Powerball jackpot approaches $1 billion ahead of next drawing

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(NEW YORK) — The Powerball is approaching a whopping billion-dollar payout.

The jackpot has climbed to an estimated $960 million ahead of Saturday night’s drawing. That would be the fourth-largest Powerball jackpot ever and the ninth-largest lottery jackpot when factoring in Mega Millions top prizes.

This is the second-largest Powerball jackpot this year, after a ticket in California won the $1.08 billion jackpot on July 19. The winner has not yet come forward.

Since that drawing, there have been 30 consecutive Powerball drawings without a grand prize winner.

The jackpot has an estimated cash value of $441.4 million. Winners can choose to take the money as an immediate lump sum payment or in 30 payments over 29 years.

The odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9, while the jackpot odds are 1 in 292.2 million, according to Powerball.

Powerball tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The next drawing is on Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET.

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