Record-tying $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot drawing delayed

Saturday night’s $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot drawing was delayed, due to a participating lottery needing to “complete required pre-draw procedures,” Powerball said.

“Powerball game rules require that every single ticket sold nationwide be checked and verified against two different computer systems before the winning numbers are drawn. This is done to ensure that every ticket sold for the Powerball drawing has been accounted for and has an equal chance to win. Tonight, we have one jurisdiction that needs extra time to complete that pre-draw process,” a statement from Powerball read.

The lottery did not say when the next drawing would take place, but to “hold on to your tickets for Saturday’s Powerball drawing.”

The Powerball jackpot had ballooned to an estimated $1.3 billion ahead of Saturday night’s drawing after a record-tying streak with no jackpot winner.

The Powerball jackpot hasn’t been won since Jan. 1, when a ticket sold in Michigan claimed a $842.4 million jackpot.

Saturday sees the 41st drawing in the current jackpot run — which ties the lottery game’s record for most consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner. Only two other previous Powerball jackpot runs have reached 41 drawings, before someone won the grand prize, according to Powerball.

The estimated $1.3 billion jackpot is the fourth-largest jackpot in Powerball history and the eighth-largest overall when factoring in Mega Millions jackpots.

If a player wins the Powerball jackpot Saturday night, they can choose between an estimated lump-sum, pre-tax payment of $608.9 million or annual payouts of $1.3 billion, also pre-tax — starting with one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each year.

The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, according to Powerball.

Powerball tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The next drawing is Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET.