Powerball player just misses nearly $1 billion jackpot — but still wins big in Louisiana

A Powerball ticket sold in Louisiana won $1 million, just missing out on the estimated $951 million jackpot, lottery officials say.

The ticket matched five winning numbers in the drawing Saturday, March 30, but not the Powerball, the Louisiana Lottery said.

Nobody won the grand prize, which rises to an estimated $975 million, with a cash value of nearly $472 million, for the next drawing Monday, April 1, according to the national Powerball site.

The winning numbers were 12, 13, 33, 50 and 52, with a Powerball of 23.

The winning ticket was purchased in Alexandria, which is about a 125-mile drive northwest of Baton Rouge.

More than 20,000 other tickets sold in Louisiana also won prizes ranging from $4 to $300 in the draw, the lottery said.

Tickets sold in Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania also matched five numbers but not the Powerball.

What to know about Powerball

To score a jackpot in the Powerball, a player must match all five white balls and the red Powerball.

The odds of scoring the jackpot prize are 1 in 292,201,338.

Tickets cost $2 and can be bought on the day of the drawing, but sales times vary by state.

Drawings are broadcast Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:59 p.m. ET and can be streamed online.

Powerball is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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