The Powerball jackpot soared to an estimated $1.7 billion for Saturday night's drawing after no tickets came up winners of Wednesday's $1.4 grand prize , Powerball said. Saturday's pot of gold would have an estimated cash value of $770.3 million. Both totals are before taxes.

The winning numbers in Wednesday's drawing were 3, 16, 29, 61 and 69, with a Powerball of 22.

Saturday's windfall would be the third-biggest in U.S. lottery history, only trailing the world-record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot won on Nov. 7, 2022 and the $1.765 billion jackpot captured on Oct. 11, 2023. Both were won in California.

And since jackpots grow as more and more tickets are bought as jackpots approach, there's a chance Saturday's top prize could eclipse the current runner-up and take the No. 2 s

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