Powerball Jackpot at $325 Million: Lottery Prize is Second Highest Ever
The Powerball jackpot lottery has been raised to a spectacular $325 million, which is the second-highest prize amount for the game ever. Those who played Wednesday for the lottery missed the mark and the $250 million sum that came with it.
The Powerball jackpot numbers Wednesday night were 8, 18, 24, 30, 39, and the Powerball number was 26. Although no one was able to get all the numbers, some lucky players were able to get some of them, and prizes totaling $12,475,000 were paid out. One player in Texas even won the Match 5 Powerplay for $2 million.
While the jackpot being high isn't new- it's the third time this year the Powerball lottery has soared to over $300 million- it is one of the very highest, at $325 million. The only other higher Powerball lottery was $365 million in 2006, according to Lottery Universe. In that case, the prize was split among eight employees at a Nebraska meatpacking plant, according to reports.
The next draw will be Saturday, Nov. 24, at 10:59 p.m. Then, if no one wins again, the lottery could easily become the highest ever.
The Powerball jackpot lottery is the result of 42 U.S. states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands all clamoring to win the grand prize.
The last winner of as big a jackpot as this was Donald Lawson of Lapeer, Michigan. He won $337 million- $224 million in a lump sum, and $158 million after taxes- in August, but said his new millions wouldn't change him.
"I'm a millionaire now but I'll still eat at McDonald's. I don't like filet mignon," he joked.
His new wealth did make him quite popular among family and friends, he said.
"Everyone just started coming to the house. [I put the ticket] on my Bible. I put [it] under my couch. It was on top of the refrigerator," he explained.
