Powerball Winning Numbers Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2017 For $75 Million

No one won the Powerball jackpot on Wednesday, Nov. 8, with a prize of $75 million and a cash payout for that ticket would be approximately $47.3 million. This is the fourth time since a winning ticket with all six numbers was pulled.

How do you play? Match all five white balls in any order and select the red powerball number for the grand prize, but there are many ways to win, according to the National Lottery Association who runs the game. Pick your lucky numbers or make a quick pick drawing.

The odds of picking the correct Powerball grand prize numbers are one in 292,201,338. Still, there are lots of ways to win.

The overall chance of winning a prize is 1 in 24.87.

The Powerball game is played in 44 states, the District of Columbia,Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday at 7:59 p.m. Pacific Time.

The winning numbers drawn Wednesday were: 12, 14, 20, 21, 34 and the Powerball number was 22.

Saturday's expected jackpot should reach $90 million.

What would you buy if you won?

How about this Laguna Beach dream home? It has sunsets to spare, plus you can even afford a winter home, if you choose. Emerald Bay Style In Laguna Beach For $17.5 Million

WOW House: Laguna Beach paradise, with palm trees, sunset views and room to breathe. Look what $17.5 Million will buy you.

What was the biggest jackpot ever?

In January 2016 record Powerball jackpot was worth nearly $1.6 billion. The billion dollar-plus prize won in the Jan. 13, 2016, drawing was the largest lotto jackpot awarded in U.S. history and was split by three winners.

In the summer of 2016, a New Hampshire player won a $478 million prize; the June 10 win of $447 million was the eighth largest jackpot in the game's history.

If you still want to take a chance — someone has to win, right? — you have a better chance of hitting the jackpot if you let the computer pick your numbers. The Multi-State Lottery Association, which operates the Powerball game, says about 75 percent of winning tickets are selected when the numbers are chosen by a computer.

The lottery game is played in 44 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball draws can be seen on hundreds of TV stations nationwide. It may also be available on cable or your mobile device. The draws are also posted on YouTube and on the Powerball site.

Claiming, Safeguarding Winnings
So, what should you do if you win the big prize? Many lottery winners hire an attorney, financial planner or both, since most people don't exactly know what to do when they suddenly come into so much money. Some even bring their lawyer with them to claim their prize. The lottery does not offer any counseling services or advice for winners.

You have two choices when you claim your prize: the full value paid in 30 installments over 29 years, or a one-time lump sum that is smaller than the actual total.

Then there are the taxes. The federal tax on lottery winnings is 25 percent. Then, any extra income taxes like state or city would apply.

Financial experts say that if you can get more than a 3 or 4 percent return on an investment, the lump sum is actually the best way to go in the long-term.
Patch Staff, Ashley Ludwig photo