A massive lottery jackpot got a little bigger Tuesday as the top Powerball prize climbed to an estimated $1.2 billion ahead of Wednesday night's drawing.
The jackpot ranks as the fourth-largest in U.S. history behind another Powerball prize and two Mega Millions lottery game jackpots. The biggest prize ever was a $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot won by three ticket holders in 2016.
The winning numbers for Monday's drawing were 19, 13, 39, 59 and 36 with a Powerball of 13.
The $1.2 billion prize is for winners who choose to take their riches through an annuity, paid annually over 29 years. Nearly all winners opt for cash, which is currently estimated at $596.7 million. Those winnings also would be subject to federal taxes. Many states tax lottery winnings, too.
Get Southern California news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC LA newsletters.
No one has hit all six numbers since Aug. 3. That's 38 consecutive draws without a jackpot winner. The winless streak is due to the abysmal odds of winning: one in 292.2 million.
The longer the game goes without a grand prize winner, the larger the payout will grow.
The Powerball is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. It costs $2 to play.
