US Powerball jackpot to skyrocket to $1.3 billion after no winning tickets

WITH no winning tickets for this weekend’s record-breaking Powerball draw in the US, the jackpot is set to surge to a mind-blowing $1.3 billion.

Powerball tickets are shown Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016, in San Lorenzo, Calif. Ticket sales for the multi-state Powerball lottery soared Saturday as people dreamed of winning the largest jackpot in U.S. history, which grew by $100 million to hit $900 million just hours before Saturday night's drawing. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

A POWERBALL jackpot in the USA is expected to surge to a record-breaking $1.3 billion (AU $1.86 billion) after there were no winning tickets for this weekend’s draw.

Americans with dreams of life-changing riches had flocked to buy lottery tickets and a chance at winning the whopping jackpot of $950 million (AU $1.36 billion).

But after organised announced the winning numbers of 32-16-19-57-34 and the Powerball of 13 were announced, it emerged no one would be taking home the massive payout.

The odds to win the lottery prize were one in 292.2 million.

The new billion-dollar jackpot, which will be drawn on Wednesday, could rise even more than the predicted $1.3 billion as people rush to buy tickets.

No #Powerball jackpot winners in any state tonight. Wednesday's jackpot is a new WORLD RECORD! Can you believe it? pic.twitter.com/6L8J0oJkOu

— Texas Lottery (@TexasLottery) January 10, 2016

The jackpot began on November 7, but rolled over a surprising 19 times before Saturday.

The Powerball prize skyrocketed from $800 million (AU $1.15 billion) on Friday, fuelling excitement across the US.

Saturday’s prize shatters the previous record for a US lottery jackpot of $656 million (AU $943 million), scooped up by three winning tickets in North Carolina, Puerto Rico and Texas in March 2012.

In the Powerball lottery, which takes place each Wednesday and Saturday at 10.59pm local time, five white balls are drawn from a drum containing 69 balls. One red one is pulled from a drum with 26.

To win the jackpot, a ticket holder has to match all the numbers on the six balls selected.

The winner can choose to be paid the full jackpot in annual instalments over 29 years — or take a lower one-off payment in cash.