Powerball jackpot surges to the 2nd largest in its history

(WJW) – It's been nearly three months since someone took home the Powerball jackpot.

Not a single player in the last 36 consecutive drawings has managed to match all six numbers. Since the grand prize was last awarded on Aug. 3, the jackpot has grown to the second-largest in Powerball history at an estimated $825 million. The grand prize can be taken through an annuity, paid annually over 29 years, or in a cash lump sum of $410.2 million, according to the official Powerball website.

Tickets cost only $2 each, but the odds of winning the jackpot are calculated to be 1 in 292.2 million.

Saturday's jackpot is far behind the largest ever. That particular prize, at nearly double the current jackpot, was awarded to three ticketholders in 2016:

1. $1.586 billion – Jan. 13, 2016 (California, Florida, Tennessee)

2. $825 million (estimated) – Oct. 29, 2022

3. $768.4 million – March 27, 2019 (Wisconsin)

4. $758.7 million – Aug. 23, 2017 (Massachusetts)

5. $731.1 million – Jan. 20, 2021 (Maryland)

6. $699.8 million – Oct. 4, 2021 (California)

7. $687.8 million – Oct. 27, 2018 (Iowa, New York)

8. $632.6 million – Jan. 5, 2022 (California, Wisconsin)

9. $590.5 million – May 18, 2013 (Florida)

10. $587.5 million – Nov. 28, 2012 (Arizona, Missouri)

Despite no one winning the jackpot in months, five winners recently matched five numbers to claim $1 million each, in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan and New York.

The next drawing is scheduled for Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET.

Powerball, which is drawn every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.