No one has won the $975 million Powerball jackpot since New Year's Day. That's 38 straight drawings in which no one matched the game's six numbers.
But that could change Monday night as lottery fever grips people in New York and elsewhere.
If no one hits the jackpot on Monday or Wednesday night, the game will cap a record 41 consecutive draws on Saturday night, according to the Associated Press.
New York players must purchase their Powerball tickets by 10 p.m. to be eligible for Monday's drawing at 10:59 a.m. ET. The draws take place at the same time on Wednesday and Saturday.
Jackpot prizes in each game can be paid out over 30 years, but most winners get the lump sum. They immediately see fewer dollars flowing into their account than if they took the 30-year annuity because the federal government takes the top off.
All but eight states – California, Florida, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming – also tax large lottery prizes. In New York, the lottery tax rate is 8.82 percent.
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are steep — about 1 in 292.2 million. For perspective, the odds of being struck by lightning are less than 1 in 1 million.
