According to local media reports, Powerball lottery tickets will soon be sold in Maryland and Massachusetts. Other Mega Millions states are sure to follow.
Maryland Lottery Director Buddy Roogow expects the sales to begin in the next four or five months. The decision is a result of lots of negotiations between officials in the states that operate Mega Millions and Powerball over the last seveal months.
Roogow says an official announcement is likely to come in the next few days. He says sales of Powerball tickets in Maryland should bring in $25 million in additional revenue each year to the state. And he expects sales to total $50 million in a full year.
Roogow was asked if the states have agreed to sell each other's big game tickets does that mean the games would be combined into one in the future? Roogow says that is now in discussion but he expects any movement to create a national game to be years away. He says it would take a large amount of software and a big agreement from the states.
Roogow says 34 states now take part in the Powerball game and 12 states play Mega Millions.
"To me it's like going into a store and having your choice of different brands of bread or different brands of milk. Now they will have a choice of different brands of super jackpot games," says Roogow.
He says market research shows that most adults that live in states where big jackpot games are offered end up buying a ticket, so having Powerball and Mega Millions sales in Maryland are expected to drive in more customers.
Roogow says they will need to work out the logistics of selling the Powerball tickets in Maryland in the next few months by working with the lottery vendor.
In Massachusetts, Sandi Austin took a break from her Saturday morning Keno game to applaud this week's decision to bring Powerball — and its enticing and eye-popping jackpots — to the state.
"It's wonderful, because it will help the economy," said Austin, at a convenience store in South Boston, where she said she spends $5 a week on state-sponsored gambling.
But she spends more than that when she visits her daughter in New Hampshire, where retailers are already authorized to sell Powerball tickets.
On Wednesday, the Multi-State Lottery Association agreed to bring Powerball to Massachusetts. The decision is part of a larger agreement that will allow retailers in Massachusetts and 44 other state lotteries to sell both Mega Millions and Powerball tickets.
For Massachusetts, adding Powerball could increase by $25 to $40 million the money the state Lottery already gives to the state's 351 communities, officials say.
But inside the crowded Tedeschi's Food Market, cashier Ghazi Awn said a lot of his customers would be hurt by the expanded gambling options.
As he looked out at the cluster of tired-looking people, sitting at the store's tables, scratching away at lottery tickets, he said, "It may be good for the economy, but it's not good for some people."
Each year, the state lottery hands over a percentage of its earnings to Massachusetts' cities and towns, which can use the money however they want.
Last year's sum was $935 million, which the Lottery said is 23 percent of its revenues, after prizes and expenses were subtracted.
And as state leaders scramble to plug an estimated $600 million gap in the state's budget, Powerball and the money it is expected to generate for the state has been viewed as a much welcome additon.
State Treasurer Tim Cahill, who chairs the state's Lottery Commission, has called the agreement "a win-win for everyone involved, especially the taxpayers of Massachusetts." Cahill, who is running for governor as an independent, called it a boon for local aid revenues.
If all goes as planned, Powerball and its gigantic and well-publicized paydays could be here as soon as January.
Yesterday at Tedeschi's, several gamblers mentioned the four Nebraska factory workers who won a $365 million jackpot in 2006, but none knew that the winners defied the game's 1 in 195 million odds.
Supporters of the expansion agreement say the 45-state pact will increase the frequency, size and scope of the jackpots.
But Linda Masse of South Boston isn't buying it.
"We already have enough games, and you don't ever win those," she said. "This is just going to lower the odds of winning even more."
I hope this also happens in New York soon...Every weekend we take a ride to CT. for Powerball tickets....CT. is a beautfull state but high with taxes....I asked on this form a few months ago about how would i be taxed if i win Powerbal in CT. but live in New York State...If you guys remeber ,it started some really good fireworks...One LP member even called me a morun for taking information about taxes from other LP friends...
This will make it convenient for me, as I will not have to drive so far(De, Pa,DC), save on gas and mileage.
I hope Marylanders will be able to pick up some big wins with the Powerball, because, as it is with Megamillion, wins are pretty hard to come by.
Welcome Maryland!
