Powerball close to nutso territory

Powerball is stoked for another wild ride.

The jackpot is up to a whopping $250 million - a quarter-billion dollars - for Wednesday's drawing, and if no one wins that one, expect the $300 million barrier to be broken for the third time this year.

One further rollover, and it could be one for the game's record books.

Powerball's biggest-ever annuity prize of $360 million was set in 2006, just two drawings after the jackpot hit just what it is now - $250 million.

Now, with tickets at $2 apiece, money could come in faster - especially with competing Mega Millions at a comparatively measly $33 million.

A new cash record for Powerball could happen even sooner. The mark was set in August, when the lump-sum payout hit $223.7 million. The previous drawing's annuity prize was just a little higher than the current one: $253 million.

That August 2012 annuity, won in Michigan, was the year's biggest for Powerball: $337 million.

The numbers no one completely matched Saturday night were 3, 15, 27, 58 and 59, with a Powerball of 20.

A Texas ticket won $2 Million for matching the first five, while having the Power Play prize-boosting option. Winning $1 million for matching the five without the Power Play were tickets sold in New York, Illinois, Florida and Texas.

The biggest jackpots for any U.S. lottery were set in March by Mega Millions, when the jackpot skyrocketed to $656 million for the annuity, $471 million for the cash. Splitting the grand prize were three tickets, sold in Maryland, Illinois and Kansas.

Mega Millions. The jackpot for Tuesday's drawing rose to $33 million for the annuity, $25 million for the cash, because no one matched all the numbers drawn Friday night: 5, 24, 26, 29 and 53, with a Mega Ball of 36. Matching all but the Mega Ball were tickets sold in Indiana, Illinois, Kansas and Texas.

For more on lotteries, go to www.philly.com/philly/news/lottery, www.powerball.com or www.megamillions.com.