Combined lottery jackpots near $1.4B

The two biggest lottery games are attracting more players to local stores in an attempt to cash in on the longshot odds.

The two biggest lottery games in the country have two of their biggest jackpots this weekend, attracting more players to local stores in an attempt to cash in on the longshot odds.

No one correctly picked Wednesday night’s winning Powerball numbers for a $550 million jackpot that now is expected to grow to $640 million by Saturday night’s drawing.

The Mega Millions prize for tonight is even bigger, growing from $625 million Tuesday to $750 million now.

That leaves the Mega Millions prize as the fifth-largest in U.S. history.

It also marks just the second time that both lottery jackpots have topped $500 million at the same time.

Numbers for Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing were: 4-19-23-25-49 and a Powerball of 14.

The prizes have grown so massive because it has been months since anyone has matched all six numbers and won either jackpot. The odds of winning it all are incredibly small, at 1 in 292.2 million for Powerball and 1 in 302.5 million for Mega Millions.

The jackpots listed by the lotteries are for winners who opt to be paid through an annuity over 30 years. Nearly all winners take the cash option, which is less.

Mega Millions and Powerball are both played in 45 states, including Ohio, as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball also is offered in Puerto Rico.