US Powerball jackpot jumps to eye-popping $2.6 billion

The Powerball jackpot in the United States has jumped to an eye-popping $US1.7 billion ($A2.6 billion) after yet another drawing passed without a big winner.

The numbers selected on Wednesday were: 3, 16, 29, 61 and 69, with the Powerball number being 22.

Since May 31, there have been 41 straight drawings without a big winner.

The next drawing will be on Saturday night, with the prize expected to be the third-largest in US lottery history.

Powerball’s terrible odds of one in 292.2 million are designed to generate big jackpots, with prizes becoming ever larger as they repeatedly roll over when no one wins.

Lottery officials note that the odds are far better for the game’s many smaller prizes.

There are three drawings each week.

The estimated $US1.4 billion jackpot from Wednesday night’s drawing would have been for a winner who had opted to receive 30 payments over 29 years through an annuity.

Winners almost always choose the game’s cash option, which would have been an estimated $US634.3 million.

Powerball tickets cost $US2, and the game is offered in 45 states plus Washington, DC, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

An American man who scooped a $532 million Mega Millions lotto jackpot in a June 27 lotto draw revealed the first big purchase for his windfall winnings would be a humble lawnmower.

But not just any lawnmower, a zero-radius riding lawn mower which is typically priced around $4600, according to the Mega Millions website..

The lucky punter took out the largest prize ever won in the US state of Virginia and decided to claim a reduced prize of $238.2 million in one lump sum instead of the entire jackpot, which would have been paid out across 30 years.