Procedural glitch delays Saturday night’s $1.3 billion Powerball drawing

Powerball ticket holders were left waiting Saturday night after a delay pushed back the drawing for the fourth-largest Powerball jackpot in the promotion’s history.

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Powerball officials reported that one participating lottery needed additional time to complete the required pre-draw procedures, which are in place to protect the security and integrity of the game.

“Powerball game rules require that every single ticket sold nationwide be checked and verified against two different computer systems before the winning numbers are drawn,” officials said late Saturday in a statement. “This is done to ensure that every ticket sold for the Powerball drawing has been accounted for and has an equal chance to win.”

It was unclear when the drawing would move forward.

“Please hold on to your tickets for Saturday’s Powerball drawing,” the statement read. “When the required pre-draw procedures are complete, the Powerball drawing will be performed under the supervision of lottery security officials and independent auditors.”

If a player wins the jackpot in Saturday’s delayed drawing, they can choose between an annuitized prize worth an estimated $1.3 billion or a lump sum payment estimated at $608.9 million. Both prize options are calculated before taxes. If the winner selects the annuity option, they will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each year, lottery officials said.

The Powerball jackpot was last won on Jan. 1 by a single ticket in Michigan that matched all five white balls and the red Powerball to win an $842.2 million grand prize. Since then, there have been 39 consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner.

The highest jackpot in Powerball history is $2.04 billion, sold to a single winner in California on Nov. 7, 2022.

Drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Tickets, which cost $2 per play, are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The odds of winning the grand prize are 1 in 292.2 million, according to Powerball.com.