Powerball rises to $320 million, fourth-largest jackpot ever

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Fox News


Get your tickets — the Powerball jackpot has grown to $320 million for Wednesday’s drawing, the fourth-largest prize in the lottery's history.

If taken as a lump sum, the cash value of the jackpot is $213.3 million, according to powerball.com. The prize grew after no one matched all six numbers in the multistate lottery drawing on Saturday. Although no one hit all six winning numbers — 4, 13, 39, 46, 51 and 1 as the Powerball — five tickets won $1 million because they matched five of six winning numbers. Those tickets were sold in Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The national drawing, which is held in 42 states and the District of Columbia, is set to be the fourth-largest in Powerball history. In 2006, the top prize of $365 million went to eight workers in a ConAgra meatpacking plant in Lincoln, Neb., New York Lottery spokeswoman Christy Calicchia told FoxNews.com. (The largest all-time U.S. lottery winning occurred in March when three winning tickets split a Mega Millions prize of $656 million.)

The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 175 million, while the odds of winning any prize — including $4 for selecting the Powerball — are 1 in 31, according to the lottery’s website. No one has won big in Powerball since June 23, when a couple from Connecticut won $60 million, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Each Powerball ticket costs $2 and drawings are held twice weekly at 10:59 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays. Five numbered balls are selected from 59 white balls and one red ball — the Powerball — is drawn from 35 balls. Sales of tickets are stopped at least 59 minutes before the local drawing time and winners can select an annuitized prize paid in 30 payments or a lump sum payment, according to its website.

In April, three Maryland public school employees won a share of the record Mega Millions $656 jackpot, ending a mystery that involved a McDonald's employee who claimed she had the golden ticket.

Maryland Lottery Director Stephen Martino said the anonymous employees would each receive $34.997 million after taxes. The trio bought a total of 60 tickets at three different locations throughout the state, or a total investment of $20 per person for the $218.6 million portion of the grand prize.

At the time, the winners — a woman in her 20s, another in her 50s and a man in his 40s who referred to themselves as "The Three Amigos" — said they planned to purchase new homes. One had planned a backpacking trip through Europe, while another intended to finance his daughter’s college education. A third winner hoped to tour Italy's wine country, Martino said.

The announcement ended a two-week mystery following the record-breaking, $656 million drawing on March 30. Mirlande Wilson, a single mother of seven who worked at a Baltimore-area McDonald’s, claimed to have one of three winning tickets and went as far as alienating her co-workers by claiming she bought it separately from tickets she purchased for a pool of 15 co-workers.

The two other winning tickets were sold in Kansas and Illinois.

[DemonGeminiX]

I'm sorry, but if it was $1/play, I might do it. But at $2/play, it just seems like it's not worth it to me.

[Goofy]

I'm sorry, but if it was $1/play, I might do it. But at $2/play, it just seems like it's not worth it to me.

Yeah, $2 is a bit steep to potentially win $320m :thumbsup:

[DemonGeminiX]

Yeah, $2 is a bit steep to potentially win $320m :thumbsup:

I know, it sounds ridiculous, but in my head, there's a logic to it that I can't really explain.

[Goofy]

I know, it sounds ridiculous, but in my head, there's a logic to it that I can't really explain.

Agreed :tup:

[DemonGeminiX]

[-(

[Teh One Who Knocks]

:bwaha:

[DemonGeminiX]

:-s

So how many plays did you buy, Lance?

[Teh One Who Knocks]

None yet, but when I head out for trivia I'll stop and drop $10

[Goofy]

None yet, but when I head out for trivia I'll stop and drop $10

It's $2 per go, isn't that a bit steep? :-s

[Hal-9000]

at work we put in 2 dollars each for a weekly draw called Lottomax....


I play every week, you wanna know why? Because if I officially take my name off the list and the ticket wins 22 million, I will watch 9 coworkers walk out the door smiling and I'll have to do all of their ^^%##! jobs :x :x :x

[Teh One Who Knocks]

It's $2 per go, isn't that a bit steep? :-s

I'm taking out a loan :)


at work we put in 2 dollars each for a weekly draw called Lottomax....


