Powerball selling 100,000 tickets per minute

Nov 27, 2012, 7:03 pm (67 comments)

Powerball

Half-billion dollar jackpot generating unprecedented sales

MUSL also expects to award $70 million in non-jackpot cash prizes Wednesday

By Todd Northrop

Player enthusiasm nationwide for Wednesday night's Powerball jackpot, the largest in Powerball history, has resulted in record sales leading to an increase today in the estimated jackpot amount to $500 million — currently the largest in the world, and the second largest jackpot in U.S. lottery history.

Besides the jackpot, Powerball is expected to award nearly $70 million in cash prizes from Wednesday's draw.

"Nationally, Powerball is selling at an average rate of 105,000 tickets per minute," said Chuck Strutt, Director of the Multi-State Lottery Association.  And, we expect sales to remain strong until game close for Wednesday night's drawing."

All profits from Powerball sales remain in the state where the tickets were sold. While this series of rollovers has not yet resulted in a jackpot winner, millions of players have won lower tier prizes of up to $2 million, retailers have netted millions in commissions collectively and revenue has been generated to support worthwhile causes in every Powerball state.

"We know large jackpots attract players but frequent winning experiences is what keeps players coming back to the game," said Norman Lingle, Executive Director of the South Dakota Lottery and Chairman of the Powerball Game Group. "All players should be sure to check their tickets. Even if they don't win the jackpot, they can still win cash prizes between $4 and $2 million. With $70 million in cash prizes expected to be awarded Wednesday, in addition to any jackpot that may be won, we anticipate a high number of winners overall. So check your tickets."

Besides the ten jackpot winners so far in 2012, Powerball paid out over $827 million in cash prizes through November. In the 15 draws of the current run, Powerball has paid out $56 million Match 5 prizes. In last Saturday's draw alone, Powerball paid out over $25 million in cash for all prize levels.

For an extra $1 per ticket, players can add Power Play, a feature that allows players to win two to four times their non-jackpot prizes per play, including the chance to win up to $2 million for matching five white ball numbers excluding the Powerball. A player must choose the Power Play option on his/her Powerball playslip or tell the retailer that they wish to purchase a Power Play ticket.

Lottery players are urged to check the winning numbers Wednesday night at USA Mega (www.usamega.com). State lottery Web sites are normally brought to a standstill during busy periods, while USA Mega normally remains responsive.

Powerball drawing results will be posted immediately after the 10:59 pm drawing at USA Mega. The number of winners and new jackpot will be announced after all participating Powerball states have reported their data, which normally occurs within a couple of hours after the drawing.

Tickets will remain on sale typically until 10:45 pm Eastern Time on Wednesday, although players should check with a lottery retailer in their state for the exact sales cutoff time. Players are advised not to wait until the last minute.

The odds of winning the jackpot are approximately 1 in 175 million. The odds of winning any of the Powerball prizes are approximately 1 in 32.

Lottery players can see an after-tax analysis of the current Powerball jackpot by visiting USA Mega's Jackpot Analysis page.

Powerball features nine different prize levels, ranging from $4 all the way up to the jackpot. Players can win even if they just match one number — the Powerball number.

States also offer the Power Play option for an extra dollar per ticket purchased. The Power Play multiplies any non-jackpot prizes won by a fixed amount, depending on the prize level won.

Players who purchase the Power Play and win second prize will automatically have their prize increased by 2x to $2 million.

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

Original Bey's avatarOriginal Bey

I wonder how the rate of sales now compare to the MM jackpot in March.

 

It will increase again at or around noon tomorrow by at lease 100m and by draw time it should be in the mid to late 600s!

 

Party

If you're waiting on a rollover, don't hold your breath.

Original Bey's avatarOriginal Bey

It would be soooo sweet if someone can win the MM jackpot tonight. With no serious competitor, people will go out of their minds 2 dollars at a time!

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

Maybe It'll be me, I doubled my chances w/ an Xtra ticket.  LOL

ONEDAY's avatarONEDAY

i like to see go to 1 billion//and some on win with 1 ticket!!

Ronnie316

I bought a few today............

