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The Powerball Jackpot Is Up To $800M, But Is It Worth It To Play?

At what point would a ticket's value overtake its cost?

The Powerball Jackpot Is Up To $800M, But Is It Worth It To Play?
Getty Images / Scott Olson
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The Powerball jackpot has reached a record-breaking $800 million.

And as the jackpot grows, some casual lottery players are wondering if it's time to hop on the bandwagon.

An estimate made before the $800 million mark said the jackpot would need to be about $1.7 billion in order for the cost of a ticket to be "mathematically advantageous."

Now, it's not impossible for the jackpot to get that high. And the calculation might ease the minds of the conservative players out there who haven't snagged a ticket yet. (Video via KTNV)

The Powerball jackpot surged to $500 million Wednesday and shot up $300 million more in the past two days. So if there's no big winner on Saturday, $2 billion could be right around the corner.

This video includes images from Getty Images.