Powerball announces hold off to file-breaking $1.9B drawing

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The record-breaking $1.9 billion Powerball drawing was delayed Monday evening for the reason that a taking part lottery experienced troubles processing gross sales, officials reported.

“Powerball has rigorous safety necessities that need to be achieved by all 48 lotteries ahead of a drawing can occur. When the required safety protocols are entire, the drawing will be done under the supervision of lottery protection officers and impartial auditors,” the lottery claimed.

In an emailed assertion to queries from The Linked Press, the Multi-Point out Lottery Association claimed the hold off was the end result of a taking part lottery that desired more time to system its revenue.

Nearly 3 hours soon after the scheduled 10:59 p.m. EST drawing, the association instructed the AP, “It’s in opposition to our coverage to name the lottery that is going through the delay,” and that there was nevertheless no believed timeline for the Powerball drawing.

The jackpot is approximately $400 million larger sized than the prior document jackpot and will retain expanding right until a person wins the prize. Only 4 prior jackpots have topped $1 billion, but none of these are shut to the current prize, which started out at $20 million again on Aug. 6 and over a few winless months has developed ever more substantial. No a single has won the jackpot given that Aug. 3.

A winner who chooses an annuity, compensated yearly more than 29 many years, would get the estimated $1.9 billion payout. Just about all winners in its place opt for money, which for Monday’s drawing would be $929.1 million.

Even as far more people attracted by the big prize drop $2 on a Powerball ticket, the game’s ultra-lengthy odds of 1 in 292.2 million indicates there nonetheless is a good opportunity that a different drawing will go devoid of everyone profitable the grand prize. That would force the jackpot for Wednesday’s drawing to far more than $2 billion.

People who devote $2 on a Powerball ticket could surprise if something is incorrect when 40 drawings move without the need of a jackpot winner, but this is how the game is intended. With odds of 1 in 292 million, that means it is not likely any one will get the prize right up until a developing jackpot appeals to more players. And extra ticket income necessarily mean the lottery can elevate far more revenue for community systems, which is the stage of the condition lotteries. However, it has been an dreadful long time without having a jackpot, and if there is not a winner some time Tuesday now for the reason that of the delay, a new document will have been attained: 41 attracts with out any individual matching all 6 numbers.

The match is played in 45 states, as very well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.