Illinois Lottery Distributing Hundreds of Free Powerball Tickets to the Chicago Grocery Store

March's madness takes on a whole new meaning for Illinois lottery players on Friday.

The lottery officials are offering 500 free Powerball tickets to those playing the "Pop-A-Shot" game in a Jewel grocery store in Chicago. Anyone who marks a basket will receive a "special prize," according to the Illinois Lottery.

Players can purchase additional Powerball tickets from the retailer. According to officials, a quarter of every dollar spent on the lottery is devoted to public education and "other special causes," from kindergarten to grade 12.

Free #PowerballMadness tickets will be handed out from 10am to 1pm. at Jewel located at 2940 N. Ashland Ave.

No Powerball ticket tied the six winning numbers in the $ 562 million draw on Wednesday night, and the jackpot won tens of millions of dollars before the next draw.

The draw for Saturday will cost about $ 625 million, officials said Thursday. This makes it the fourth largest in the history of games and the seventh largest in the history of the American lottery.