Time to buy your tickets! Powerball jackpots to a whopping $150MILLION
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A stunning $150million Powerball jackpot is up for grabs next week after last night's $100million draw failed to result in a winner.
There was no division one winner in Thursday night's Powerball draw, meaning the jackpot for next week rises to $150million - which would be the biggest ever Australian lottery prize if there is only one winner.
Next Thursday's prize is the third biggest lottery prize in Australian history, but the two previously higher prizes have been split between more than one winner.
The Lott spokesperson Anna Hobdell said she was sure Australians will be counting down the days to next week's draw.
'It's undeniable that the prospect of winning a share of the $150million division one prize will captivate the attention of countless Aussies in the coming days as excitement continues to build,' she said.
Up to half of Australian adults are expected to try their luck on the potentially record breaking draw.
The peak sale time during this week's draw was at 6.44pm on Thursday when players bought 7,980 entries in just one minute.
'We were ready and willing to call any registered division one winners in the $100million Powerball draw on Thursday night, but no player held all the seven winning numbers and the all-important Powerball number needed to score division one,' Ms Hobdell said.
'Registering tickets to a player card or online account enables us to promptly contact any division one winner after the draw, should they strike it big next Thursday night.'
Millions of Aussies scrambled to check their tickets after what would have been Australia's sixth biggest Powerball jackpot was drawn.
Thursday night's $100million jackpot was the third largest prize up for grabs so far in 2024.
The winning numbers were 13, 9, 1, 18, 12, 2 and 14. The Powerball number was 3.
Nobody had the winning numbers, but there were 10 winners of the division 2 prize which is worth $179,059.50 to each of them.
The jackpot swelled to nine figures after there were no division one winners last week for the fifth consecutive week.
If one player had won the entire $100million division one prize, they would have
When a major prize is won, an official from The Lott phones with the exciting news - and unlike many other late-night phone calls, this is one you'll want to answer.
James Eddy is one of two people who make those calls.
In the two years he's worked at The Lott, Mr Eddy has told five Australians they've won $20million or more, and he never tires of making those life-changing calls.
'It's one of those things where you're able to share in the excitement and celebration and almost vicariously live through what that winner is feeling at the time,' he told 7News.
'So it's always wonderful, especially if they don't know they've won. To be able to give them that news and just to hear the shock and disbelief from their voice.'
Mr Eddy sticks to the same script every time he makes calls to the lucky winners.
'I'm going to say "Hello, am I speaking with (their name)?" And they say "Yes". I say, 'Look, my name is James from The Lott public relations team to give you a call with regards to Powerball draw number 1461, you have an entry into that draw.
'We then need to go through a few verification steps. And then at the end of that, if it's a little taste tester for Thursday night, I'm able to say "Well, congratulations. It's my pleasure to be able to tell you that in this draw you are one of our division one winners and you've won $100million." And you just pause!'
He said the person getting the call sometimes screams, while others say 'Oh my God, I can't believe this has happened to me!', and some just go mute as they can't find any words.
Mr Eddy often hears from the person that while they naturally always wanted to win, they never expected it to happen.
One particular winner's reaction has always stuck with him, though.
'And when I called him he was working and he immediately started to get very emotional and tear up and talked about what it would mean for his family.
'He said, "Right, well I'm going to finish up what I'm doing at work and I won't be back." And that was the end of that ...
'But I think just the pure emotion in his voice when I spoke to him was what really stuck with me.'
The next Powerball draw will be on May 23.
Gambling Help Online or call 1800 858 858.
