The best thing about losing is winning. The win that you get is always better than the win you would’ve gotten if you hadn’t lost. Case in point, the $1.9 billion Powerball jackpot.

If somebody had won the Powerball back in August, then nobody would have a chance to win $1.9 billion today! Just the thought that putting $2 on a ticket could get $1.9 billion has everybody doing a happy dance!







The Powerball is played in 45 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Uh-oh, a bit of bad news. Hawaii, Utah, Nevada, Alaska, and Alabama are the five states where the Powerball isn’t played.

No worries, though, for people living in four of those states. Folks living in Utah, Nevada, Alaska, or Alabama can drive across the state’s line in order to wait in line to get their Powerball tickets.

As for the folks in Hawaii, well, y’all can’t drive across the state’s line because the state is bordered by water. And the last time I checked, Stanley the Friendly Shark doesn’t run numbers in the Pacific Ocean. Having said that, folks living in Hawaii do have the option of flying to California, which runs the Powerball, to buy a ticket. So, yeah, there’s an option.

Speaking of options, if any of you so happens to win the ice cool $1.9 billion Powerball jackpot, remember that there is the option of getting a cash payout of $929.1 million. The $970.9 million that is missing from the cash payout check will go towards ol’ Uncle Sam’s and Auntie Ann’s funds. Income, is what the government calls it.

If the winner doesn’t choose the cash payout, then the lottery folks will pay the winner over a 29 year time period. Over the 29 year time period , the winner will receive a total of 30 payments. The payments will increase, by 5%, each year.

Remember, you have a year from the date that the Powerball numbers are ran to claim the $1.9 billion jackpot!

Good luck!