I play every week, you wanna know why? Because if I officially take my name off the list and the ticket wins 22 million, I will watch 9 coworkers walk out the door smiling and I'll have to do all of their ^^%##! jobs :x :x :x

And isn't that EXACTLY how it would play out? :lol:

[Goofy]

I'm taking out a loan :)


Richy McRich [-(

[DemonGeminiX]

Here's the way I would play:

Powerball goes like this:

Main: choose five from 1 through 59

Powerball: choose one from 1 through 35

I'd have to cover the spread. What I mean is that I would need to cover every single number in the main (1-59). I'd need to play 12 plays to cover all numbers on the ticket when choosing 5 from the 1-59. That's $24. If you want to do two permutations, that's $48... three permutations, $72...

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Here's the way I would play:

Main: choose five from 1 through 59

Powerball: choose one from 1 through 35

I'd have to cover the spread. What I mean is that I would need to cover every single number in the main (1-59). I'd need to play 12 plays to cover all numbers on the ticket when choosing 5 from the 1-59. That's $24. If you want to do two permutations, that's $48... three permutations, $72...

:facepalm:

5 quick picks and I'm done

[Goofy]

:facepalm:

5 quick picks and I'm done

Yeah, i generally buy 5 'lucky dips' at a time, the computer picks the numbers at random and i don't look like a psycho :thumbsup:





















No offence DGX, not saying you're a psycho or nothing 8-[

[DemonGeminiX]

:facepalm:

5 quick picks and I'm done

That wouldn't be enough for me. First I'd have to sort through all of the numbers that have ever been picked, see if there were any repetitions, and if not, throw all the numbers that have been picked already out of contention. Then I'd have to find a way to choose numbers that haven't been picked yet, while trying to cover the main spread.

Now since the powerball has been up and running since the late 90s, there's no way in hell I'd sit down and sort through all those numbers. It would take me weeks, maybe months. No way.

[DemonGeminiX]

Yeah, i generally buy 5 'lucky dips' at a time, the computer picks the numbers at random and i don't look like a psycho :thumbsup:


No offence DGX, not saying you're a psycho or nothing 8-[

:(

Hey, come on, man. I have a degree in mathematics, I have to try to find a logical way of getting the probabilities in my favor.

[Hal-9000]

That wouldn't be enough for me. First I'd have to sort through all of the numbers that have ever been picked, see if there were any repetitions, and if not, throw all the numbers that have been picked already out of contention. Then I'd have to find a way to choose numbers that haven't been picked yet, while trying to cover the main spread.

Now since the powerball has been up and running since the late 90s, there's no way in hell I'd sit down and sort through all those numbers. It would take me weeks, maybe months. No way.

it's a random ball draw....which means that it does not matter which numbers have been picked or how many times they've been picked.

I can't believe I have to tell you this :lol:


Number 12 ball can be pulled every week for 52 weeks...because it's random! :lol:

[Goofy]

That wouldn't be enough for me. First I'd have to sort through all of the numbers that have ever been picked, see if there were any repetitions, and if not, throw all the numbers that have been picked already out of contention. Then I'd have to find a way to choose numbers that haven't been picked yet, while trying to cover the main spread.

Now since the powerball has been up and running since the late 90s, there's no way in hell I'd sit down and sort through all those numbers. It would take me weeks, maybe months. No way.


:(

Hey, come on, man. I have a degree in mathematics, I have to try to find a logical way of getting the probabilities in my favor.

:lol: :empathy:

I don't have a degree in Maths but i was pretty good at it (well, better at mental arithmetic if im being honest but still got a 1 in standard grade) .......... and i would totally refuse to use any of it while picking lotto numbers due to the complete randomness of it :lol: Yeah, looking through all previous results you probably could narrow your odds on winning it......... but it would still be millions to one and therefore a completely wasted exercise :D

[Hal-9000]

on a serious note we have a Sports select draw where you bet on a number of games in a week, and you pick win, lose or tie.


