Record-breaking Powerball jackpot set for tonight
Someone could get a lot richer after tonight.
Numbers for the largest lottery jackpot in US history — the $1.6 billion Powerball drawing — will be drawn Saturday night.
Lottery fever is spreading, with one hopeful dreaming of what they would do if they won.
“I feel like I’m going to win the 1.6 Billion dollar power ball jackpot tonight…. After I win, what should I buy???” tweeted @faces_nyc_nft.
One Queens merchant expected a rush of buyers as the drawing nears later Saturday.
“I had a lot of people come in Wednesday but I am expecting more later today for the last day,” said Ahmed Eli, 38, who runs Ridgewood Finest Deli in Ridgewood.
The record-shattering astronomical sum comes as the Powerball series hits its 40th consecutive run with no grand prize winner since Aug. 3, increasing the odds of a win, lotto officials said.
Players have until 10 pm EST to buy tickets for a 1 in 292 million chance of winning the jackpot. The winning numbers will be announced at 11 pm EST.
Only two other lotto jackpots have ever climbed higher than $1.5 billion in the U.S., including a $1.537 billion Mega Millions prize in 2018 and a $1.586 billion Powerball prize in 2016.
Eli admitted that he bought his own ticket for the draw.
“I did play one just to try,” he told The Post. “Why not?”