US Powerball jackpot rises to whopping $1.9bn
The US Powerball jackpot has risen to a whopping $1.9bn (£1.7bn) after no one won over the weekend.
The previous jackpot of $1.6bn (£1.4bn) had been the largest lotto prize ever offered.
To win the huge sum, a player must guess all six lucky numbers, including the final Powerball.
The next chance for ticket buyers to clinch the jackpot will be Monday’s draw, although they will have to overcome the steep odds of 1 in 292.2 million to secure a win.
No one has won the jackpot since 3 August when a lucky ticket holder from Pennsylvania took home over $200m (£177m), according to Powerball.
Since then, there have been 40 draws without a winner found.
Americans can buy Powerball tickets for $2 (£1.77) a go and winners may decide to receive their money as an annuity, paid in 30 graduated payments over 29 years, or a lump sum cash payment.
The new $1.9bn jackpot is for a winner who is paid through an annuity over 29 years. Winners of lottery jackpots usually prefer a lump sum of cash, which for Monday’s drawing would be $929.1m (£820.5m).
Both types of winnings are subject to federal and local taxes.
If you won $1.9bn you could comfortably buy Windsor Castle.
The castle’s current estimated market value is around £497.5m ($561.9m) according to the estate agent comparison site GetAgent.
The total cost of construction for the world’s tallest building the Burj Khalifa, in Dubai at 2,717ft was $1.5bn.
The Powerball jackpot is played in 45 US states, as well as Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
There are five states: Utah, Nevada, Hawaii, Alaska and Alabama which do not have a lottery. A mix of reasons has kept them away, including objections from conservatives, concerns about the impact on low-income families or a desire not to compete with existing gaming operations.