I made a grid for a friend who was a weekly player, using probabilities like DGX mentioned above. There's a finite amount of games involving 2 teams, so you just have to put down enough money to cover every possibility.

my friend told me he couldn't spend X-amount (let's say 360 dollars to cover all outcomes), to possibly win 5000 dollars...


my response -O kaaaaaaaaaaay :lol:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

:(

Hey, come on, man. I have a degree in mathematics, I have to try to find a logical way of getting the probabilities in my favor.

The odds are 175 million to 1, so unless you plan on dropping $175M, your logic is worthless :lol:

[DemonGeminiX]

it's a random ball draw....which means that it does not matter which numbers have been picked or how many times they've been picked.

I can't believe I have to tell you this :lol:


Number 12 ball can be pulled every week for 52 weeks...because it's random! :lol:

I've sorted through two small draw games (only available in GA) already. So far, there have been no complete 6 number repetitions. There have been no long strings of repeated numbers for any length of time. In fact, and I can't verify this (yet), but I swear to God, I feel like there's a pattern in there that I'm not seeing.

I'm telling you guys, it may have been just a random draw before the digital age took over, but I swear, there IS an algorithm to these games today. Everytime I study these numbers I swear I sense a pattern, I just can't figure it out. It's like it's just out of my reach.

[DemonGeminiX]

Y'all don't get it. This just ain't about winning... it's about solving the problem.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

It's random, it's not a mathematical equation :nono:

[DemonGeminiX]

It's random, it's not a mathematical equation :nono:

I'm convinced that these games are not random. They LOOK random, but if you studied computer science at all, you'd know there's nothing random about random number generator algorithms. Computers control everything these days...

[Goofy]

on a serious note we have a Sports select draw where you bet on a number of games in a week, and you pick win, lose or tie.


I made a grid for a friend who was a weekly player, using probabilities like DGX mentioned above. There's a finite amount of games involving 2 teams, so you just have to put down enough money to cover every possibility.

my friend told me he couldn't spend X-amount (let's say 360 dollars to cover all outcomes), to possibly win 5000 dollars...


my response -O kaaaaaaaaaaay :lol:

That's the way pro gamblers bet :tup: For instance, in GB they have whats known as a Scoop6 every weekend during the horseracing season (sure there's something similar in the US), what the top gamblers do is to rule out every horse in all 6 races that has zero chance of winning then cover all the others. I've heard of syndicates staking £30k+ to take it down (normal prize varies from 50k up to 500k + bonus).



I've sorted through two small draw games (only available in GA) already. So far, there have been no complete 6 number repetitions. There have been no long strings of repeated numbers for any length of time. In fact, and I can't verify this (yet), but I swear to God, I feel like there's a pattern in there that I'm not seeing.

I'm telling you guys, it may have been just a random draw before the digital age took over, but I swear, there IS an algorithm to these games today. Everytime I study these numbers I swear I sense a pattern, I just can't figure it out. It's like it's just out of my reach.

When you figure it out gimme a call :tup:

[Hal-9000]

I'm convinced that these games are not random. They LOOK random, but if you studied computer science at all, you'd know there's nothing random about random number generator algorithms. Computers control everything these days...

Do they use computer choices or is Powerball actually one of those old school, draw a ball from the drum sort of things?

And yes, my sister has managed casinos for over 20 years and the VLT's or computer slots supposedly choose numbers randomly....I agree with you, even in a computer's random choices there is an algorithm..

[DemonGeminiX]

Do they use computer choices or is Powerball actually one of those old school, draw a ball from the drum sort of things?

And yes, my sister has managed casinos for over 20 years and the VLT's or computer slots supposedly choose numbers randomly....I agree with you, even in a computer's random choices there is an algorithm..

