Lottery fever has broken out in the United States as this weekend’s Powerball jackpot appears poised to break the $1b barrier for the first time in history.

Powerball has gone 18 drawings without a jackpot winner, making the estimated jackpot for Saturday’s draw around $700m as of Thursday. Observers expect the last-minute frenzy of fortune seekers could push the eventual prize over the $1b mark.

Whatever its eventual value, this weekend’s jackpot has already set a record for the largest prize in US lottery history. As it stands, anyone who correctly predicts all five numbers plus the Powerball would receive a lump sum payment of $428.4m before taxes.

The throngs of ticket buyers who presumably can’t be motivated to get off their flabby asses and venture down to the local 7-11 when the jackpot is a mere $100m or so have miraculously found the strength to walk upright. The Los Angeles Times reported sales in California went from $7m on Tuesday to $20m on Wednesday to $37m by 7pm Thursday.