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How to increase your odds of winning the $500 million Powerball

ANDREW KELLY/REUTERS The Powerball jackpot is now at $500 million for Wednesday’s drawing.

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This jackpot is now the sixth largest ever offered in North America, and the largest since last February’s $564.1 million jackpot, which was split between players from North Carolina, Texas and Peurto Rico.

Last week, retailers in the state sold more than $1.25 million in Powerball tickets, and total sales for the current run beginning November 5 are more than $5.5 million, Woosley said.

Lotteries that participate in the 44-state Powerball game downplay this by saying that odds of winning something besides the largest jackpot are better. The Virginia Lottery said on Wednesday, it’s going to sell more than $900,000 Powerball tickets across the Commonwealth. Powerball jackpots start at $40 million, and one set of numbers costs $2 each.

A billboard displays the estimated jackpot for the Powerball lottery, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016.

The Powerball Jackpot is 500 million dollar this has many hopeful millionaires rushing to buy there chance at the pie.

The Associated Press reports that the odds are so small that even putting your money together with 50 to 100 friends won’t make much of a difference.

As for paying taxes on the prize, that depends on where the victor lives, they say. For some comparison, your chance of being struck by lightning in a year is about one in 960,000.

Winners are advised to sign the lottery ticket as soon as they get the chance.

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And, just so you know, the odds of winning the Powerball are 1 in 292.2 million. Ticket sales stop at least 59 minutes before the drawing though some states cut off sales earlier so it’s worth checking before you head out.

Things to know about the surging $500 million Powerball