Ronnie316

Someone do the math of 100k per minute for the next 24 hours????????????

C0w Pi3

that's 144,000,000 tickets x $2 per = $288,000,000 in the pot added.

Ronnie316

Quote: Originally posted by C0w Pi3 on Nov 27, 2012

that's 144,000,000 tickets x $2 per = $288,000,000 in the pot added.

Sound good....... So the entire field of combinations can be covered in one day.......

rock_nc's avatarrock_nc

I hope there will be Multiple winners. Just as long as I will be one of them!

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

Quote: Originally posted by Ronnie316 on Nov 27, 2012

Sound good....... So the entire field of combinations can be covered in one day.......

calculations are correct but sales will slow overnight and pull the average down.

JonnyBgood07's avatarJonnyBgood07

Quote: Originally posted by Ronnie316 on Nov 27, 2012

Sound good....... So the entire field of combinations can be covered in one day.......

That's what I'm not getting....there has to be some software bias they are able to send to terminals nationally.

I just can't conceive all the combos not being covered...even by time the thing hits 100-200 million

Original Bey's avatarOriginal Bey

Quote: Originally posted by haymaker on Nov 27, 2012

calculations are correct but sales will slow overnight and pull the average down.

Agreed but it will probably double the current rate in the last few hours to draw time.

Artist77's avatarArtist77

I am checking out apartments on Zillow to buy in Paris near the Eiffel Tower.

rock_nc's avatarrock_nc

I got my 10 dollars worth for Wednesday night. 5 Jackpot winners total from NC in all from past drawings, time to add another one! ME!

Original Bey's avatarOriginal Bey

Quote: Originally posted by Artist77 on Nov 27, 2012

I am checking out apartments on Zillow to buy in Paris near the Eiffel Tower.

Who knew $2 could buy you a ticket to 1st class? Lol!

 

I would get a nice classic french stlye hoome in Southern France as well. Lots of landscape and beautiful architecture at reasonable rates. Keep in mind reasonable is relative as France holds the most expensive real estate.

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

Quote: Originally posted by Original Bey on Nov 27, 2012

Agreed but it will probably double the current rate in the last few hours to draw time.

Well, you're right, 25+ hrs. to go, could pull the average up.

Ronnie316

Quote: Originally posted by JonnyBgood07 on Nov 27, 2012

That's what I'm not getting....there has to be some software bias they are able to send to terminals nationally.

I just can't conceive all the combos not being covered...even by time the thing hits 100-200 million

Pseudo random combinations are generated at the local terminals.

Artist77's avatarArtist77

Quote: Originally posted by Original Bey on Nov 27, 2012

Who knew $2 could buy you a ticket to 1st class? Lol!

 

I would get a nice classic french stlye hoome in Southern France as well. Lots of landscape and beautiful architecture at reasonable rates. Keep in mind reasonable is relative as France holds the most expensive real estate.

$3.   I always get powerplay.  Check out this place. http://www.justfrancesales.com/property.aspx?id=468  I want to be in the best district of course....7th.

brucevang12

I bought $5.00 worth of Megamillions ticket for tonight. That way if I win I can hurry and claim it without too much media attention.

Ronnie316

Quote: Originally posted by brucevang12 on Nov 27, 2012

I bought $5.00 worth of Megamillions ticket for tonight. That way if I win I can hurry and claim it without too much media attention.

Good idea, I got some extras for tonight too......

Ronnie316

Quote: Originally posted by Artist77 on Nov 27, 2012

$3.   I always get powerplay.  Check out this place. http://www.justfrancesales.com/property.aspx?id=468  I want to be in the best district of course....7th.

Im going for the JP so powerplay would not help me....

Original Bey's avatarOriginal Bey

Quote: Originally posted by Artist77 on Nov 27, 2012

$3.   I always get powerplay.  Check out this place. http://www.justfrancesales.com/property.aspx?id=468  I want to be in the best district of course....7th.

Powerplay won't get you in a French dark alley - lol.

 

You have refined tastes so we have to make sure you get a share of the big pot.