Can't wait for it to come to Illinois...would save me the short drive to either Wisconsin (least preferred but more convenient for Powerball from Northern Chicagoland area) or Indiana (preferred but hate the 3 hour roundtrip drive...only go on down to Indy if I am headed to Chicago or the south side for any reason). This won't adversely affect people as stated as if people play responsibly like I do (only for the most part buying a ticket for every drawing), it will actually help in cutting down on gasoline consumption. I for one would be able to just run...yes, run with my feet, down to the nearby convenience store and purchase all my tickets for the month all at once. Hopefully, when the Powerball game comes to Illinois, we will be able to play up to 15 advance draws like with Mega Millions. Of course, states like NC have it even better with advance plays up to 52 draws...talk about getting your play in for the next 6 months all at once!
Of course, I also may purchase an additional quick pick or two whenever the jackpot keeps rolling up, but I no longer plunk down $40 or more on a single drawing. I would feel more satisfaction winning just playing less than $5 per drawing than anything larger than that; my lottery playing in no way adversely impacts my short-term or long-term savings/investing goals as I put away nice sums for both purposes. Of course, let my six numbers match up with the next future drawings and I'll be able to put away much more for both purposes, pay off ALL of my consumer debt, and live in the lifestyle I so chose.
I want megamillions to come to North Carolina...
or have north and south carolina have a joint lottery jackpot game.
Quick question, would this mean that powerball would lower the odds of winning the powerball?
I remember when FL and couple other states joined powerball, they made the odds worse to 1:195,000,000.
would they do they same, when Maryland and MA joins the powerball around January of next year?
Right now the powerball odds are the same for every state that has powerball. If you mean will they change the matrix of the game to suite them, that remains to be seen. If they do then they will probably up the odds.
I'm with you on that i like powerball but i don't like driving to DC PA DE for tickets.
As for mega millions wins we have had many 250 grand winners and several of the largest jackpots have been won here.
the fact where about to have the 2 major jackpots,
be played in any state that wants to have both
is insane big news, i say news story of the YEAR for lotto people :D if not decade
cant wait for the "offical press by pb and mm officals talking about the details
i hope tn gets MM and fast,
on the good news they are right about 1 thing
fast growing jackpots =major win for us all, more winners ya, but i feel if whats about to happen, happens
6+ or more states, all joining pb in 1 year, you can bet your ass they are upping the odds also LOL
even more so if CA.newyork, the big pop states join pb
both games will grow so fast in 2010 i can feel it
hell this is better then 1 big national game,
both will be big national jackpot games, so when one gets hit,
i just play the other, whatever is biger if their not both big :D
woot for lotto users ever where, thank god we can all now play both "soon"
i my self have travaled to diff states to play record jackpots in other states, thank god that will soon be over with in the coming year or so
i hope the massive rush of news stories of ever state joining the other game they dont offer each starts really soon,
here to hoping 2010 = year of the big national jackpots, 2 of them comes to life!
lets all witness the epic jackpots that sure to come down the 2010 year leading to this 45-state pact agreement to sell both games in ever state that wants too!
woot woot, hello epic jackpots, they are coming!
i hate to rain on the parade but i think it is giong to suck. it will lead to one big national lottery. the odds of winning has gone down the last few years on both games. i play both games and i have not had a win over 3 for mega in a long time. Powerball is more forgiving but it is hard to with too.
mark my words it will be one game eventually.
if you doubt me read my blog.
I am hoping that this will lead to Idaho also getting Mega Millions!
I hope your assessment is not correct, however offering choice is a great move. I hope Georgia jumps on the bandwagon real soon.
I wouldn't care if MM and PB consolidated into one big national game AS LONG AS:
1) The matrix is not increased from the current Mega Millions or Powerball matrices (preferably take the lower one);
2) The drawings are maintained at 4 times a week...Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday which would mean crazy rollovers when not hit or multiple hits in the week when hit...therefore more excitement.
3) I get hired on to run the whole schebang!
Okay actually the first two are my main points...I would not in any way want to be involved with the lottery as that would mean I would not be able to play it and possibly win it!
OldSchoolPa wrote: Okay actually the first two are my main points...I would not in any way want to be involved with the lottery as that would mean I would not be able to play it and possibly win it!
Why not with a yearly salary in the 7 digits and bonus's inside of ten years you would easily amass the amount of a beginning lottery payout. You wouldn't have to deal with the tremendous odds of winning because you'd already be a winner having secured the most lucrative job of mega- powerball director.