The jackpot for one of America’s major lotteries has topped $1 billion – and could be won in the Halloween draw tonight.
The Powerball prize is the fifth largest jackpot in US history.
Americans rushed to stores, supermarkets and gas stations to buy tickets, which cost $2, ahead of the draw just before 11 p.m. Eastern Time.
No one has matched all six numbers since August 3, when a ticket holder from Pennsylvania claimed a $206m (£179.5m) prize.
The biggest prize ever won in the US was a $1.586bn (£1.383bn) Powerball jackpot in 2016, which was claimed by three ticket holders.
“The odds of winning the jackpot are one in 292.2 million,” lottery officials said.
Another lottery jackpot surpassed the $1 billion mark last year.
On January 22, a ticket matched all six Mega Millions lottery numbers to win the $1.05 billion jackpot.
Big lottery jackpots have become more common in recent years as lottery officials have adjusted game rules and ticket prices to increase the big prizes.
Powerball officials made the latest change in August, adding an extra draw day – going from two draws per week to three – in a bid to create bigger prizes and boost sales.
Although the odds of winning are slim, the chances of one person – or even multiple players – finding the winning numbers increase as more people play as the jackpot increases.
The $1 billion jackpot is for winners who choose to take the full amount piecemeal over 29 annual payments.
Almost all jackpot winners decide to opt for a lower one-off payment, which for tonight’s draw would be estimated at $497.3m (£433.6m).
The Powerball jackpot starts again at $20m (£17.4m) once a winning ticket matches the draw, and continues to grow with each draw until it is won.
Powerball is played in 45 US states, as well as Washington, DC, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
