Community Corner
Powerball Jackpot Increased to $500 Million Ahead of Wednesday Drawing
Maryland Lottery officials announced the increase Tuesday morning.
The jackpot for Wednesday night's Powerball drawing was already the largest in the game's history at $425 million but Tuesday morning, lottery officials announced that the prize pool had increased.
Wednesday's drawing will now be for a $500 million jackpot with a $327 million cash option, according to an email from Maryland Lottery spokeswoman Erica Palmisano. The news comes after 15 straight Powerball drawings without a winner.
There have been two jackpot winners in our state since Maryland started to participate in January 2010: in Dec. 2011 an anonymous couple in Elkton won a $128 million jackpot and in Sept. 2011, an anonymous Pennsylvania couple bought a ticket in Abingdon, according to an email from lottery officials.
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The last huge jackpot and previous record-holder—a $365 million prize—was claimed in Nebraska back in 2006.
The next drawing will take place on Wednesday at 11:22 p.m. on WJLA or ABC7. Powerball is a lottery game played in 42 states including Maryland.
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What would you do with $425 million? Tell us in the comments.
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