Powerball® Jackpot Hits $415 Million; Please Play Responsibly

PowerballA string of drawings without a jackpot winner have grown the estimated Powerball® jackpot to its highest level since January. Because of the high jackpot, the Nebraska Lottery reminds customers to play responsibly.

The Powerball jackpot starts at $40 million and continues to grow by at least $10 million each drawing until it is won. There have been 18 consecutive Powerball drawings since March 5 without a jackpot winner. This run has grown the estimated jackpot for the Saturday, May 7 drawing to $415 million or $269.7 million with the cash option selected. If won, this will be the seventh largest jackpot in Powerball history.

The current jackpot run has generated $400,000 in high-tier Nebraska Powerball prizes, including a $250,000 Powerball Power Play winning ticket for the April 23 drawing that was sold at Frazey Fuels in Pender. In the last drawing on May 4, a $50,000 Powerball winning ticket was sold at Fresh Start Convenience, 610 East 3rd Street in Alliance.

Ten jackpots ranging from $2.5 million to $365 million have been won in Nebraska since the Nebraska Lottery began offering Powerball in July of 1994. The largest Powerball jackpot won in Nebraska occurred in February 2006 when a group of eight coworkers at the ConAgra Foods ham and corned beef plant in Lincoln split a $365 million jackpot.

Powerball jackpot winners have two options for collecting their payment: 30 annuity payments or one cash payment at present value. The annuity option provides annual payments that increase each year. The present cash value is less than the advertised jackpot, which is based on the 29-year annuity option. Winning Powerball numbers are announced every Wednesday and Saturday at 9:59 p.m. Central Time and posted at the Nebraska Lottery website, nelottery.com.

Play Responsibly

Because of the high Powerball jackpot, the Nebraska Lottery encourages customers to play within their means. “It’s important for Nebraska Lottery players to remember that no matter how large the jackpot is, the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292 million,” said Acting Lottery Director Jill Marshall. “Your odds of winning remain the same, regardless of how many tickets are purchased or how many people play.” If you or someone you know has a problem with compulsive gambling please call the Nebraska Compulsive Gambling Help Line toll free at 800-522-4700.

Published on 05/05/2016