Illinois Lottery hosting Powerball Ticket Grab Challenge ahead of $1.2B drawing

RIVER GROVE, Ill. - Powerball fever is sweeping through Illinois once again, with the jackpot for Wednesday night's drawing soaring to an eye-popping $1.2 billion.

If won, it would make it the third-largest grand prize in the game's history, and the seventh-largest jackpot in U.S. history, according to lottery officials.

To celebrate the colossal jackpot, Illinois lottery officials are once again hosting a "Powerball Ticket Grab Challenge," giving players an opportunity to snag 1,200 free tickets ahead of the drawing.

(Illinois Lottery)

The challenge will take place on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rich's Fresh Market, located at 3141 North Thatcher Avenue in west suburban River Grove. The location is considered one of Illinois' top 12 "winningest" Powerball stores in the state, for selling the most winning tickets this year.

Anyone wishing to participate will step into a ticket grab machine for five seconds and collect as many Powerball tickets as they can, lottery officials said.