UPDATE: Powerball jackpot now $630 million for Wednesday's drawing - 7th largest ever

Strong sales keep pushing the Powerball higher and higher for Wednesday night's drawing.

Originally projected to be $575 million and then $610 million on Tuesday, the jackpot keeps climbing and is now an estimated $630 million – the seventh largest Powerball jackpot ever.

“We’re thrilled to offer players a jackpot that has hit the $600 million mark,” May Scheve Reardon, Powerball Product Group Chair, said in a statement.

The cash option will be $448.4 million, according to the lottery website.

Lucky month:Of Top 10 largest lottery jackpots ever, 3 were claimed in January

In Monday's drawing, three tickets matched all five white balls to win million-dollar prizes. Two tickets sold in Connecticut and Texas won $1 million, while a ticket in Montana had the Powerplay to win $2 million.

The Powerball numbers drawn on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022 were: 2 - 13 - 32 - 33 - 48 and Powerball 22. The Powerplay was 2x.

Recent winner:$699.8 million Powerball winning ticket sold in California

The Powerball has not been won since a lottery player in California won the $699.8 million jackpot back in October. There have been 39 straight drawings without the jackpot being won.

Tickets to play the Powerball cost $2 and are available in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

There are now three chances to win the Powerball each week. The drawing is held at 10:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee.

Mega winner:$108 million Mega Millions winning ticket sold in Arizona

Meanwhile, he Mega Millions jackpot is at $278 million with a cash option of $193 million for Friday night's drawing, according to the Mega Millions website. 

Unlucky? Here are 13 crazy things more likely to happen than winning the Powerball jackpot

Top 10 Powerball Jackpots

1. $1.586 billion, Jan. 13, 2016: Three winners in California, Florida, Tennessee
2. $768.4 million, March 27, 2019: Won in Wisconsin
3. $758.7 million, Aug. 23, 2017: Won in Massachusetts
4. $730 million, Jan. 20, 2021: Won in Maryland
5. $699.8 million, Oct. 4, 2021: Won in California
6. $687.8 million, Oct. 27, 2018: Two winners in Iowa, New York
7. $630 million (estimated), Jan. 5, 2022: 
8. $590.5 million, May 18, 2013: Won in Florida
9. $587.5 million, Nov. 28, 2012: Two winner in Arizona, Missouri
10. $564.1 million, Feb. 11, 2015: Three winners in North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas

Powerball, Mega Millions:These are the luckiest states for jackpot winners

John Connolly is a breaking news editor for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all the major news happening in North Jersey, subscribe here. To get breaking news directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.

Email: connolly@northjersey.com 

Twitter: @JohnConnolly_22