The Powerball has now hit half a billion dollars

The jackpot is the third-largest this year
It costs $2 to play the Powerball
The next drawing is Wednesday night

Updated: Sep 12, 2023 / 06:27 PM CDT

BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA – MARCH 26: George Hollins buys a Powerball ticket at the Shell Gateway store on March 26, 2019 in Boynton Beach, Florida. Wednesday’s Powerball drawing will be an approximately $750 million jackpot which would be one of the biggest in US lottery prize history. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

(NewsNation) — The lucky winner of the Powerball lottery could now get half a billion dollars after the jackpot jumped to $550 million when no winners were named after the Monday drawing.

The eye-popping $550 million jackpot is still just the third-largest jackpot this year. Earlier this year, jackpots worth $754.6 million and $1.08 billion were awarded to lucky players.

The next drawing will take place Wednesday, Sept. 13.

Americans who want to participate in the lottery have to pay $2 per play. For each play, participants first select five numbers from one through 69 and then one number from one through 26. They can also allow the lottery terminal to pick the numbers for them.