Powerball Jackpot Upped to $600 Million

The Powerball jackpot for Saturday's drawing has been raised to become the largest Powerball jackpot in U.S. history.

Due to strong sales, the jackpot for Saturday was raised from $550 million to $600 million, with a $376.9 million cash option. No ticket has had the winning numbers for the past 13 drawings—since early April, according to a Maryland Lottery news release.

One Gaithersburg CEO will share the wealth if he's lucky enough to win the grand prize.

Dennis Kane, CEO of Gaithersburg's Kane Construction Inc., promised his family members and employees he would pay off their mortgages, up to $1 million each, if he wins, The Washington Business Journal reported.

Kane purchased 50 tickets Friday for $100 and then sent an email to his employees, siblings and in-laws that includes a scan of each ticket, so the recipients will know immediately after the Saturday night drawing if Kane won, according to the report.

Maryland has had two winning Powerball tickets since the Maryland Lottery joined the game in 2010. One was a Pennsylvania couple who purchased a ticket in Elkton on Christmas Eve in 2011 that won them $128.8 million. That September, an Abingdon couple won $108.8 million, according to the release.

Maryland's last jackpot win was in February, when a couple in Mt. Airy won $26 million in Mega Millions. Last year, three people split their share of the winnings from a $656 million Mega Millions ticket sold in Milford Mill. Winning tickets for that drawing were also sold in Illinois and Kansas.

The drawing will be aired live locally on WBAL-TV at 11:22 p.m. Saturday.