The Powerball jackpot has surged to $1.8 billion for the upcoming drawing on Saturday night. This amount marks the second-largest jackpot in U.S. lottery history, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association. The only larger jackpot was a record $2.04 billion won in California in 2022.

The current jackpot has grown after no one matched all six numbers in Wednesday's drawing. This Saturday's drawing will be the 42nd since the last jackpot was won on May 31, 2023, also in California. This streak sets a new record for the most consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner.

The $1.8 billion figure represents the total amount a winner could receive through 30 annual payments. Alternatively, winners can opt for a lump-sum cash payment estimated at $826 million, both amounts before taxes.

Despite the increasing jackpot, the odds of winning remain unchanged at approximately 1 in 292.2 million. These odds are influenced by the number of balls used in the drawing, which has varied over time. As more tickets are sold, the likelihood of multiple winners increases, particularly in the event of a tie.

Powerball tickets are priced at $2 each and are available in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings occur every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. Players are reminded to check their tickets carefully, as prizes can also be won by matching the red Powerball or a portion of the winning numbers.

In the most recent drawing on Wednesday, the winning numbers were 3, 16, 29, 61, 69, and the red Powerball 22, with a Power Play multiplier of 2.