Powerball jackpot climbs to $1.6 billion, 5th largest in lottery’s history

(Gray News) – The Powerball jackpot climbed to $1.6 billion after no one won the big prize Saturday night. If won, it would be the fifth-largest jackpot in the lottery’s history.

Any player who wins the $1.6 billion jackpot will have the choice of receiving the full prize amount in 29 annual payments or a lump sum payment estimated at $735.3 million.

Saturday’s drawing was the 45th since the jackpot was last won Sept. 6 by two tickets in Missouri and Texas, according to Powerball. That jackpot was worth $1.787 billion, which makes this only the second time in the lottery’s history that there have been back-to-back jackpots exceeding $1 billion.

The numbers drawn Saturday were 4, 5, 28, 52, 69 and a Powerball of 20. Though no one won the jackpot, eight players matched all five white balls to win $1 million. Two of the lucky winners were from Michigan while the others were from California, Florida, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Ohio.

The next drawing will be held Monday night.

Powerball tickets cost $2 per play and are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, according to the lottery.