Powerball fever: Who wants to be a $700 millionaire?

Since Powerball launched in New Hampshire 22 years ago, the Granite State has had 10 Powerball jackpot winners.

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MANCHESTER, NH – The New Hampshire Lottery is projecting Wednesday’s Powerball jackpot will reach $700 million – making it the second-largest jackpot on record. At $700 million, the jackpot would be second only to the $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot of January 2016. The New Hampshire Lottery is expecting the one-time cash payout to increase to $443.3 million for the Aug. 23 drawing. (Estimated jackpot amounts are before taxes).

“Sometimes all you can say is ‘wow’ and with a historic $700 million Powerball jackpot for tomorrow’s drawing, ‘wow’ is beyond appropriate!” said Charlie McIntyre, executive director of the New Hampshire Lottery. “These are the types of moments we live for at the New Hampshire Lottery – our players and retailers love the Powerball fever. Both sales and excitement are at extraordinary levels.”

Just last summer, a lucky New Hampshire player became the largest jackpot winner in New Hampshire history after purchasing a $487 million winning Powerball ticket at the Hannaford Supermarket in Raymond.

The top-10 largest Powerball jackpots were:

  1. $1.6 billion – January 2016
  2. $700 million (projected) – August 2017
  3. $590.5 million – May 2013
  4. $587.5 million – November 2012
  5. $564.1 million – February 2015
  6. $487 million – July 2016 (NH winner)
  7. $448.4 million – August 2013
  8. $435.3 million – February 2017
  9. $435 million – June 2017
  10. $429.6 million – May 2016

The current Powerball jackpot has been on the rise all summer since June 10, when a California player claimed a $447.8 million jackpot. Since Powerball launched in New Hampshire 22 years ago, the Granite State has had 10 Powerball jackpot winners.

Powerball drawings are held Wednesdays and Saturdays at 11 p.m. and tickets are on sale at more than 1,250 retailers in New Hampshire until 9:50 p.m. Wednesday.

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Bunny’s Superette on Webster Street, NH Lottery’s “Most Winning Store.”

We checked in with the staff at Bunny’s Convenience on Elm Street Tuesday night, where sales were brisk all day. The original Bunny’s Superette on Webster Street has earned the reputation as the “top selling and what may be the luckiest store in the state,” according McIntyre.

“I think we’ll be really swamped tomorrow, that’s for sure,” said the clerk, who was getting ready to close the store Tuesday night.

Feeling lucky? According to the lottery commission, odds of winning the grand prize are 1 in 292,201,338.

Tell us: What would you do with a $700 million lottery win?

 

 

About this Author

Carol Robidoux

PublisherManchester Ink Link

Longtime NH journalist and publisher of ManchesterInkLink.com. Loves R&B, German beer, and the Queen City!