The Powerball jackpot for Saturday has risen to an unprecedented $800 million, according to the Kansas Lottery.
The cash option for the grand prize winner would be $496 million.
Odds show that winning the jackpot is close to impossible – a 1 in 292 million chance, and Kansas Lottery officials have encouraged the public to play responsibly.
As of 1 p.m. today, Powerball sales in Kansas had already reached $1.4 million since Wednesday’s drawing, with the busiest sales day anticipated tomorrow, a spokesman said. Sales for Wednesday’s drawing were $2.8 million in Kansas, roughly 10 times what would be typical for a Wednesday Powerball drawing with a much smaller jackpot.
Kansas Lottery officials also announced today that starting Feb. 7, they would offer two Pick 3 drawings a day, one drawing at midday and one in the evening. A Kansas-only game, the Pick 3 drawings will be at 1:10 p.m., with a 12:59 p.m. deadline for purchasing tickets, and at 9:10 p.m., with an 8:59 p.m. deadline for purchasing tickets.
All Pick 3 tickets will be $1. The 50-cent wager will no longer be available, according to a lottery spokesman. The prize structure for Pick 3 also will remain the same, and the top prize for matching three numbers in order is $500. Players who pick any order option and match the three numbers drawn will win $80, or $160 is two of the three digits are identical.