On Wednesday, lottery players in the United States will compete for one of the largest lottery jackpots in history, worth an estimated $1.73 billion.

The Powerball jackpot saw no winners Monday night, and now Wednesday's drawing has grown to a $756.6 million lump-sum cash option.

The jackpot has been building for 35 consecutive draws since July 22. Whoever wins it will become incredibly wealthy, as it is the second-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history now, and the seventh-largest cash option ever offered.

The winning numbers for Monday, Oct. 9 were 16, 34, 46, 55, and 67. The Powerball number was 14, and the Power Play number was 3.

Smaller prize Powerball winners

Even though nobody won the jackpot on Monday, five fortunate players managed to match the first five numbers, each receiving a prize of $1,000,000. The winners hail from California, Florida, Indiana, Oregon and Virginia.

According to the California Lottery, the winner in the Golden State will claim a prize of $1,064,543 due to the state's pari-mutuel payout formula.

The Florida winner will take home $2 million after purchasing the Power Play option for an extra $1 per play, doubling their prize.

In the Monday drawing, a total of 118 tickets were able to match four white numbers plus the Powerball, winning a prize of $50,000. Of those tickets, 17 were purchased with the Power Play option, increasing the prize to $150,000. Note: 22 tickets were sold in California, where the prize for this drawing is worth $12,387.

After Monday's drawing, the Powerball jackpot increased by $159.8 million to $1.73 billion, and cash value rose by $70.1 million to $756.6 million.

The next Powerball drawing is scheduled to take place on Wednesday night at 10:59 p.m. ET.

What are the odds of winning Powerball?

It's understandable that some lottery players are enticed by the whopping $1.73 billion jackpot, but it's essential to keep in mind that the chances of winning Powerball's top prize are exceedingly slim.

  • The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are about 1 in 292.2 million.
  • The overall odds of winning a Powerball prize (across all tiers) are about 1 in 24.9.  

How to play Powerball

To participate in the Powerball game, players can purchase a ticket for $2 per play. The game requires players to choose five numbers from one to 69 for the white balls, and one number from one to 26 for the red Powerball. Alternatively, players can opt to receive random numbers.

In order to win the jackpot, it is necessary to match the numbers for all of the five white balls and the red Powerball.

In addition to the grand prize, Powerball offers eight other ways to win based on the number of matched balls in the non-jackpot tiers.

The non-jackpot prizes offered range from $4 to $1 million. By paying an additional $1, you can choose to participate in "Powerplay" that increases non-jackpot winnings by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times.

According to Powerball, the 10X Powerplay option is exclusively applicable to jackpots worth $150 million or less. Additionally, the game's "Match 5" prize for the second-tier is limited to a maximum of $2 million if the Powerplay feature is utilized.

An additional add-on feature called "Double Play," which gives players another chance to match their numbers after each Powerball drawing, is available in some jurisdictions for $1 per play.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?  

Tickets can be purchased in-person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.  

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.  

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms and conditions.

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