They all do the jug thing where the balls bounce around in the jug before they're sucked out in the draw nowadays. I'm telling you, I know there are ways to program that thing to draw a predetermined set of numbers.

[Hal-9000]

They all do the jug thing where the balls bounce around in the jug before they're sucked out in the draw nowadays. I'm telling you, I know there are ways to program that thing to draw a predetermined set of numbers.

In that case, you need to physically examine the balls, the chute, the driving mechanism...and calculate which ones are more likely to roll down into the hopper based on wear and weight :tup:

[Goofy]

They all do the jug thing where the balls bounce around in the jug before they're sucked out in the draw nowadays. I'm telling you, I know there are ways to program that thing to draw a predetermined set of numbers.

So figure it out then :x
























I'll only take a 20% 'encouragement' fee :thumbsup:

[Goofy]

In that case, you need to physically examine the balls, the chute,

That's starting to sound a bit ghey........

[DemonGeminiX]

In that case, you need to physically examine the balls, the chute, the driving mechanism...and calculate which ones are more likely to roll down into the hopper based on wear and weight :tup:

No, no, no.... RBP and I talked about this a while ago. It could be a simple binary flag. There could be some kind of chip in each ball. A chip with a binary flag that can be turned 'on' (1) and 'off' (0) remotely. When they want the ball to be drawn they program the flag to be 'on' and the ball gets drawn, while the rest that have their binary flags to 'off' just keep bouncing around inside the jug.

[Hal-9000]

no no no??

:lol: I was talking real life, not P.C. & W's....






*paranoids, conspiracists and wingnuts

[Goofy]

No, no, no.... RBP and I talked about this a while ago. It could be a simple binary flag. There could be some kind of chip in each ball. A chip with a binary flag that can be turned 'on' (1) and 'off' (0) remotely. When they want the ball to be drawn they program the flag to be 'on' and the ball gets drawn, while the rest that have their binary flags to 'off' just keep bouncing around inside the jug.

:nuts:


:lol:

[DemonGeminiX]

no no no??

:lol: I was talking real life, not P.C. & W's....






*paranoids, conspiracists and wingnuts

:hand:

It's not a conspiracy. It's a reasonable hypothesis. Do you know how easy it would be to do that? You could have the smallest microchips inside these plastic balls programmed for this one single purpose. Choose 'on' and 'off'. That's it. We have chips the size of nanometers that do far more complex tasks than that. It doesn't take anything at all to program a switchable binary flag. It's so freakin' easy.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

no no no??

:lol: I was talking real life, not P.C. & W's....






*paranoids, conspiracists and wingnuts

:tinfoil:

:lol:

[DemonGeminiX]

:hand:

I'm on to something. I'm gonna figure it out.

[-(

[Hal-9000]

:hand:

It's not a conspiracy. It's a reasonable hypothesis. Do you know how easy it would be to do that? You could have the smallest microchips inside these plastic balls programmed for this one single purpose. Choose 'on' and 'off'. That's it. We have chips the size of nanometers that do far more complex tasks that that. It doesn't take anything at all to program a switchable binary flag.. It's so freakin' easy.

Certainly, no argument there.


but I have a question - Why and who benefits from this electronic ball fixing?

It always seems that Ned, a squirrel figurine carver from Okeefenokee Swamp wins these things and ultimately says - Yep, won't change a thing for me and Martha. We'll still live in the tent and eat garbage....although we may buy a new knife for my figurines :)

[Goofy]

It always seems that Ned, a squirrel figurine carver from Okeefenokee Swamp wins these things and ultimately says - Yep, won't change a thing for me and Martha. We'll still live in the tent and eat garbage....although we may buy a new knife for my figurines :)

:lol:

[DemonGeminiX]

Certainly, no argument there.


but I have a question - Why and who benefits from this electronic ball fixing?

