$1.09 Billion Powerball Jackpot Drawing is Tonight

SAN ANGELO, TX — The estimated $1.09 billion Powerball jackpot, the ninth largest in U.S. lottery history, will be up for grabs tonight. 

The odds of winning the jackpot is 1 in 292.2 million. 

The $1.09 billion prize is for a sole winner who chooses to be paid through an annuity, with 30 annual payments. Winners usually prefer the cash option, an estimated $527.3 million for Wednesday's drawing.

The cut-off times for buying Powerball tickets vary by state. Usually, it's within one or two hours of the scheduled drawing. Tickets cost $2 per play. 

Courier services, like Lotto.com and Jackpocket, act as middlemen. Players order lottery tickets via a mobile app or website. Then, those companies buy the ticket on the player's behalf from a licensed retailer in their state, upload an image of it on the app, and securely store the physical ticket. 

The Powerball drawing occurs live at 9:59 p.m. Central Time every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.