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| $1.6 Billion Powerball Jackpot Sets Off Ticket-Buying Frenzy | $1.6 Billion Powerball Jackpot Sets Off Ticket-Buying Frenzy |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| The Powerball jackpot has climbed to a record $1.6 billion ahead of the next drawing on Saturday, setting off a frenzy of ticket buying across the country by routine lottery players and even some skeptics, hopeful that the 1-in-292.2-million odds of winning will tilt in their favor. | The Powerball jackpot has climbed to a record $1.6 billion ahead of the next drawing on Saturday, setting off a frenzy of ticket buying across the country by routine lottery players and even some skeptics, hopeful that the 1-in-292.2-million odds of winning will tilt in their favor. |
| The winner would receive the largest payout in U.S. lottery history, eclipsing the $1.586 billion payout in 2016 to three Powerball winners in California, Florida and Tennessee, which set a world record, officials said. | The winner would receive the largest payout in U.S. lottery history, eclipsing the $1.586 billion payout in 2016 to three Powerball winners in California, Florida and Tennessee, which set a world record, officials said. |
| The winning numbers Saturday night were: 28, 45, 53, 56, 69 and 20. | |
| At a Marathon gas station in Coral Gables, Fla., just outside Miami, the buzz from customers on Thursday afternoon inspired Saria Lopez, a cashier, to buy a Powerball ticket, which she said she usually does not do. | At a Marathon gas station in Coral Gables, Fla., just outside Miami, the buzz from customers on Thursday afternoon inspired Saria Lopez, a cashier, to buy a Powerball ticket, which she said she usually does not do. |
| “One is enough, with luck,” Ms. Lopez, 60, said in Spanish. | “One is enough, with luck,” Ms. Lopez, 60, said in Spanish. |
| She said the jackpot is a lot of money for just one person and if she won, she would share her winnings with her family and people who may be in need. | She said the jackpot is a lot of money for just one person and if she won, she would share her winnings with her family and people who may be in need. |
| And if one of her customers bought the winning ticket from her, “I hope they come back and bring me a nice gift,” she said. | And if one of her customers bought the winning ticket from her, “I hope they come back and bring me a nice gift,” she said. |
| At a Chevron gas station in Miami on Thursday, Ruben Perez, 82, played a scratch-off ticket and fantasized about what he would do if one of the five Powerball tickets he bought had the winning numbers. | At a Chevron gas station in Miami on Thursday, Ruben Perez, 82, played a scratch-off ticket and fantasized about what he would do if one of the five Powerball tickets he bought had the winning numbers. |
| He said he would “take my wife and go somewhere better” than Miami, where he has lived for 20 years. One possible destination, he said, would be his wife’s native Honduras. | He said he would “take my wife and go somewhere better” than Miami, where he has lived for 20 years. One possible destination, he said, would be his wife’s native Honduras. |
| Mr. Perez, a former police officer and a longtime Powerball player, said he usually spends about $50 a week on the tickets. | Mr. Perez, a former police officer and a longtime Powerball player, said he usually spends about $50 a week on the tickets. |
| “If I don’t have that, I will only play one ticket,” he said. “It only takes one ticket to win.” | “If I don’t have that, I will only play one ticket,” he said. “It only takes one ticket to win.” |
| “I just hope somebody that needs it, gets it,” he added. “Even if it’s not me.” | “I just hope somebody that needs it, gets it,” he added. “Even if it’s not me.” |
| Players can buy a $2 Powerball ticket in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The five states that do not participate are Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah. | Players can buy a $2 Powerball ticket in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The five states that do not participate are Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah. |
| In Franklin County and Oneida County, Idaho, which draw Powerball players from neighboring Utah, ticket sales were up 597 percent this week compared to “a more traditional week a month ago,” when the jackpot was around $354 million, David Workman, a spokesman for the Idaho Lottery, said in an email. | In Franklin County and Oneida County, Idaho, which draw Powerball players from neighboring Utah, ticket sales were up 597 percent this week compared to “a more traditional week a month ago,” when the jackpot was around $354 million, David Workman, a spokesman for the Idaho Lottery, said in an email. |
| In Brooklyn on Friday afternoon, Powerball tickets were selling in a trickle at bodegas and liquor stores across Bedford-Stuyvesant. | In Brooklyn on Friday afternoon, Powerball tickets were selling in a trickle at bodegas and liquor stores across Bedford-Stuyvesant. |
