Powerball officials say the jackpot has climbed to an estimated $600 million, making it the largest prize in the game's history and the world's second largest lottery prize.

Powerball jackpot
The Powerball jackpot has already grown from the initial $475 million displayed at Shop Rite in Ewing. (Dan Alexander, Townsquare Media NJ)
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Lottery officials say the prize is growing quickly Friday because so many people have been purchasing the $2 tickets.

The jackpot has grown by an estimated $236 million since the last drawing on Wednesday.

The last jackpot was won on March 30, so it's been growing for about six weeks. The next drawing is Saturday night.

The largest jackpot ever was a $656 million Mega Millions prize won in March 2012. The prize was split three ways with winners in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland.

Odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are about 1 in 175 million.

 

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

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