Powerball Jackpot Climbs to $1.5 Billion After No Winners in Saturday's Drawing

Saturday’s Powerball winning numbers are 16-19-32-34-57 and the Powerball number is 13. By the time the numbers were drawn Saturday night, the Powerball jackpot had climbed to an estimated $949,800,000.

So did anyone win? Unfortunately, no one won the prize, meaning the Wednesday, Jan. 13 jackpot will soar to $1.5 billion. If you win that means a cash payout of $930 million.

Tickets are available at more than 2,800 Lottery retailers statewide.

”Because demand for tickets will continue to rise, players are encouraged to purchase their Powerball tickets early to avoid the last-minute rush,” CT Lottery officials advise.

Click here to find a retailer in Connecticut.

SEE ALSO:

• Check Your Powerball Tickets: $1 Million and $2 Million Winners in Connecticut
• $1.3 Billion Powerball: What It Adds Up To In Connecticut
• Powerball Jackpot Grows to $1.5 Billion
• Playing The Powerball With Co-Workers, Friends: What To Know
• Connecticut Man Wins $1 Million Powerball Prize

The largest lottery payout to date in Connecticut was $254 million.

Three men from Greenwich claimed the jackpot in November 2011, which was the largest prize in Connecticut Lottery history and the 12th biggest prize nationwide in Powerball history, according to Time Magazine.

The odds of winning the big prize are 1 in 292,201,338, according to MarketWatch. The service points out that the chances of being struck by lightning in any given year are 1 in 700,000. In October 2015, the odds of winning the Powerball became tougher changing the probability of winning to 1 in 292.2 million. Compare that with the previous odds of 1 in 175.22 million. Rather than choosing five out of 59 numbers for the white balls, players now choose five out of 69 numbers for the white balls. For the Powerball, players now choose one out of 26 numbers rather than one out of 35 numbers.

However, the overall chance of winning a prize improved from 1 in 31.85 to 1 in 24.87.

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So what should you do if you win the lottery?

Alexa von Tobel, CEO of the online financial planning website LearnVest, offered a few tips to Patch from a financial planning standpoint.

Sign the ticket: The most important step ensures you claim the ticket as your own.

Maintain anonymity: In many states, von Tobel says, you have a whole year to claim the prize.

“If you let your name be released to the public record, a swarm of people will almost immediately descend on you, legitimate and not, trying to make a grab for your business,” she said.

“Some past lottery winners have even felt the need for police escorts, have received threats and have been tempted to run away or leave their hometowns because of the sheer number of people who “want a piece of them.”

Assemble a financial planning team: “You must decide whether including whether to take a lump sum or an annuity,” she said. “There are many pros and cons to weigh: including estate taxes, how much money you’ll ultimately make, whether you’ll be able to handle it all at once, etc.”

Wait six months before making any major decisions: “It’s all too easy to blow through those millions,” von Tobel said. “In fact, according to a 2015 study by the Camelot Group, 44 percent of winners spend their entire winnings within five years.”