Powerball hits $441 million

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Powerball hits $441 million
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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — It's been nearly three months since somebody won the Powerball jackpot, meaning it could be your lucky day today. 

The lottery prize has increased to an estimated $441 million, with a cash option of $317.5 million. The next drawing? Wednesday. 

Although nobody won big in the latest drawing on Monday, a pair of tickets in Florida and New Jersey were sold worth about $2 million each. Another in Florida was worth $1 million. Those tickets were able to match the five regular numbers on the ticket, but did not guess the Powerball correctly. 

Monday's winning numbers were 36-38- 45 - 62 - 64 and Powerball 19. The Powerplay for that drawing was 2x.

The last time a Powerball jackpot was claimed was a $699.8 million prize on Oct. 4, to a ticket that was sold in California. Since then, there have been 36 drawings without a jackpot winner. 

That jackpot was the seventh largest in U.S. lottery history and fifth largest in Powerball history.  

Powerball is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets are two dollars.

Since Aug. 23, Powerball drawings have been held three times a week to increase interest and grow prizes more quickly. Drawings are held each Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. EDT.

While the jackpot this time is large, the chance of winning all that money remains minuscule, at one in 292.2 million (the odds of winning in general are 1 in 24.9). It's not uncommon to have months go by without a grand prize winner.