Tonight may be the pinnacle of the Powerball hysteria. (Unless, of course, no one wins.)
The next drawing is at 10:59 pm ET on Wednesday, and there will probably be at least one winner for the record-shattering $1.5 billion jackpot that’s up for grabs.
The last drawing on January 9 marked the 19th without a grand prize winner.
Disclaimer: The winner won’t take home the full $1.5 billion. First, there will be a nine-digit tax bill. And odds are there will be more than one winning ticket. In that case, the prize money is split evenly among them.
But a winning ticket will still be a staggering payday.
Related: Here’s how to buy your Powerball ticket online
Tickets cost $2, or $3 for a Power Play ticket, which boosts the value of non-jackpot prizes.
Powerball players have spent an estimated $2.6 billion on tickets since the last jackpot was claimed in November.
To win the grand prize, the ticket must match all five numbers (in any order) and the red Powerball number.
Anyone with just a matching Powerball number gets four bucks.
Tickets with more matching numbers are eligible for a prize of $7, $100, $50,000 or $1 million. You can see all the ways to win here.
Related: You’re even less likely to win Powerball than you think
If you still want a ticket, don’t wait till the last minute to go to the gas station. Different states close ticket sales and different times, and customers have reported waiting hours in line to nab a Powerball ticket.
Contestants can tune into the drawing tonight on a local TV station or get updates on Powerball’sapp or website.
By Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, SouthFloridaReporter.com, Jan. 13, 2016
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