Powerball luck has struck three times — once in Minnesota and twice in New Jersey — for the multistate lottery’s latest massive jackpot.
Sue Dooley, senior drawing manager production coordinator for the Multi-State Lottery Association, said late Wednesday night that three tickets matched all six numbers and would split the $448 million Powerball jackpot.
“We had three grand prize winners,” Dooley said. “One was in Minnesota and two were in New Jersey.”
In Georgia, there was still some reason to celebrate. Three in-state players matched the first five numbers and can claim $1 million each, according to officials with the Georgia Lottery Corp.
The numbers drawn Wednesday night were: 05, 25, 30, 58, 59 and Powerball 32.
At the time of the telecast, Powerball officials announced that the jackpot previously pegged at $425 million had grown to an estimated $448 million.
The allure of capturing such a rich jackpot had players in a ticket-buying frenzy, further confirming Powerball players often don’t get into the game until the jackpot offers big bucks.
A recent game change increased the frequency of huge jackpots, and Wednesday’s third largest-ever jackpot comes only months after the biggest Powerball jackpot in history — a $590 million pot won in Florida.
Saturday’s Powerball jackpot will be an estimated $40 million, and Friday’s Mega Millions drawing could mean a $28 million payout, according to the Georgia Lottery Corp.
