Just when it seemed as if the Powerball game had broken all records, yet another milestone has been set with the current jackpot of $220 million: It's the first time two consecutive jackpots have surpassed $200 million.
The staggering $220 million jackpot for tomorrow night's drawing follows the last record-setter of $365 million, won in February by a group of eight third-shift workers at a meat-packing plant in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The last time two big jackpots paired up was in 2003, when consecutive jackpots over $100 million were won. The first jackpot won was on August 30, 2003 by a player in New Hampshire for a $135 million jackpot. That was followed by a $191 million jackpot won on October 25, 2003 and split by tickets sold in Indiana and Minnesota.
In the past year, the Powerball jackpot has reached $200 million or more ten times. According to the Chairman of the Powerball Group and the Director of the West Virginia Lottery, John Musgrave, the high jackpots have been mostly due to the luck of the draw.
"The Powerball game was changed in August of 2005 and the new design predicted that the jackpot would be above $200 million four or five times per year," said Musgrave. "Lotto games runs on averages and Powerball is having an extraordinary year."
Jackpots are also climbing faster than ever before.
"It normally takes 12 or more draws to reach a jackpot of $100 million, but the current run went past $100 million in just nine draws," said Musgrave.
The current string of drawings has also shaved a week (two draws) off the race to $200 million — passing that number in 15 draws.
"The game change really caught on," said Musgrave, who is also the Acting Cabinet Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Revenue. "We doubled some low-tier prizes; we were able to create a new Match 5 Bonus prize level twice and we also ran the 10X promotion that let winners multiply their prizes ten times."
Last October, the Powerball game was changed to increase the odds of hitting the jackpot, but the game also doubled the prizes for matching five numbers to $200,000 and for matching four numbers to $10,000. In addition, a new prize level, called the Match 5 Bonus prize, went into effect, paying a special cash prize pool of $19.6 million to qualifying winners on February 16, 2006 and a larger cash pool of $32 million shared by 49 players last October. The PowerPlay 10X promotion allowed winners who bought the PowerPlay option the chance to multiply their prizes by ten times during all of last month.
Sales in the Powerball game passed the previous year's sales of nearly $2 billion ($1,974,015,851) after just eight months of the current fiscal year — which began July 1, 2005.
"Higher sales means more money for the benefits designated by each state for lottery profits," said Musgrave.
Lawmakers in each lottery jurisdiction determine how it will spend lottery profits. Common benefit programs are to support education, environment, economic development, and programs to aid senior citizens.
Since the game's first drawing on April 22, 1992, Powerball has given away an estimated $6.5 billion dollars in jackpot winnings to over 200 instant millionaires. The game also has the distinction of awarding over half of the world's 20 highest lottery jackpots.
This is gonna be a fun week!!! That is what I just seen when I checked the stats!!! I was just coming in here to comment about it, I KNEW there HAD to be a forum about it!!! I dont know why but I am sooooooo excited this week. This is my 1st time playing with them both so high and I got my pool's in on BOTH of them!!!! Good luck to everyone and I hope that you win some CASH!!!!
I do know that it just kills me how different that they pay outs are 101 for PB and 125 MM that is a HUGE difference when your talking in MIllions!!!! .... Kind of makes me want to get some more tickets on the side (tee hee hee ) I just might have to do that!!!! Ya know latley seems like there are alot of STRANGE things going on around here with our lotto like BIG DOUBLE HITTERS in there life. Would it NOT be NUTS if someone played both and hit on both LMAO OMG what a lotto post that would be!!!! So yeah I am bored at work if ya ll cant tell HAHAHA so as we all set here and get PUMPED for our Lotto Pool's GO LUCKY G's 5!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm happy that PB continues to roll, but also set a new milestone for having two $200+ million jackpots in a row. I hope that PB continues to roll until someone hits a jackpot around 375 to 389 million.
I go into a store in SC today and give the clerk my 3 PB cards. She puts them into the machine and it only gives me one cards worth.
She said the machine is out of paper and they don't have any more . DOH !!! On the day of the drawing for a 220 MILL JP ? Now that's what I call real smart planning.....
I go into a store in SC today and give the clerk my 3 PB cards. She puts them into the machine and it only gives me one cards worth.
She said the machine is out of paper and they don't have any more . DOH !!! On the day of the drawing for a 220 MILL JP ? Now that's what I call real smart planning.....
