The internet was flooded with annoyed lottery hopefuls after the results failed to materialize as scheduled, with plenty of jokes and memes aimed in the organizers’ direction.
Ticket-holders have been told the winning numbers will now most likely be released on Tuesday morning instead (November 8).
Why Was Monday’s Powerball Drawing Delayed?
A statement released by the lottery authorities, and shared online by international news agency BNO News at around 2:30 a.m. ET, read: “The Powerball drawing scheduled for Monday, Nov. 7 remains delayed. Currently, one participating lottery is still processing its sales and play data. Powerball requires all 48 participating lotteries to submit their sales and play data prior to the winning numbers being selected. Once Powerball receives the outstanding submission, the drawing can proceed.
“Powerball has stringent security requirements to protect the integrity of the game and remains committed to holding drawing that gives all players a fair chance to win.
“Due to the length of the draw delay, it is likely that we will not know the official results of the Powerball drawing until Tuesday morning. Players should hold onto their tickets.”
The game is played in 45 of the 50 US states, Washington D.C., and in the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands—making 48 separate lotteries taking part for a combined jackpot.
A Powerball spokesperson told the Associated Press: “It’s against our policy to name the lottery that is experiencing the delay.”
What Are the Chances of Winning?
The odds of winning are just 1 in 292.2 million, but that hasn’t deterred millions of players happy to spend $2 for the chance of unimaginable wealth.
And players from around the world are also taking part because they are allowed to buy tickets online, although they must claim the prize via the state where it originated from.
In the past, there have been big winners from various countries, including Australia and El Salvador. And back in 2015, a 37-year old Iraqi man from Baghdad made headlines when he won a $6.4 million “Megabucks” jackpot in Oregon after purchasing the ticket through a website.
For now, this week’s record-breaking $1.9 billion prize sits tantalizingly out of reach as organizers desperately work to try to get the game back on track.
The prize has become so large as a lack of winners in consecutive weeks meant the jackpot snowballed. The sum began life as a more modest $20 million back on August 6, but continued to grow as no one won for three months.
A single winner would be paid $1.9 billion over 29 years if they choose to receive an annuity, or they can accept a one-off lump sum payout of $929.1 million. Historically, most winners have chosen to take the instant cash.
The winning numbers and a video of the drawing will be posted to the Powerball website and YouTube channel. So players should make sure to hold onto their tickets.
Newsweek has reached out to Powerball for comment.
