Get ready for an electrifying Saturday as the Powerball jackpot stands at a jaw-dropping $856 million! Players have two appealing payout options, although the odds of hitting the big one are a slim one in 292.2 million. Recent winners from North Carolina, Arkansas, and Delaware have changed their lives, and as ticket sales climb, anticipation soars for this life-altering prize.

This is now the largest lottery prize of the year so far, eclipsing the $800 million Mega Millions jackpot won by a Florida ticket buyer last week.

The Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $786 million for the Wednesday night drawing. Players can win smaller cash prizes by matching fewer numbers on their tickets. …