Powerball Jackpot Increases To $1.4B As Ticket Sales Surge
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- When the Powerball jackpot doesn't even fit on the board you know it's big.
The Powerball jackpot has grown to $1.4 billion, and the drawing is still two days away.
The prize was already the world's largest before lottery officials increased it Monday.
And the jackpot could grow even more before Wednesday's drawing if ticket sales remain intense. Officials review the estimate daily.
No one matched all six Powerball numbers Saturday night, leading to the astronomical prize.
NYU statistics professor Aaron Tenenbein did the math and found there's only a 1 in 300-million chance of winning it all.
"If you're an average golfer, you have a better chance of getting two successive holes in one," he told CBS2's Hazel Sanchez.
Some people think picking numbers is better than quick pick. They tend to use things like birthdays or the number of grandkids they have to determine their picks.
Tenebein said using birthdays actually lessens the odds of winning since there are only 31 days and 69 lottery numbers to choose from.
He said the only guarantee is buying every single number combination.
"Can you imagine somebody just physically going and buying $292-million tickets? They'd have to spend $5.8-million," he said.
Since most people don't have that kind of cash, many are turning to lucky stores like Privan Patel's on Fordham Road in the Bronx. He's sold countless winning lottery tickets, including one worth $169-million.
"These are all winners, look at that," he said.
Chi Bui won $500 at the store four times and won $60 in a scratch off while CBS2 was in the store.
"I think I'm lucky," Chi said.
Since Nov. 4, the Powerball jackpot has grown from its $40 million starting point as no one has won the jackpot.
If you're thinking about creating or joining an office pool, New York Lottery suggested choosing a leader to keep track of the group's money, making a list of participants for all group members, and limiting the pool to ten people which is the maximum amount of individual checks that can be handed out for a group win.
If you have more than ten people consider forming a trust or limited liability corporation.
Powerball is played in 44 states as well as the District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
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