(NEXSTAR) — If you were patiently waiting for Monday night’s Powerball numbers to be drawn, you had to wait longer than usual.
The Powerball drawing wasn’t announced on time Monday night due to a technical issue, the Multi-State Lottery Association said in a statement. The winning numbers were finally announced after 9 a.m. ET Tuesday morning.
The record-breaking $2 billion Powerball drawing was delayed because a participating lottery had issues processing sales, officials said. In the end, a single California ticket matched all six numbers from the overnight draw.
“Powerball requires all 48 participating lotteries to submit their sales and play data prior to the winning numbers being selected. Once Powerball receives the outstanding submission, the drawing can proceed,” the lottery said in a statement to The Associated Press.
Nearly three hours after the scheduled 10:59 p.m. EST drawing, the association told the AP, “It’s against our policy to name the lottery that is experiencing the delay.”
On Tuesday morning, the association said in a new statement that Powerball had been “in communication with the lottery throughout the night as it works to resolve the issue.”
A similar issue delayed a Powerball drawing just a couple of weeks ago, according to Nexstar’s WEHT.
In April, a Powerball drawing was delayed over four hours for a similar reason. Nexstar’s WJW reports that, in that drawing, Powerball stated that a participating lottery needed extra time to complete security protocols.
Last summer, a Powerball drawing was delayed to allow several lotteries extra time to complete security protocols, Nexstar’s WCBD reports.
Those who spend $2 on a Powerball ticket might wonder if something is wrong when 40 drawings pass without a jackpot winner, but this is how the game is designed. With odds of 1 in 292 million, that means it’s unlikely anyone will win the prize until a growing jackpot attracts more players. And more ticket sales mean the lottery can raise more money for public programs, which is the point of the state lotteries.
The jackpot prize for Wednesday’s draw now reverts to an estimated $20 million.
The game is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