Artist77's avatarArtist77

Quote: Originally posted by Original Bey on Nov 27, 2012

Powerplay won't get you in a French dark alley - lol.

 

You have refined tastes so we have to make sure you get a share of the big pot.

Thanks!  I guess we can share the jackpot.  I plan to spend my days there reading Voltaire and Hugo and eating crepes every day.

Original Bey's avatarOriginal Bey

Quote: Originally posted by Artist77 on Nov 27, 2012

Thanks!  I guess we can share the jackpot.  I plan to spend my days there reading Voltaire and Hugo and eating crepes every day.

Crepes?

 

Let me put it this way....I will hire a liver donor in advance - lol!

Artist77's avatarArtist77

Quote: Originally posted by Original Bey on Nov 27, 2012

Crepes?

 

Let me put it this way....I will hire a liver donor in advance - lol!

lol lol    Not a drinker....one has to be alert to manage that jackpot money.

Original Bey's avatarOriginal Bey

Quote: Originally posted by Artist77 on Nov 27, 2012

lol lol    Not a drinker....one has to be alert to manage that jackpot money.

Not a drinker myself. The closest I get to alcohol is communion wine but in France, who knows?

GTR1946's avatarGTR1946

Hi LP members have an idea to come up with a winning Power ball number post the last digit or two digits of your member number on your post.Every 7 post will be a number to play, My number is 30 never can tell we may come up with the winning numbers.                                                                                                                                                      Good luck to all on the Power Ball !               #30 

KY Floyd's avatarKY Floyd

Quote: Originally posted by JonnyBgood07 on Nov 27, 2012

That's what I'm not getting....there has to be some software bias they are able to send to terminals nationally.

I just can't conceive all the combos not being covered...even by time the thing hits 100-200 million

Here's a simplified version if how it works when all combinations are chosen randomly. After selling about 17.5 million tickets 10% of the combinations have been covered. That means that 10% of the next few million tickets can be expected to repeat combinations that have already been sold. After 20% of the combinations have been sold we should expect that 20% of the next few million will be duplicates. And so on. If sales are high enough that 90% of combinations have been sold  we should expect that only 10% of the next few million tickets will be unplayed combinations. When 95% are sold only 1 in 20 will use a new combination. That means that selling the last 5% of combinations would require selling 175 million tickets.

Since a lot of combinations aren't chosen randomly, it takes even more sales to cover a given percentage of the combinations. People play favorite numbers that are often calendar numbers, and they play patterns on the betslips. As a very rough guess I'd bet that a typical drawing that sells 15 million tickets uses no more than 12 or 13 million combinations.

If the jackpot gets bumped up again to 600 million it will mean that MUSL is expecting to sell about 275 million tickets. That should use about 85% of the combinations, giving us about a 1 in 6 chance of a rollover. If it does roll we can probably expect sales to use 90% or more of the combinations, but even if it jumps $500 million there will be plenty of combinations that don't get used, and a slight chance of yet another rollover.

Jill34786's avatarJill34786

Quote: Originally posted by Artist77 on Nov 27, 2012

$3.   I always get powerplay.  Check out this place. http://www.justfrancesales.com/property.aspx?id=468  I want to be in the best district of course....7th.

There are a few nice districts in Paris, 8.4 million Euro works out to roughly 11 million U.S.  I would personally rather spend that kind of money for an apartment in NY instead because you will be looking at 75% income taxes should you relocate to France.

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by KY Floyd on Nov 27, 2012

Here's a simplified version if how it works when all combinations are chosen randomly. After selling about 17.5 million tickets 10% of the combinations have been covered. That means that 10% of the next few million tickets can be expected to repeat combinations that have already been sold. After 20% of the combinations have been sold we should expect that 20% of the next few million will be duplicates. And so on. If sales are high enough that 90% of combinations have been sold  we should expect that only 10% of the next few million tickets will be unplayed combinations. When 95% are sold only 1 in 20 will use a new combination. That means that selling the last 5% of combinations would require selling 175 million tickets.