It always seems that Ned, a squirrel figurine carver from Okeefenokee Swamp wins these things and ultimately says - Yep, won't change a thing for me and Martha. We'll still live in the tent and eat garbage....although we may buy a new knife for my figurines :)

Why does it have to be "fixed"? I already talked about random number generators not being random. So the lottery people have a closed computer system that runs a complex random number generator algorithm that's connected to the circuitry that sends out the signals to the chips in the balls. The algorithm spits out it's numbers, the signal gets sent, the flags get set, the draw comes and the balls get drawn.

I'm sure it could be fixed, but it doesn't have to be.

[Hal-9000]

some winners fucking infuriate me :lol:


if I won - Yes, I'm buying 3 houses, 5 cars....spending thousands on ho's and other frivolous activities and for tomorrow, I'll be spending even more!

[Hal-9000]

Why does it have to be "fixed"? I already talked about random number generators not being random. So the lottery people have a closed computer system that runs a complex random number generator algorithm that's connected to the circuitry that sends out the signals to the chips in the balls. The algorithm spits out it's numbers, the signal gets sent, the flags get set, the draw comes and the balls get drawn.

I'm sure it could be fixed, but it doesn't have to be.

So then why have all of the above in place? What's the ultimate goal of going to all of that trouble to make the balls behave a certain way?

[RBP]

I bought $10 in quick picks. :dunno:

[Goofy]

I bought $10 in quick picks. :dunno:

Thats crazy talk :hand: Follow the algorithms :nono:

[DemonGeminiX]

So then why have all of the above in place? What's the ultimate goal of going to all of that trouble to make the balls behave a certain way?

You don't understand. You're still trying to play this conspiracy angle. There's no conspiracy. The technology is already there, it's very easy to use, so why shouldn't they use it? They can run a very fair game with it. They're taking out the middle man and leaving everything up to the computer algorithms, there's even less of a chance of it being rigged.

Computer runs algorithm to "randomly" choose numbers ----> computer sends signal setting chip's binary flags in the balls to be drawn---> balls with numbers chosen by algorithm get drawn.

Simple.

[DemonGeminiX]

Thats crazy talk :hand: Follow the algorithms :nono:

:nutkick:

[Griffin]

I'm convinced that these games are not random. They LOOK random, but if you studied computer science at all, you'd know there's nothing random about random number generator algorithms. Computers control everything these days...

I believe in the chaos theory

[Hal-9000]

You don't understand. You're still trying to play this conspiracy angle. There's no conspiracy. The technology is already there, it's very easy to use, so why shouldn't they use it? They can run a very fair game with it. They're taking out the middle man and leaving everything up to the computer algorithms, there's even less of a chance of it being rigged.

Computer runs algorithm to "randomly" choose numbers ----> computer sends signal setting chip's binary flags in the balls to be drawn---> balls with numbers chosen by algorithm get drawn.

Simple.

Not playing a conspiracy angle, just trying to understand why a simple process would be augmented with technology, algorithms, chips.....I think you're not understanding the question :lol: If a series of balls can be drawn randomly in the first place, why would the system be outfitted with the things you're talking about? It makes absolutely no sense if there's no angle or goal to alter the equipment :lol:

[DemonGeminiX]

Not playing a conspiracy angle, just trying to understand why a simple process would be augmented with technology, algorithms, chips.....I think you're not understanding the question :lol: If a series of balls can be drawn randomly in the first place, why would the system be outfitted with the things you're talking about? It makes absolutely no sense if there's no angle or goal to alter the equipment :lol:

:-s

You've never seen a damn good salesman at work, have you?

[DemonGeminiX]

Here's the winning numbers:

06-27-46-51-56 powerball = 21

[RBP]

I didn't win :|

[DemonGeminiX]

I didn't win :|

How many plays did you buy?

[RBP]

How many plays did you buy?

5 = $10

[Hal-9000]

:-s

You've never seen a damn good salesman at work, have you?


I work in a company of salespeople...none of them are damn good. You're still not making sense :lol:








I'm have to go alter my frisbee with computer chips and aerodynamic improvements, then create a computer algorithm so it will fly level and rotate in flight....see ya!

