Dover, DE -- As this Saturday’s POWERBALL® jackpot mounts towards an estimated annuity prize of $275 million, the Delaware Lottery reminds players to enjoy games responsibly and within their means. The top prize represents the first major POWERBALL® jackpot of 2008 and would rank as the 7th largest in the history of the game if won in the March 15 drawing.

“It only takes one ticket to win,” Lottery Director Wayne Lemons reminds eager players. “Every game ticket offers the same odds of winning, and the Lottery asks players to spend only what they can comfortably afford.”

The current jackpot run began Jan. 19, and Saturday night’s draw will be the 17th draw in this run. There has only been one POWERBALL® jackpot win in calendar year 2008, an unclaimed $97 million annuity jackpot ($48.4 million single-payment cash value) won in Louisiana. The eight-week run, however, has already created a significant number of smaller winners. Since Jan. 19 there have been more than 10 million total winners in all jurisdictions selling POWERBALL® tickets, including twelve $10,000 cash prize winners in the State of Delaware alone.

Delaware Lottery players are currently receiving a free HOT LOTTO® ticket with each POWERBALL® or POWERBALL® -plus-Power Play ticket purchased that is worth $5 or more. Lottery officials say the promotion is attracting many players to licensed retailers throughout the State.

The projected $275 million top prize stands as the world’s largest annuity jackpot currently advertised for a lottery game.

The Delaware Lottery reminds players that prizes must be claimed within one year from the date of the drawing.