Powerball players who each hoped to end their Monday as a billionaire flocked to the internet when their dreams were dashed after a technical issue temporarily scrapped the draw.
For now, the record-breaking $1.9 billion prize sits temporarily out of reach as organizers frantically try to get the game back on track.
Officials revealed the delay in drawing the winning numbers was caused by an issue with the "required security protocols" at one of the 48 participating lotteries. The draw is now due to be held on Tuesday.
Disappointed players turned to humor as social media was flooded with jokes and memes mocking the frustrating outcome, which came as a huge let-down after feverish excitement.
The odds of winning are just 1 in 292.2 million, but millions of Americans—and even some players around the world since tickets are allowed to be purchased abroad—are happy to spend $2 for the chance of riches.
Most of the jokes proliferating online mocked what players saw as the hapless lottery organizers.
One Twitter user said: "Someone dropped the ball on dropping the balls." Another added: "That guy definitely lied on his resume."
Some users joked that lottery officials were trying to keep the money for themselves, and tweeted gifs of cash being handed out.
But others turned a comical eye towards the players themselves.
There’s a 1 in 5 chance of dying from heart disease.
People: “Won’t happen to me!”
There’s a 1 in 292,000,000 chance of winning the Powerball.
People: “You never know!”
— Douglas A. Boneparth (@dougboneparth) November 5, 2022Others tweeted images of clowns sadly watching their screens.
Some laughed at players' attempts to explain the system and what may have gone wrong:
Others, however, had more outlandish theories about the lottery. One person tweeted: "The lottery is a honeypot trap run by the CIA to bust unauthorized time travellers."
The Powerball drawing results are now expected to be known on Tuesday morning, the Multi-State Lottery Association said.
An official told the Associated Press: "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 spokesperson said, adding: "It's against our policy to name the lottery that is experiencing the delay."
A previous statement, put out earlier in the evening, had explained: "Powerball has strict security requirements that must be met by all 48 lotteries before a drawing can occur. When the required security protocols are complete, the drawing will be performed under the supervision of lottery security officials and independent auditors."
The eye-watering prize started out at $20 million back on August 6, but since nobody has won for three months the amount kept growing.
A single winner would be paid $1.9 billion over 29 years if they choose to receive an annuity, or they can accept a one-off lump sum payout of $929.1 million. Most winners chose the instant cash.
The winning numbers and a video of the drawing will be posted to the Powerball website and YouTube channel. Players should hold onto their tickets, the Powerball spokesperson added.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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