The Powerball jackpot climbed to an estimated $1.2 billion after no players hit it big Monday night, the AP reports. The winning numbers announced were: 12, 26, 27, 43, 47 and the Powerball 5. The jackpot for the next drawing Wednesday night will be among the largest lottery prizes of all time, behind earlier prizes in the Powerball and Mega Millions games. The prize has grown so massive because there have been 33 consecutive drawings since someone matched all five white balls and the Powerball to win the jackpot, dating back to July 19. That losing streak reflects the stunningly long odds of winning the jackpot, at 1 in 292.2 million.
The new $1.2 billion jackpot is for a sole winner who chooses to receive the winnings through an annuity, paid annually over 30 years. Winners nearly always pick the cash option, which for Wednesday night's drawing would be an estimated $551 million. A Powerball ticket costs $2 in most states and players can pick their own numbers or have a computer make the selection. Powerball is played in 45 states as well as Washington, DC, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Just nine lottery jackpots, including this one, have ever surpassed $1 billion, and just one of those surpassed $2 billion, the Palm Beach Post reports.
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