So, I go across the street for my other cards.
Whatever !!!!
DD WOW, Yeah dont sound like the store in IN TOUCH with the Lotto World lol, Only a MORON would let his store run out of Paper on a week like this, Well all in all I am glad that you got your Lotto Tickets!!! Maybe it was a sign for ya!! Maybe the Machine across the street is the one that was suppose to give you the winning number ya never know !!!!! Things happen for a reason
I go into a store in SC today and give the clerk my 3 PB cards. She puts them into the machine and it only gives me one cards worth.
She said the machine is out of paper and they don't have any more . DOH !!! On the day of the drawing for a 220 MILL JP ? Now that's what I call real smart planning.....
So, I go across the street for my other cards.
Whatever !!!!
DD WOW, Yeah dont sound like the store in IN TOUCH with the Lotto World lol, Only a MORON would let his store run out of Paper on a week like this, Well all in all I am glad that you got your Lotto Tickets!!! Maybe it was a sign for ya!! Maybe the Machine across the street is the one that was suppose to give you the winning number ya never know !!!!! Things happen for a reason
I sure hope you are right Sassy....
Good luck to all LP members on tonight's drawing !
Well, I have tickets in both MM and PB. The excitement to have both of them over the $200 million mark is incredible. I think if one person were to hit both in one week or within a week or two, their life would be extraordinarily unique/blessed.
I'll settle for the MM if I had to decide between the two only because it is higher. Common sense.
that is what I am saying I got tickets for both and debating about getting more LOL What can I say ...SHOW ME THE MONEY!! I am there with ya the difference between our states is 25 mill so I would not complain about either Believe ME YOU LOL I would take either But the Mega is showing more love!!
May they each roll for one more week. I have no problem seeing the amounts increase. Tis true that the PB lacks the cash payouts in comparison to MegaBall. I'd be content to hit both at the second tier level. Though my heart is set on winning both!
Not keen on the fact that PB is winning the cash , hand over foot, by seeing the rolls! The interest they are making off that is more then profitable! They need to back off their greediness. Its the players money not theirs! We should have more say in how its managed and devied.
May they each roll for one more week. I have no problem seeing the amounts increase. Tis true that the PB lacks the cash payouts in comparison to MegaBall. I'd be content to hit both at the second tier level. Though my heart is set on winning both!
Not keen on the fact that PB is winning the cash , hand over foot, by seeing the rolls! The interest they are making off that is more then profitable! They need to back off their greediness. Its the players money not theirs! We should have more say in how its managed and devied.
I am so sick of this Powerball propaganda. The players got a major screwing last year after the matrix change and this nitwit spokesman comes out and says the changes really caught on? What a crock! It's far more likely the general public is absolutely clueless about the changes and is reacting to the bogusly inflated jackpots.
Imagine Joe and Josephine Schmuck sitting around the kitchen table having a conversation about Powerball:
Joe: Hey honey? Do you realize that last year they made it a lot harder to win Powerball by increasing the odds?
Josephine: Yeah and they inflated the jackpot amount by extending the annuity and backloading it too!
Joe: And would you look at this...now the cash value is reduced to under 50%! I better go out and get some tickets right away.
Josephine: Oh and honey...they just eliminated one of the 5X's multiplier slots too so please remember to "wisely" purchase the Powerplay option too!
Joe: Good idea! More than 97% of all Powerball tickets sold are losers so if we going to lose a dollar we might as well lose 2! After all...the money we lose goes to pay for education and other worthwhile projects in our state.
Josephine (after Joe returns with the tickets): Honey, did you get the Powerball tickets?
Joe: Sure did! And I "wisely" purchased Powerplay too!
Josephine: Good! I sure hope the jackpot rolls again!
NCPicks, your point is well taken. As is the money taken in from the lottery. Its a choice to play, but it can also be within reasonable statistics as well. Increasing the odds is NOT causing the increase in players or funds. Its the fact that the economy is such that the average citizen can only dream of making ends meet by hitting some decent payouts. Which are few and far between. The bottom line is, the PB spokespersons are misleading the public and in the process gaining more revenue by decreasing the jackpot payout. And that is what is so irritating.
I just want to say *cough cough* That the next powerball and mega millions winner will be from OHIO!!!! And um.... with them both being this high, it would be the only appropriate time for the hot ladies of SassaRi to hit BIG!!!!
