OLYMPIA, Wash. — With Christmas just a few days away, the Powerball jackpot has increased past $600 million, providing the potential for a lucrative surprise gift.
Saturday's national drawing will have a $620 million jackpot the fourth time it has been over half a billion in 2023.
In addition to the jackpot, Saturday's drawing will also have Double Play for $1, a second-chance drawing and Power Play for $1. The Power Play allows players the chance to multiply their non-jackpot winnings based on a randomly chosen multiplier.
Tickets can be purchased from any of Washington's retail locations until 6:45 p.m. PT on the day of a draw.
Earlier this year, of course, a Powerball jackpot ticket was purchased by a former Boeing employee at a Fred Meyer in Auburn. Becky Bell's prize was $754.6 million, which she claimed on Feb. 28.
A Southern California town sold the largest ticket of 2023, valued at over $1.5 billion, in October. It was the second-largest prize ever won by a Powerball winner.
Winners can choose either the full amount that is paid out through an annuity or take a reduced amount all in cash at once. Washington is not among the states that will collect taxes on your lottery winnings, but the federal government will collect about a third of your winnings, if not more in tax payments.
If there is a winner of the current jackpot Saturday, that person would get $310.8 million if they elected to accept the cash option, which most winners do.
Saturday's drawing will be held at 7:59 p.m. PT, and the second-chance drawing will follow at 8:30 p.m. PT.