The Powerball jackpot grew to an estimated $1.6 billion Friday morning, officials announced. If the estimated figure holds after Saturday night's drawing and someone wins the grand prize, it would set a new record for the largest lottery prize ever.
A winner has the option to receive the prize as an annuity spread over 29 years or as a lump-sum payment of $782.4 million, officials said.
The jackpot has eluded players since Aug. 3, the last time anyone matched all five winning numbers and the Powerball. The winning numbers in Wednesday night's drawing were 2, 11, 22, 35, 60 with a Powerball of 23.
The odds of winning it all are 1 in 292.2 million.
