A US LOTTERY will be worth a massive $700 (€642) million this weekend.
The Powerball draw, which is contested in 44 states, will have the largest jackpot in US lottery history this Saturday.
A single ticket will have a one in 292 million chance of winning. By comparison, your chance of being struck by lightning in a year is about one in 960,000.
Last night’s draw saw one person net $2 million and another 12 people net $1 million each.
The jackpot was increased today from the previous estimate of $675 million after no one matched all the numbers in last night’s $500 million drawing.
Last night’s numbers were 2, 11, 47, 62 and 63, and the Powerball was 17.
The previous US record was a $656 million Mega Millions jackpot won in March 2012.
The jackpot for the twice-weekly game started at $40 million in November, but has been growing since.
Because the payout is based on sales, the prize has grown more quickly as the jackpot has increased because more people have been drawn to play.
If you already have the jackpot spent, though, you need to relax.
The prize would have a cash option of $428.4 (€393) million, and that’s before taxes are deducted.
The $700 million prize is based on an annuity, which would pay out the money over 29 years. That’s about $24 (€22) million a year, if you were interested.
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