| Y. Patel, the owner of GB Convenience Store & Deli, said that ahead of a Mega Millions drawing a couple of months ago, people were spending $40 to $50 on tickets. This week, though, Powerball sales have been about the same as normal, he said, noting that he had sold only two tickets as of Friday afternoon. | Y. Patel, the owner of GB Convenience Store & Deli, said that ahead of a Mega Millions drawing a couple of months ago, people were spending $40 to $50 on tickets. This week, though, Powerball sales have been about the same as normal, he said, noting that he had sold only two tickets as of Friday afternoon. |
| “No one thinks they are going to win,” Mr. Patel said. | “No one thinks they are going to win,” Mr. Patel said. |
| That includes Mr. Patel, 40, a weekly player himself. He bought 14 tickets ahead of the last drawing on Wednesday, but did not even get one of the smaller cash prizes that comes with matching two or three numbers. Frustrated, he said he had bought only two tickets for the Saturday drawing. | That includes Mr. Patel, 40, a weekly player himself. He bought 14 tickets ahead of the last drawing on Wednesday, but did not even get one of the smaller cash prizes that comes with matching two or three numbers. Frustrated, he said he had bought only two tickets for the Saturday drawing. |
| At Lene’s Unlimited Wines & Liquors, Daquan Smith, 28, was more optimistic. He had played scratch-off tickets before, but he bought his first Powerball ticket for the Saturday drawing after he heard that someone in Brooklyn had recently won a few million dollars in the lottery. A $1 million dollar ticket was sold at a Brooklyn deli last month, and in June, someone in Brooklyn won a $128 million Mega Millions jackpot. | At Lene’s Unlimited Wines & Liquors, Daquan Smith, 28, was more optimistic. He had played scratch-off tickets before, but he bought his first Powerball ticket for the Saturday drawing after he heard that someone in Brooklyn had recently won a few million dollars in the lottery. A $1 million dollar ticket was sold at a Brooklyn deli last month, and in June, someone in Brooklyn won a $128 million Mega Millions jackpot. |
| Mr. Smith, who works at Lene’s, which is owned by his family, said he would not stay up on Saturday night to watch the drawing and would just wait until Sunday morning. Even if his numbers matched the winning numbers, he said, “I’m not going to believe it until the day I’m able to get some real money.” | Mr. Smith, who works at Lene’s, which is owned by his family, said he would not stay up on Saturday night to watch the drawing and would just wait until Sunday morning. Even if his numbers matched the winning numbers, he said, “I’m not going to believe it until the day I’m able to get some real money.” |
| The jackpot surged to $1 billion on Monday after several weeks of drawings without anyone purchasing a ticket that matched all six numbers. Saturday’s drawing will be the 40th since the last Powerball jackpot was won on Aug. 3, with a winner in Pennsylvania claiming the $207 million prize. | The jackpot surged to $1 billion on Monday after several weeks of drawings without anyone purchasing a ticket that matched all six numbers. Saturday’s drawing will be the 40th since the last Powerball jackpot was won on Aug. 3, with a winner in Pennsylvania claiming the $207 million prize. |
| Winners can choose to have the prize paid in a lump sum or in 30 graduated payments over 29 years. The first thing winners should do, according to experts, is seek advice from a lawyer, financial adviser and an accountant. And winners should research the professionals they turn to for help, checking the status of their licenses and getting references. | Winners can choose to have the prize paid in a lump sum or in 30 graduated payments over 29 years. The first thing winners should do, according to experts, is seek advice from a lawyer, financial adviser and an accountant. And winners should research the professionals they turn to for help, checking the status of their licenses and getting references. |
| States oversee lottery operations and have different rules for how winnings are taxed and whether the names of the winners must be made public. | States oversee lottery operations and have different rules for how winnings are taxed and whether the names of the winners must be made public. |
| In Florida, where the winning Powerball numbers will be drawn by a lottery official in Tallahassee on Saturday night, anyone can request a winner’s name, city of residence and how much they won. People who win $250,000 or more are exempt from this rule for 90 days from the day that they claim the prize. | In Florida, where the winning Powerball numbers will be drawn by a lottery official in Tallahassee on Saturday night, anyone can request a winner’s name, city of residence and how much they won. People who win $250,000 or more are exempt from this rule for 90 days from the day that they claim the prize. |
| In Miami, Janice Lusky Greenspan said she plays the lottery a few times each year, usually buying five or 10 tickets at a time, but the record Powerball jackpot inspired her to buy 15 tickets at a Publix supermarket on Thursday morning after she dropped her son off at his high school. | In Miami, Janice Lusky Greenspan said she plays the lottery a few times each year, usually buying five or 10 tickets at a time, but the record Powerball jackpot inspired her to buy 15 tickets at a Publix supermarket on Thursday morning after she dropped her son off at his high school. |
| “First thing I do after I win?” she said. “Change my phone number.” | “First thing I do after I win?” she said. “Change my phone number.” |