SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The run up to last week's Powerball jackpot raised $14.5 million for Illinois schools, roads and bridges. Illinois Lottery officials announced Thursday that as the jackpot grew to $336 million, sales of lottery tickets also grew. Sales reached nearly $10,000 per minute during the evening of February 11th. Drawing-to-drawing sales grew during the last two drawings by 41-percent and 61-percent. In Illinois, the total Powerball sales for the jackpot totaled $34.6 million. Nearly $15 million in sales were during the last two drawings, when the announced jackpot was $250 million and $325 million, respectively. The largest jackpot in U.S. history was $390 million in March 6th, 2007, when two winning Mega Millions tickets were sold in Georgia and New Jersey. - http://goo.gl/d9dxA
