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BAY AREA – The Powerball jackpot hit $1.73 billion Wednesday, making it the second-largest jackpot in U.S. history, lottery officials said.
The bonanza has an estimated cash value of $756.6 million.
The $2.04 billion jackpot won last November in California still ranks as the largest jackpot on record.
Wednesday’s drawing, which will take place at 7:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, is the 36th in the current jackpot run, lottery officials said, adding that it is the first time in Powerball history that back-to-back jackpot cycles have generated billion-dollar grand prizes. A ticket in California won the last $1.08 billion jackpot on July 19.
The top prize rolled Monday night, after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn – white balls 16, 34, 46, 55, 67 and red Powerball 14. The Power Play multiplier was 3X.
Lottery officials said Monday night’s drawing generated more than 3.7 million winning tickets across the United States, including four tickets in California, Indiana, Oregon and Virginia that matched all five white balls to win $1 million prizes.
One ticket in Florida matched all five white balls and increased the $1 million prize to $2 million by including the Power Play feature for an additional $1 per play, lottery officials said. In addition, 101 tickets won $50,000 prizes and 17 won $150,000 prizes.
The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.
Check back for updates.
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