That’s a lotto zeros!
Saturday night’s Powerball jackpot soared to a thrilling $1 billion for the sixth time in the drawing’s history — as New Yorkers daydreamed about the life-changing dough and flocked to buy tickets.
“I spent $10 more [on tickets] today because of the jackpot,” said Terry Miller, who tried his luck at a newsstand on 46th Street and Sixth Avenue in Midtown Friday.
“I have a bunch of grandkids. First thing I’d do is take care of all my grandkids for life.”
The lucky winner would take home a lump sum of $453.1 million, before taxes, or the full $1 billion in annuity payments, which start at $4.5 million and increase by 5% each year to $18.7 million over the next three decades.
MD Hussain, who works at Ambica Newsstand on Sixth Avenue and 47th Street, said some players spent ten times more than usual on a shot at the big bucks.
“People usually play $10. But I have seen people spend $100, $200 and $300 on this Powerball,” he said.
“With the $1 billion Powerball being drawn tomorrow, we will probably sell 500 tickets just tomorrow. It’s a lot.”
The estimated jackpot swelled from $950 million Friday morning after game leaders reviewed national ticket sales as the lottery hit a nearly three-month drought.
The jackpot is the highest of the year and the largest since April 2024, when Cheng “Charlie” Saephan, of Oregon, won $1.3 billion.
A Big Apple-based winner would take home a lump sum of $277.4 million, after taxes, while upstate residents would get $295 million.
On Friday, some folks playing Powerball in Midtown were already fantasizing about the massive fortune.
“I’d probably pay off my parents’ mortgage, buy a house for myself, buy a car,” said Colin L., a New York City college student raised in Nevada.
“I wouldn’t want to give it away to friends, because if people know that you won, then they’re gonna come out of the woodwork,” he said.
Lottery officials called the $1 billion jackpot “a chance to win big.”
“We’re bringing extra excitement to Labor Day Weekend with a Powerball jackpot that’s climbed to a billion dollars!” Powerball Product Group Chair said Matt Strawn said in a press release.
The drawing will air at 10:59 p.m. Saturday.
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