Since a lot of combinations aren't chosen randomly, it takes even more sales to cover a given percentage of the combinations. People play favorite numbers that are often calendar numbers, and they play patterns on the betslips. As a very rough guess I'd bet that a typical drawing that sells 15 million tickets uses no more than 12 or 13 million combinations.

If the jackpot gets bumped up again to 600 million it will mean that MUSL is expecting to sell about 275 million tickets. That should use about 85% of the combinations, giving us about a 1 in 6 chance of a rollover. If it does roll we can probably expect sales to use 90% or more of the combinations, but even if it jumps $500 million there will be plenty of combinations that don't get used, and a slight chance of yet another rollover.

Great explanation. Thumbs Up

weshar75's avatarweshar75

I am thinking that someone is going to get lucky tomorrow night on powerball.  I just hope it is me!  Good luck!-wseshar75

US Flag

zinniagirl's avatarzinniagirl

Quote: Originally posted by GTR1946 on Nov 27, 2012

Hi LP members have an idea to come up with a winning Power ball number post the last digit or two digits of your member number on your post.Every 7 post will be a number to play, My number is 30 never can tell we may come up with the winning numbers.                                                                                                                                                      Good luck to all on the Power Ball !               #30 

First thing, welcome to Lottery Post!

That sounds like a fun thing to do.   Although, over half of us have the last two numbers as non playable numbers.   But I do like your number!!

 

Good luck to all.

sully16's avatarsully16

Thats a lot of tickets being sold, had a nice line at the gas station.

ashabug725's avatarashabug725

Quote: Originally posted by sully16 on Nov 27, 2012

Thats a lot of tickets being sold, had a nice line at the gas station.

Maybe we have too many gas stations... Or places that sell tix here, but I've never waited in a line for ppl getting any lottery tickets... Not that I'm complaining, but could be interesting!!

Nikkicute's avatarNikkicute

Quote: Originally posted by ashabug725 on Nov 27, 2012

Maybe we have too many gas stations... Or places that sell tix here, but I've never waited in a line for ppl getting any lottery tickets... Not that I'm complaining, but could be interesting!!

I was about to post the samething, I've never waited in line to buy tickets.

Those super long lines on t.v. never seen those around here.

Original Bey's avatarOriginal Bey

Madre de Dios!

 

Someone won the MM Jackpot tonight.

 

With MM back at 12m there is no real competitor out there.

 

PB stands alone in Amercia as the Big Wig.

 

Sales will hit Pluto!

ashabug725's avatarashabug725

Quote: Originally posted by Original Bey on Nov 28, 2012

Madre de Dios!

 

Someone won the MM Jackpot tonight.

 

With MM back at 12m there is no real competitor out there.

 

PB stands alone in Amercia as the Big Wig.

 

Sales will hit Pluto!

Where'd u get that info? Isn't showing on mm website or usamega.... Not doubting u... Just curious!!!

Original Bey's avatarOriginal Bey

Quote: Originally posted by ashabug725 on Nov 28, 2012

Where'd u get that info? Isn't showing on mm website or usamega.... Not doubting u... Just curious!!!

GA won MM tonight!

Factorem's avatarFactorem

Quote: Originally posted by ashabug725 on Nov 28, 2012

Where'd u get that info? Isn't showing on mm website or usamega.... Not doubting u... Just curious!!!

It is on usamega.com posted at 1:12 AM

"1:12 am – Mega Millions Jackpot Winner!  There was one $49 million jackpot winner from Georgia in the Tuesday, November 27, 2012 Mega Millions drawing."

ashabug725's avatarashabug725

Quote: Originally posted by Factorem on Nov 28, 2012

It is on usamega.com posted at 1:12 AM

"1:12 am – Mega Millions Jackpot Winner!  There was one $49 million jackpot winner from Georgia in the Tuesday, November 27, 2012 Mega Millions drawing."

It wasn't at the time.. took about 30-40 mins later to be posted

pillsbury's avatarpillsbury

Quote: Originally posted by ashabug725 on Nov 28, 2012

It wasn't at the time.. took about 30-40 mins later to be posted

It was posted on the GA lottery website under the MM section with the number of winners for the drawing.

balyanango

Yes, someone from Georgia did win the $49 million Mega Jackpot!!!

lowerAL251's avatarlowerAL251

500 mill.......<snip>!!!!!!!!!!

