By: Richard L. Smith

After Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing once again produced no jackpot winner, the grand prize has now soared to more than $1.7 billion for Saturday’s drawing, making it one of the largest in U.S. history.

The winning numbers — 3, 16, 29, 61, 69, and Powerball 22 — didn’t match a single ticket for the jackpot, though millions of smaller prizes were claimed nationwide.

The cash option for Saturday’s drawing is estimated at about $770 million before taxes, but the odds of striking it big remain a steep 1 in 292 million.

Here in New Jersey, the buzz is building. At a Newark Ferry Street pharmacy that had lottrery machine, several residents picking up tickets said they were simply hoping for a miracle.

“Somebody’s got to hit it sooner or later,” one man said with a

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