July 18 (UPI) — The Powerball jackpot has reached $1 billion for the third time in history, after Monday’s drawing failed to produce a grand prize winner.
Monday’s numbers were 5, 8, 9, 17, 41, for the first five white balls, and 21 for the red Powerball.
Seven tickets matched the first five balls, to win the second prize. Five of the second-prize tickets, purchased in New York, Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky and Pennsylvania, won $1 million. Three of the second-prize tickets, purchased in Arkansas, Georgia, and Texas, won $2 million prizes due to having been purchased with the Power Play option for an additional $1.
The current jackpot has been running since April 19, when a ticket purchased in Ohio won a $252.6 million grand prize.
“This has turned into a historic jackpot run; this is only the third time in Powerball’s 31-year history that a jackpot has reached the billion-dollar threshold,” said Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director and Powerball Product Chair Drew Svitko.
The jackpot currently stands as the seventh largest jackpot in U.S. lottery history.
Lottery winners can receive their prize in increments over the course of several years or as one lump sum, which is referred to as the prize’s “cash value.”
If there is a grand prize winner at the next Powerball drawing on Wednesday night, the cash value of the grand prize will be $516.8 million.
