Winning Powerball Numbers Wednesday March 14: $420M Jackpot

Players across the area are hoping they can take home a portion of Wednesday night's jackpot in the Powerball drawing, which has climbed to an estimated $420 million. The cash payout will be roughly $248.7 million for the lucky winner. What time is the Powerball drawing? Numbers are drawn every Wednesday and Saturday at 9:59 p.m. central daylight time.

The largest three Powerball jackpots ever are:

• $1.6 Billion — January 2016
• $758 Million — August 2017
• $590.5 Million — February 2013

Winning Powerball numbers for Wed. March 14 are:

6-12-24-41-68 Powerball 9

Odds of winning either the Powerball are pretty slim: about one in 292.2 million.

How to Play

Tickets must be purchased by 9 p.m. on Wednesday and Saturday to be included in the drawing:

• Each ticket costs $2 per play
• Choose five different numbers 1 to 69 and one Powerball number 1 to 26
• Sign your ticket and check it as soon as possible to avoid missing out on any prize you may have won.

While the jackpot gets the most attention, there are other prizes to be won in Powerball. Prizes range from $4 for matching just the Powerball to $1 million for matching all five numbers (but not the Powerball).
'For an extra $1 per play, you can choose Power Play to increase your non-jackpot winnings which will be multiplied by the drawing's Power Play number. For example, if your prize is $50,000 and the Power Play number is 5, you win $250,000 just by adding Power Play. The $1 million prize automatically becomes $2 million with Power Play.

Where To Play

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 125 TV stations nationwide. It may also be available on cable or your mobile device. Where to watch the Powerball drawing on TV.Drawing shows are also posted to Powerball.com under the video section and to YouTube.

Claiming, Safeguarding Winnings
So, what should you do if you win the Powerball jackpot? 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.

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