CINCINNATI — The Powerball jackpot has climbed to $1.7 billion, making it the fourth-largest prize in the lottery's history as players across the Tri-State hope for a Christmas miracle.
After no one matched all the numbers in Monday's drawing, the massive prize remains up for grabs in the Christmas Eve drawing.
Kenneth Duke has been playing Powerball for years and says he's won a few times, including a big jackpot, at Big G Food Mart in Cincinnati. He purchased six tickets for the latest drawing.
"I want to sit down and relax for a little bit, but I also want to do bigger and better things for not just me, but my family or other people around me," Duke said.
WATCH: Your chance of winning the fourth-largest prize in Powerball history
Duke says he would also donate some of the money to his church. Despite the astronomical odds of winning — one in 292.2 million — Duke remains optimistic.
"The odds don't faze me. It's only $2," Duke said.
To put those odds in perspective, imagine Paycor Stadium packed with over 65,000 Bengals fans. You would need to fill that stadium 2,973 times and pick one person to match the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot.
Experts say there's a significantly better chance of being struck by lightning, dying from a shark attack or getting two holes in one during the same round of golf than winning the lottery.
"Try it, it doesn't hurt. You spend money on anything else. Just try your little luck, why not? It's not going to hurt you," Duke said.
The winning numbers for the Christmas Eve drawing will be announced Wednesday at 10:59 p.m.
