(Nexstar) – The Powerball jackpot has increased once more after there were no winning tickets for the numbers drawn last night. Currently, this jackpot is on the brink of making it into the top ten largest jackpots in the game’s history.
The numbers drawn on Wednesday were 31, 59, 62, 65, 68, along with Powerball 5. Interestingly, one of those numbers is considered “expired,” but it still wasn’t enough to generate a winner. This latest draw marks the 35th since the jackpot was last won, which was an estimated $204.5 million ticket sold in California on May 31st.
With no lucky ticket buyers, the jackpot now stands at about $700 million, and the cash option is estimated at $316.3 million. This puts it just outside the top 10 of Powerball jackpots since 2003.
It’s creeping closer to breaking into the top tier. The current jackpot is approximately $31.2 million above the previous Grand Prize winner from 2021 in Maryland. There’s a possibility the top prize will continue to increase before the next draw, scheduled for 10:59 PM ET this Saturday.
This gives players ample time to purchase their tickets—maybe even think about the number of tickets that could secure a win.
However, what’s critical to remember is that the availability of ticket sales right up to draw times can vary based on your state.
In certain states—like Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wyoming—sales are cut off an hour before the drawing. In these places, ticket sales stop at 10 PM ET, while some such as California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin stop at the same time. For others like Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont, the cutoff is 9:50 PM ET.
Moreover, states like Delaware, Washington, and the District of Columbia have deadlines just five minutes prior to 9:45 PM ET.
If we look at the ticket suspension times for other states on Powerball draw nights, they vary a lot. For example:
- Arizona: 6:59 PM local time, moving to 7:59 PM local time once daylight saving time shifts.
- Colorado: 7:30 PM local time.
- Idaho: 1 hour and 5 minutes before the draw.
- Indiana: 9:58 PM local time.
- Michigan: 9:58 PM local time.
- North Dakota: 8:58 PM local time.
It is also worth noting that online purchasing times may differ across various states. So, it’s definitely a good idea to check your specific local lottery guidelines before trying to buy tickets at the last minute.
Powerball is available in 45 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The odds of hitting the jackpot stand at 1 in 292.2 million, and the drawings occur every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
