecutive drawings dating to early August.
If the prize rests at $1.2 billion, it would be the fourth-largest US lottery jackpot and second-biggest Powerball jackpot.
The leader in both categories is a $1.586 billion Powerball grand prize shared by winners in California, Florida and Tennessee in January 2016.
Ranked second and third for US jackpots are a $1.537 billion Mega Millions prize won in South Carolina in 2018 and a $1.337 billion Mega Millions jackpot won by an Illinois ticket this summer.
If one ticket wins Wednesday night’s drawing and the holder chooses a lump-sum option, the ticket would yield a one-time payment of an estimated $596.7 million, Powerball says. Otherwise, the estimated $1.2 billion prize would be spread over 30 payments across 29 years.
The last Powerball grand prize was awarded to a ticket in Pennsylvania on August 3 for a $206.9 million pot.