METAIRIE, La. (WGNO) – No one has matched the six winning numbers in 40 straight drawings for what now will be the largest Powerball jackpot ever.
Monday’s Powerball jackpot has reached $1.9 billion with a cash value of more than $900 million.
“Why is that so special? Because it is the highest that the Powerball jackpot has ever been in its entire history,” Kimberly Chopin, the communications director for Louisiana Lottery Corporation, said.
The owners of Paul’s Stop-N-Shop in Metairie say the number of customers at their store has tripled because of the record-breaking Powerball jackpot and are even seeing new faces.
“But because of the big lottery, they feel like they can stop, they can win the lottery, and they give us the business, too, so I always appreciate the big jackpot,” Paul’s Stop-N-Shop co-owner Sejal Shah, said.
Shah’s store may be lucky. In October, they sold a $100,000 winning ticket, but it hasn’t been claimed.
“So, please, if you see this channel, please check your tickets and claim your ticket before it expires,” Shah said.
Some players already know exactly what they will do with their earnings.
“Number one, for my little boy, buy him a dirt bike. Max, you know,” Powerball player Ashlea Kelly said. “And then for my daughter, she just graduated from LSU, and so we’ve never been able to do a trip, so I would totally take her to Greece, and then just move, get through moving.”
Louisiana Lottery officials say the odds of winning the jackpot prize is one in 292.2 million.
“But I think it’s important to remember, with odds that big, you know, this is just a game,” Chopin said. “It’s supposed to be fun, so it only takes one to win. We really want people to play responsibly.”
If you don’t win the jackpot, there are still other winning opportunities.
“Check your ticket.” “Just because you don’t match all six numbers, you could have possibly one another prize,” Chopin said. “Another good piece of advice is to sign the back of your ticket. That helps to prove ownership in the event you lose your ticket or that it’s stolen.”
Jackpot winners must report to lottery headquarters in Baton Rouge within 180 days to claim their money, and they’ll also receive a gift basket.
Monday live drawing happens at 9:59 p.m.