Powerball: Jackpot Amount Goes Up, Where to Play, Odds of Winning

With no Powerball ticket sold to match the Powerball jackpot numbers Wednesday night, the multi-state mega-lottery has climbed to $600 million this week — the largest prize in Powerball history. The next drawing is Saturday night. 

Where to play Powerball? Find a retailer.

The jackpot is won by matching all five white balls in any order, and picking the red Powerball number. Jackpot winners can either have their winnings paid out over 29 years in 30 payments or a lump sum payment.

In case you're wondering: The cash option for $600 million is $276.9 million. 

On the day of the next drawing, Saturday, you'll have until 10 p.m. to buy a ticket before the 11 p.m. drawing.

Some people choose their Powerball numbers using all sorts of lucky numbers, using birth dates, ages, anniversaries and other numbers with special meaning, while others let the machine ("easy pick" in lotto lingo) do the number-choosing for them.

How do you pick your lotter numbers? Tell us in the comments below!

The Powerball drawing on Nov. 28, 2012, produced the previous largest jackpot (annuity and cash values) in the game's history, $587.5 million annuity, or $384.7 million cash value. 

What are your odds of winning the Powerball jackpot? One in 175.2 million. You're more likely to get struck by lightning (one in 700,000) or get fatally attacked by a shark (one in 3.7 million).

But, somebody's gotta win.