Powerball Jackpot Increased to $320 Million Fourth Largest in History

Posted: Aug 14, 2012 4:39 PM by KATC
Updated: Aug 14, 2012 5:47 PM

The Powerball jackpot for the Aug. 15 drawing climbed to $320 million Tuesday, the fourth largest Powerball jackpot of all time. The Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) that operates the game on behalf of 44 participating lotteries, including the Louisiana Lottery, made the announcement Tuesday based on a nationwide surge in sales. Before the increase, the advertised jackpot was $305 million. The cash value of the Aug. 15 jackpot is $213.3 million.

In Louisiana, Powerball sales since Saturday total more than $2 million and are expected to climb ahead of Wednesday's drawing. The jackpot was last hit on June 23 and Wednesday's drawing is the 14th in the current run, which has produced two Louisiana millionaire winners of the game's match-5 prize. Those tickets were sold in Boutte for the July 25 drawing and in Arnaudville for the Aug. 1 drawing.
Powerball tickets must be purchased by 9 p.m. the night of the drawing.

The most recent Powerball jackpot won in Louisiana was in July 2010 for $85.7 million. The largest Powerball jackpot ever won is $365 million. It was hit in 2006 by a group of co-workers in Nebraska.