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Powerball Jackpot, Eighth-Largest Prize in U.S. History, Hits Estimated $478M

The drawing Saturday night is not just the fifth-largest jackpot in the game’s history — it’s the eighth-largest lottery prize ever in U.S. history.
Image: Customers purchase Powerball lottery tickets in New York, U.S.
Customers purchase Powerball lottery tickets in New York on July 30.EDUARDO MUNOZ / Reuters

Before the day is done, some lucky Powerball player could be $478 million richer.

The drawing, set for 11 p.m. ET Saturday, is not just the fifth-largest jackpot in the game’s history — it’s the eighth-largest lottery prize ever in U.S. history.

Image: Powerball numbers
The winning Powerball numbers on July 27, 2016.Powerball.com

The winner — or winners — would have the option of taking the $478 million prize spread out over 30 years or opt for a lump-sum payment of $330.6 million before federal taxes.

Most winners, like a Florida couple that came forward in February to claim their portion of the largest-ever $1.58 billion Powerball prize, go for the latter option.

CNBC reported earlier this week that the jackpot has rolled over 23 times since it was reset to its starting sum of $40 million for a drawing on May 11.

Powerball lottery tickets, which sell for $2 apiece, can be purchased everywhere the game is played. That's 44 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The odds of buying the winning ticket are 1 in 292 million, according to Powerball.