MIDDLETOWN — Tickets are selling in Pennsylvania by the thousands per minute for tonight’s $500 million Powerball jackpot.

It is tied for the game’s third-largest advertised jackpot.

As of 11 a.m. today, the Pennsylvania Lottery reported Powerball tickets were selling at nearly 4,200 per minute with the rate increasing.

Powerball is sold in 44 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In Pennsylvania, tickets are sold until 9:59 p.m. today.

Thanks to strong ticket sales, the Powerball jackpot today was increased to a $500 million annuity value, or a $306 million cash prize.

The jackpot had rolled to a $400 million annuity value, or $244 million cash prize, after the drawing on Saturday produced no jackpot winner. On Tuesday, it was increased to $450 million annuity value, or a $275.4 million cash prize, due to strong ticket sales.

This jackpot has been rolling since the November 4, 2015, drawing. Since then, in Pennsylvania alone, the game has produced one $2 million winner, two $1 million winners and 772,369 other winners of over $9.9 million in prizes.

Lottery retailers statewide are reporting brisk ticket sales.