By: Richard L. Smith
After Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing once again produced no jackpot winner, the grand prize has now soared to more than $1.7 billion for Saturday’s drawing, making it one of the largest in U.S. history.
The winning numbers — 3, 16, 29, 61, 69, and Powerball 22 — didn’t match a single ticket for the jackpot, though millions of smaller prizes were claimed nationwide.
The cash option for Saturday’s drawing is estimated at about $770 million before taxes, but the odds of striking it big remain a steep 1 in 292 million.
Here in New Jersey, the buzz is building. At a Newark Ferry Street pharmacy that had lottrery machine, several residents picking up tickets said they were simply hoping for a miracle.
“Somebody’s got to hit it sooner or later,” one man said with a smile, clutching his quick-pick numbers.
New Jerseyans are no strangers to the lottery.
The average adult in the state spends nearly $473 a year on tickets, placing residents among the top spenders in the nation. For many, it’s the price of chasing a dream, one that, for now, is still up for grabs.
The next drawing takes place Saturday night, giving players across the Garden State another shot at turning $2 into history.