Early Thursday morning officials confirmed that two winning tickets were sold: One in Arizona and one in Missouri. An additional 8,924,123 players won smaller prizes.
The numbers drawn Wednesday night are: 5, 16, 22, 23, 29 and Powerball of 6.
A lottery official said late Wednesday that the jackpot increased to $579.9 million by the time of the drawing, making the cash option $379.8 million.
The drawing Wednesday night for the Multi-State Lottery Association's prize followed 16 consecutive drawings that produced no top winner, boosting the Powerball to the second-largest potential lottery payout in U.S. history.
Tickets earlier Wednesday were selling
at a rate of 130,000 a minute nationwide, the jackpot enticing many people who rarely, if ever, play the lottery.Powerball sales in Kansas surpassed $5.25 million as of eight o'clock Wednesday night, two hours before the drawing. Final numbers are expected Thursday.
FactFinder 12 Scientific Survey Results
The Powerball lottery jackpot is up to 550 million dollars. Will you buy a ticket, or have you already bought a ticket, for tonight's drawing?
- 57% - Yes
- 40% - No
- 3% - Not Sure
Do you always play the Powerball, no matter what the jackpot is? Do you only play if the jackpot is at least 25 million? At least 50 million? At least 75 million? At least 100 million? Does it have to be higher than that? Or do you never play, no matter what the jackpot is?
- 9% - Always Play
- 13% - 25 Million Jackpot
- 4% - 50 Million Jackpot
- 5% - 75 Million Jackpot
- 14% - 100 Million Jackpot
- 10% - Higher
- 42% - Never Play
- 2% - Not Sure
If you won, what would you do first? Buy a new home? Quit your job? Travel? Invest the money? Give money to friends and family? Give money to charity? Or something else?
- 11% - Buy a New Home
- 11% - Quit Your Job
- 8% - Travel
- 17% - Invest
- 23% - Give Money To Friends And Family
- 14% - Give Money To Charity
- 9% - Something Else
- 8% - Not Sure
