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- The $750 million Powerball jackpot is the fourth largest prize in US history.
- Six numbers were drawn on Wednesday, but no winner was announced.
- Business Insider talked to psychologists to learn why people think they have a shot at winning, despite the near-impossible odds.
Millions of people lost out on the $1.6 billion Mega Millions jackpot on Wednesday, with only one winning ticket sold in South Carolina. Now they're intent on trying their hand again with the $750 million Powerball jackpot, whose winner has yet to be announced.
Those who enter have about a 1 in 292 million chance of taking home the prize, which is the fourth largest in US history.
While it may seem silly to think that we could actually win the lottery, Americans are quite fond of throwing their hat in the ring. According to CNN, the country spent around $73.5 billion on traditional lottery tickets last year- a number that climbs to $80 billion when we consider electronic lottery games.
It's not just that we're curious. Many of us actually think we have a shot. Here are a few psychological explanations as to why.