Powerball Jackpot Reaches $215 Million Ahead of Monday’s Drawing

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There was no Powerball lottery grand prize winner on Saturday and so the jackpot has climbed to an estimated $215 million ahead of tonight’s, Aug. 14, drawing.

The lump sum cash payment option for tonight’s drawing, set for 10:59 ET, is estimated to be about $105.7 million after taxes.

The numbers drawn on Saturday were 19, 21, 37, 50, 65, and the red Powerball was 26.

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One ticket sold in Texas matching all five white balls with the added Match 5 and Power Play of 2x, for a $2 million win. There were no $1 million Match 5 winners.

This was the 10th consecutive drawing without a grand prize winner. A lucky person in California won the last Powerball on July 19 when the jackpot reached $1 billion for the third time in the game’s history and was the sixth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever won, according to Powerball.

A portion of every Powerball ticket sold during the jackpot run goes toward supporting public programs and services in communities, Powerball said. Powerball holds the current world record for the largest national lottery jackpot at $2.04 billion, it added.

Mega Millions prize rises to $36 million

To win the jackpot, players must match all six numbers. The current odds of winning the jackpot stands at one in 292.2 million. Powerball tickets are sold for $2 each, and the game is currently offered in 45 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For an additional $1 per play, the Power Play feature can multiply non-jackpot prizes by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times.

Powerball drawings are held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Powerball jackpot winners may choose one of two options when receiving their prize. They can take the payout in a lump sum, which is the most common choice, or they can opt for an annuity. The annuity is paid in 30 graduated payments over 29 years.

Meanwhile, the Mega Millions drawing is set for Tuesday, Aug. 15, at 11 pm ET. This jackpot currently sits at $36 million, which has a cash option of $17.5 million after taxes. The odds of winning Mega Millions is a bit steeper than Powerball at one in 302.6 million. Mega Millions tickets are sold for $2 each and the game is currently offered in 45 states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Joey Solitro is a freelance financial journalist at Kiplinger with more than a decade of experience. A longtime equity analyst, Joey has covered a range of industries for media outlets including The Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha, Market Realist, and TipRanks. Joey holds a bachelor's degree in business administration.