This post has been automatically changed by the Lottery Post computer system to remove inappropriate content and/or spam.

Sosaman66

Quote: Originally posted by Original Bey on Nov 28, 2012

Madre de Dios!

 

Someone won the MM Jackpot tonight.

 

With MM back at 12m there is no real competitor out there.

 

PB stands alone in Amercia as the Big Wig.

 

Sales will hit Pluto!

Even if nobody won MM, it'd only be around 60-70M for Friday's drawing. Does anybody honestly think that a 60-70M jackpot would be serious "competition" to Powerball's sales? Pretty sure it would have had very minimal, if any, impact on Powerball's sales.  Sadly, I flew from Minneapolis to Los Angeles Monday morning for a week long vacation, and they don't sell Powerball tickets here in CA :(

 

Good thing I bought a 2-draw advance play ticket on Sunday night before I left the state :) I'll be celebrating plenty out here when I win! Perhaps my vacation will take a Vegas detour should that happen ;)

 

Best of luck to everybody!

jamella724

"PB is selling105,000 tickets per minute", just wondering how they do that? Lottery hopefuls all over the world might have been praying so hard to win the jackpot prize.  I couldn't imagine how big the money is. 

beaudad's avatarbeaudad

I guess old friends and distant family members will be contacting me for some of it....oh well....I wonder if they would do that for me.........well they say they will.....but they don't.....but I do have some good friends...............somebody's gonna win it....it might as well be me.............lol......

(I will plug Lottery Post if I win)........It's 8 am....wednesday....I guess I will take my dog  "Beau" and get a ticket.....they like us there....they give him "pepperoni in the drive thru"...last week they gave me 2 powerball shirts......bye....

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

 100,000 tickets per minute......WOW!!!!!!!Thud

sully16's avatarsully16

Lottery retailers are having a great day, my husband told me last night at the gas station, some guy spent 700 dollars on easy picks, yikes.....

Ronnie316

I'm sure lots of people will be buying a 100 or more thinking they will be the winner........

Ronnie316

I can just see a lot of people are thinking..... "I have a really good chance at winning this".......

mcginnin56

Quote: Originally posted by Ronnie316 on Nov 28, 2012

I'm sure lots of people will be buying a 100 or more thinking they will be the winner........

The $1 billion jackpot is assured with generous players like these!

Ronnie316

Quote: Originally posted by mcginnin56 on Nov 28, 2012

The $1 billion jackpot is assured with generous players like these!

They should have a rule where they postpone the drawing for a day if they want to......What?

Ronnie316

Quote: Originally posted by Ronnie316 on Nov 28, 2012

They should have a rule where they postpone the drawing for a day if they want to......What?

They could just say that the drawing machine is in the shop for repairs............

mcginnin56

Quote: Originally posted by Ronnie316 on Nov 28, 2012

They could just say that the drawing machine is in the shop for repairs............

Or the lottery ball activator guy called in sick that day.

Ronnie316

Quote: Originally posted by mcginnin56 on Nov 28, 2012

Or the lottery ball activator guy called in sick that day.

Right..... 24 hours would be reasonable expectations for enlisting a replacement......

golfer1960's avatargolfer1960

Where you at Ridge?

Ridge

Ronnie316

Ridge is throwin up smoke signals as fast as he can, with the little woman in town hollerin out the numbers for the the clerk to put in the playin contraption for gettin them PB tickets.......What?

helpmewin's avatarhelpmewin

where does the draw come from? what state?

 

i mean who draws these numbers for power ball & mega ball? What?

Cletu$2's avatarCletu$2

Quote: Originally posted by helpmewin on Nov 28, 2012

where does the draw come from? what state?

 

i mean who draws these numbers for power ball & mega ball? What?

Powerball is drawn in Florida.Orlando,I think.

I'm not sure about MegaMillions,but I think I read somewhere that it was drawn in Georgia,but I could be wrong.

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