Seventy times or seventy times seven?

 In this Sunday's reading from Matthew 18:21-35 as Jesus teaches us about forgiveness, I heard something different in verse 22 than what I had learned as a child,

21 Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ 22 Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven* times.

23 ‘For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; 25 and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. 26 So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.” 27 And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow-slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, “Pay what you owe.” 29 Then his fellow-slave fell down and pleaded with him, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you.” 30 But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow-slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, “You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Should you not have had mercy on your fellow-slave, as I had mercy on you?” 34 And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he should pay his entire debt. 35 So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’ NRSV

Bible Hub presents the ways other translations have interpreted Matthew 18:22, and most commonly it comes across as the familiar (to me) "seventy times seven" rather than "seventy seven" times.

The Greek seems to favor the former over the latter.

ἑβδομηκοντάκις (hebdomēkontakis)

Adverb

Strong's Greek 1441: Seventy times. Multiple adverb from hebdomekonta; seventy times.

ἑπτά (hepta)

Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural

Strong's Greek 2033: Seven. A primary number; seven.

I think Jesus would in practice favor the higher number, 490, but 77 seems more like a number that a first century Jew would consider symbolic. 

In the commentaries quoted at Bible Hub we get this, 

"Seventy times seven. No specific number, but practically unlimited. There is no measure to forgiveness; it must be practised whenever occasion arises. Some translate, 'seventy-seven times,' making an allusion to the retribution exacted from Lamech: 'If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold' (Genesis 4:24). Christian forgiveness must be extended as far as old-world vengeance. Mercy rejoices against judgment. But the genius of the language supports the rendering of the Authorized Version. St. Paul has caught the spirit of his Master when he writes, "Forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:32). In the Mosaic dispensation there was some foreshadowing of the doctrine of forgiveness in the enactments which enjoined tender treatment of debtors, and in the terms of the jubilee law; but there were no rules concerning the pardon of personal injuries; the tendency of many prominent injunctions was to encourage retaliation. Herein is seen an important distinction between the Law and the gospel, the institutions antecedent to the death and atonement of Christ, and those subsequent thereto."

Matthew 18:22 Commentaries

I don't remember anyone asking me for forgiveness more than a couple of times, probably because I avoided them after that, so the number 77 is probably adequate. Anyway, we live in the Blame Age in which people don't ask for forgiveness much.