An estimated $1.5 billion is in play after Wednesday’s Powerball drawing brings no winning tickets

WE SPOKE TO THE EXPERTS TO FIND OUT. WITH NO WINNER OF THE POWERBALL JACKPOT MONDAY, IT NOW GROWS TO AN IMPRESSIVE $1.2 BILLION, THE SECOND LARGEST JACKPOT IN GAME HISTORY AND NOW FOURTH LARGEST IN THE U.S. >> WE ARE ASKING YOU, PLEASE PLAY RESPONSIBLY, HAVE FUN, KEEP A BUDGET AND STAY WITHIN IT. REPORTER: LOTTERY OFFICIALS TELL US THERE HAS BEEN AN UPTICK IN PLAY AROUND THE STATE AND ARE JUST REMINDING PEOPLE TO PLAY WITHIN THEIR MEANS, WHICH RAISES THE QUESTION, WHAT DO YOU DO, IF YOU ACTUALLY WIN? >> THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS, PROTECT A LARGE PART OF THOSE ASSETS RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE. REPORTER: BRIAN KRONEBERGER, A FINANCIAL ADVISOR WITH RBC WEALTH MANAGEMENT, HAS HAD A NUMBER OF LOTTERY WINNING CLIENTS. HE TELLS US, RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE INTEREST RATES ARE SO HIGH, THERE ARE PLENTY OF SAFE PLACES TO PARK THE ESTIMATED $400 MILLION. THAT’S WHAT YOU WOULD GET AS A LUMP SUM AFTER TAXES. KRONEBERGER ALSO SAYS IT IS IMPORTANT TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK TO MAKE SURE YOUR BEST INTERESTS ARE TAKEN CARE OF. >> WE HUMBLE, -- BE HUMBLE, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THAT YOU SURROUND YOURSELVES WITH GOOD ADVISORS, THOSE ADVISORS, YOU ARE GOING TO LEAN ON A LOT OVER THE YEARS. >> EVERY SEVERAL CLIENTS I’VE HAD WITH A WINNING TICKET, THEY DON’T SLEEP UNTIL THAT WINNING TICKET IS INTENDED TO. REPORTER: ATTORNEY KURT PANOUSES, WHO HAS HAD ALMOST 50 LOTTERY CLIENTS, TWO THAT WON JACKPOTS OVER $1 BILLION, ECHOS THAT ADVICE. AN ESTATE ATTORNEY CAN HELP WITH TAXES AND MAKING SURE ANYONE YOU WANT TO GIVE MONEY TO CAN BE PROTECTED, AS WELL. >> THAT’S GOING TO BE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY, MORE THAN THEY HAVE EVER USED BEFORE OR HAD ACCESS TO BEFORE. SO THEY MAY SAY, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO SHARE THIS WITH FAMILY MEMBERS, I WANT TO SHARE THIS WITH MY CHILDREN. REPORTER: PANOUSES ALSO RECOMMENDS STORING THE TICKET IN A VERY SAFE PLACE AND TAKING TWO TO THREE WEEKS TO IRON EVERYTHING OUT. IF NO ONE WINS TONIGHT’S JACKPOT, I AND TOLD -- I AM TOLD IT WOULD RULE OVER TO MORE THAN $1.5 BILLION, WHICH COULD MAKE IT THE LARGEST JACKPOT IN U.S. HISTORY. TONIGHT’S DRAWING, RIGHT HERE ON WBAL T