TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- The mammoth jackpot in Wednesday night's Powerball drawing is proving irresistible to thousands of hopeful Kansans.

The Kansas Lottery reports that sales of Powerball tickets in the state topped $1.1 million on Tuesday alone, for a total of nearly $1.8 million since Sunday.

And that was when the jackpot was estimated at a mere $500 million. On Wednesday morning, officials of the multistate game boosted the estimated payout to $550 million.

Kansas Lottery officials were expecting another huge sales day Wednesday. Ticket sales in Kansas end at 8:59 p.m. Central, one hour before the drawing.

A winner taking the cash option of a $550 million jackpot would get $360.2 million before taxes.