Saturday’s Powerball drawing isn’t the highest in history, but at $253 million its still a tantalizing reward for players.

This is the seventh time this year the jackpot has climbed over $200 million, following a doubling of the ticket cost in January to the current $2 fee.

The pot has been growing since June 13 when a ticket sold in Iowa matched all six numbers to win $241 million.

If won on Saturday and taken as a lump sum, the prize would be $170.5 million according to Ryan Kennemur with the N.C. Education Lottery.

“Powerball players like big prizes and big jackpots,” said Alice Garland, the lottery’s executive director. “The new Powerball game that started in January has delivered just that. We would love to see one of our players win this impressive jackpot.”

In the last week, the Education Lottery paid $17.9 million in overall prizes across the 42 participating states including a Conway resident who remained anonymous but took home a $1 million ticket. Powerball also is played in the Virgin Island and the District of Columbia.

The odds of winning are 1 in 176 million, but that doesn’t stop Myrtle Beach residents like Ann Jones from playing. She said she travels across the state a couple weeks and buys a ticket when she gets the chance on her journey.

Holli Armstrong with the S.C. Education Lottery said a game exclusive to South Carolina is taking some of the spotlight off the Powerball. Palmetto Cash 5 is similar to the Powerball game, Armstrong said, but draws five numbered balls instead of six. There are prizes for matching as few as two numbers, and of course for matching all five. Those tickets are $1 each with daily drawings at 6:59 p.m.

Contact AMANDA KELLEY at 626-0381.