[DemonGeminiX]

I work in a company of salespeople...none of them are damn good. You're still not making sense :lol:


I'm have to go alter my frisbee with computer chips and aerodynamic improvements, then create a computer algorithm so it will fly level and rotate in flight....see ya!

:slap:

Quit being a Hal.

Hypothetically speaking, it's possible that they could be using technology to take the human aspect out of the equation, to reduce the chance of someone attempting to rig the draws. After all, if they have a closed computer system controlling the draws, then there's very little chance of anyone interfering with the draws. Suppose the computer was programmed by an independent contractor and the computer system is not connected to the internet. How is somebody within the organization going to rig a draw to a specific outcome? How is somebody not within the organization going to rig a draw to a specific outcome?

[Hal-9000]

"....to reduce the chance of someone attempting to rig the draws"


that wasn't so hard now, was it? :lol:


You postulated a theory, I merely asked why the theory would exist....don't get peevish Galileo :x

[DemonGeminiX]

"....to reduce the chance of someone attempting to rig the draws"


that wasn't so hard now, was it? :lol:


You postulated a theory, I merely asked why the theory would exist....don't get peevish Galileo :x

I asked you a question in "the Ice age is upon us" thread.

[Hal-9000]

*grabs nutz suggestively*

Wanna see my powerball prediction? :shifty:

[DemonGeminiX]

:-k

Is that where you swallow golf balls and shoot them out of your ass at the evil rabbit commandos surrounding your house?

[Hal-9000]

No, it's when you fall asleep, I pull out my balls and teabag your blissful sleeping face, and then I shout loudly - AAAAND THE POWERBALL NUMBER FOR TONIGHT IS TWO!!!!!



:dance:

[DemonGeminiX]

:-k

Ok, maybe you shouldn't go back in time to chastise your ancestors.

[Hal-9000]

Don't cross the streams!!!!!! :x



threads I meant :lol:



I gotta run. I'm going back in time to disprove the Grandfather Paradox. I'm going to hook him up with a different gal than Grandma and make sure my new granny is from a different race.



see ya! :wavey:

[DemonGeminiX]

:bye:

[Godfather]

I wanted to buy a few when I was down there last week... the largest lotto draw here gets to $50 mil and stops. Seeing one in the hundreds of millions is awesome :lol:

Wonder what would happen if a non-American won the Powerball... how pissed would people be

[Teh One Who Knocks]

I didn't win :|

Me either....winning ticket was sold in Michigan :|

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By ANTHONY CASTELLANO - ABC News


A ticket sold in Michigan matched all five numbers including the Powerball to win the jackpot estimated at $337 million, according to Powerball.com.

Andi Brancato, a Michigan lottery spokesman, tells ABC News Radio that the winning ticket was sold at a Sunoco gas station in Lapeer, Mich. There is no word yet on the identity of the lucky winner.

Wednesday's night's winning numbers were 6, 27, 46, 51, 56 and the Powerball was 21.

"We had the single winning ticket sold in Michigan. It was sold in Lapeer at a gas station there. So we are waiting now to hear from the winner. That could happen at any time," said Brancato.

There was also one Match 5 winner in Nebraska that won $2 million and seven Match 5 winning tickets in Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Virginia that won $1 million.

It was the third largest Powerball jackpot in the lottery's history, according to Brancato. The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 175 million and the odds of winning any prize are 1 in 31, according to Powerball.com.

The national drawing is held in 42 states, including the District of Columbia. No one has won the big Powerball prize since June 23, when a couple from Connecticut won $60 million.

[Hal-9000]

Guy on our block won 14 million (he had to split it with 1 other person, so word is he got 7 million, no tax)

He was a retired janitor, dressed like a hobo, drove an old 74 camaro beater and was divorced. I guess the ex wife tried to get back into his life, the kids etc :lol: He told them all to bugger off.

I saw him at our neighborhood shopping mall about 6 months later. He was still dressed like a bum, still drove the camaro and was still grumpy as ever :lol: