A last-minute surge in sales ahead of Wednesday night's drawing boosted the Powerball jackpot to a staggering $500 million.
The grand prize remains the 4th largest in Powerball history, and is the result of 18 consecutive draws without a winner, according to lottery officials in Colorado.
The Powerball winning numbers are: 2, 11, 47, 62, 63; Poweball: 17.
JUST IN: The winning #Powerball numbers for the $524 million jackpot are: 2-11-47-62-63; Powerball: 17. pic.twitter.com/AUeE1z0B8N
— Denver7 News (@DenverChannel) January 7, 2016
A lump-sum cash payment is currently worth an estimated $306 million.
Wednesday’s jackpot is the largest since a $564.1 million prize was claimed by three winners in Texas, North Carolina, and Puerto Rico last February.
No one has won Powerball's biggest prize since Nov. 4. The jackpot now is the sixth-largest ever in North America, and if there is no winner after Wednesday night's drawing, the prize will keep climbing.
The biggest jackpot was a $656 million Mega Millions prize won in 2012.
Colorado’s largest Powerball jackpot winner, Claude G. from Rifle, claimed $90 million in August 2014.
Powerball is played in 44 states as well as the District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.