Aug. 25 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. retailers prepared for a crush of ticket buyers as the jackpot for the Powerball multistate lottery reached $300 million, the game's fourth-largest prize.

Separately, there were no winners in last night's Mega Millions drawing, pushing the drawing on Aug. 28 to $250 million, according to a statement by the New York State Lottery released by PR Newswire. Twelve tickets matched the numbers for a second- place prize of $250,000 each.

Powerball numbers will be drawn in West Des Moines, Iowa, at 9:59 p.m. local time tonight. The jackpot rose to $300 million, or $140.3 million for those who take their winnings as a one-time cash payment, the lottery said. Tickets cost $1 and sales end about two hours before the numbers are picked, depending on the state.

The Powerball record stands at $365 million won last year by a group of eight ConAgra Foods Inc. workers in Nebraska, who shared a single ticket. The next largest was $363 million won in 2000. The biggest jackpot in U.S. lottery history, $390 million before taxes, was won by a Cape May County, New Jersey, couple and a Rocky Face, Georgia, truck driver in the Mega Millions drawing March 6.

The current Powerball jackpot is the eighth-largest in world lottery history, said Elizabeth Brassell, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Lottery. It has rolled over 16 times since June 30, she said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Nancy Kercheval in Washington at nkercheval@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: August 25, 2007 10:42 EDT