Powerball Fever: 8 Unusual Tales About the Lottery Game That’s Sweeping the Nation

In 1992, a new lottery game was announced. Derived from an earlier multi-state game called Lotto*America, Powerball held its inaugural drawing on April 22 of that year. The first jackpot was a paltry $2,000,000.

Tonight there’s a record-setting $1.5 billion (that’s BILLION) dollars at stake. The odds of winning are very, very slim, but that hasn’t deterred people from standing in long lines for their shot at fortune.

In fact, “one-third of Americans think that winning the lottery is the only way to become financially secure in life.”

Here are eight unusual facts about the game to ponder while you’re waiting for the drawing.