Powerball drawing on Wednesday is for record $425m jackpot

By Globe Staff

For the second time this year, a multi-state lottery is setting a record. This time it’s Powerball luring ticket buyers with the possibility of winning a $425 million jackpot on Wednesday.

The Bay State started selling Powerball tickets in 2010 and has had one winner since — Jimmy Freeman of Fall River took home around $9 million after winning the June 8, 2011, jackpot.

Lottery spokeswoman Beth Bresnahan said Powerball ticket sales “skyrocketed before Saturday’s drawing and will continue to climb as we get closer to the Wednesday night drawing. This level is out of the ordinary. It’s extraordinary — it’s a record.’’

The jackpot is worth $278.3 million in a lump sum payment before taxes. Tickets cost $2 each and the odds of winning are 1 in 175,223,510, according to the Powerball website.

The lottery’s 7,400 agents will stop selling Powerball tickets at 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday to prepare for the drawing at 10:59 p.m., Bresnahan said.

In April, the Mega Millions jackpot rose to a record $656 million ($473 million in a lump sum before taxes) and was won by people in three states: Maryland, Kansas, and Illinois.

Ticket sales for Mega Millions in Massachusetts were red hot, with $5,000 worth of tickets being purchased every minute, Bresnahan said.