$2 buys a 1-in-292 million chance for $1.2 billion Powerball jackpot

EVERETT — People across the nation are plunking down $20 and $100 for multi-play tickets in Wednesday's Powerball jackpot drawing for $1.2 billion, the second highest in the lottery's history.

Not Mark Ware.

On Tuesday, he gave the Safeway clerk $2 for one ticket and was good to go.

"I know there's a really good chance I'm not going to win, but this gives me the realistic opportunity to say I could win," said Ware, 48, an Everett truck driver.

Sure, he could. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.

The lump sum payout on $1.2 billion is $596.7 million cash.

That's before federal taxes, and the millions you'll be guilted into giving to all your good friends.

This is the second time this year lottery jackpots grew to over $1.2 billion. In July, a lucky duck in Illinois won a $1.3 billion Mega Millions jackpot.

The record $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot in 2016 was shared by winners in California, Florida and Tennessee.

Ware said he only buys a lottery ticket when the jackpot is high.

If he wins the Powerball pot, what then?

"I'll smile, smile and just keep smiling," Ware said.

He'd keep the same house but up his ride. "As a biker, I'd get another Harley."

He said he'd take it as an annuity over 30 years.

"So if I screw up with one or two of the years, and I'm bound to do that, this way I won't lose it all," he said.

Powerball tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Tickets are available until 6:45 p.m. Pacific Time. The drawing is at 7.59 p.m. our time from a studio in Florida. Drawings are live streamed at www.powerball.com.