Pulling for the MM of course, but hey, I'm not going to complain if we're holding the winning PB too! Heck, we play powerplay so match 5 would be just fine with me!
It took PB 14 rollovers to get $220 million with a $101.1 Million cash option.
It took MM 12 rollovers to get $220 Million with a $125 Million cash option.
good luck! to whoever plays either one...
This is gonna be a fun week!!! That is what I just seen when I checked the stats!!! I was just coming in here to comment about it, I KNEW there HAD to be a forum about it!!! I dont know why but I am sooooooo excited this week. This is my 1st time playing with them both so high and I got my pool's in on BOTH of them!!!!
Good luck to everyone and I hope that you win some CASH!!!!
I do know that it just kills me how different that they pay outs are 101 for PB and 125 MM that is a HUGE difference when your talking in MIllions!!!!
.... Kind of makes me want to get some more tickets on the side (tee hee hee ) I just might have to do that!!!! Ya know latley seems like there are alot of STRANGE things going on around here with our lotto like BIG DOUBLE HITTERS in there life. Would it NOT be NUTS if someone played both and hit on both LMAO OMG what a lotto post that would be!!!! 
So yeah I am bored at work if ya ll cant tell HAHAHA so as we all set here and get PUMPED for our Lotto Pool's GO LUCKY G's 5!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm happy that PB continues to roll, but also set a new milestone for having two $200+ million jackpots in a row. I hope that PB continues to roll until someone hits a jackpot around 375 to 389 million.
How's this for luck ?
I go into a store in SC today and give the clerk my 3 PB cards. She puts them into the machine and it only gives me one cards worth.
She said the machine is out of paper and they don't have any more . DOH !!! On the day of the drawing for a 220 MILL JP ? Now that's what I call real smart planning.....
So, I go across the street for my other cards.
Whatever !!!!
How's this for luck ?
I go into a store in SC today and give the clerk my 3 PB cards. She puts them into the machine and it only gives me one cards worth.
She said the machine is out of paper and they don't have any more . DOH !!! On the day of the drawing for a 220 MILL JP ? Now that's what I call real smart planning.....
So, I go across the street for my other cards.
Whatever !!!!
DD WOW, Yeah dont sound like the store in IN TOUCH with the Lotto World lol, Only a MORON would let his store run out of Paper on a week like this, Well all in all I am glad that you got your Lotto Tickets!!! Maybe it was a sign for ya!! Maybe the Machine across the street is the one that was suppose to give you the winning number ya never know !!!!! Things happen for a reason
How's this for luck ?
I go into a store in SC today and give the clerk my 3 PB cards. She puts them into the machine and it only gives me one cards worth.
She said the machine is out of paper and they don't have any more . DOH !!! On the day of the drawing for a 220 MILL JP ? Now that's what I call real smart planning.....
So, I go across the street for my other cards.
Whatever !!!!
DD WOW, Yeah dont sound like the store in IN TOUCH with the Lotto World lol, Only a MORON would let his store run out of Paper on a week like this, Well all in all I am glad that you got your Lotto Tickets!!! Maybe it was a sign for ya!! Maybe the Machine across the street is the one that was suppose to give you the winning number ya never know !!!!! Things happen for a reason
I sure hope you are right Sassy....
Good luck to all LP members on tonight's drawing !
Hopefully tomorrow one of us will be:
Well, I have tickets in both MM and PB. The excitement to have both of them over the $200 million mark is incredible. I think if one person were to hit both in one week or within a week or two, their life would be extraordinarily unique/blessed.
I'll settle for the MM if I had to decide between the two only because it is higher. Common sense.
Good luck to all!
that is what I am saying I got tickets for both and debating about getting more LOL What can I say ...SHOW ME THE MONEY!! I am there with ya the difference between our states is 25 mill so I would not complain about either Believe ME YOU LOL I would take either But the Mega is showing more love!!
May they each roll for one more week. I have no problem seeing the amounts increase. Tis true that the PB lacks the cash payouts in comparison to MegaBall. I'd be content to hit both at the second tier level. Though my heart is set on winning both!
Not keen on the fact that PB is winning the cash , hand over foot, by seeing the rolls! The interest they are making off that is more then profitable! They need to back off their greediness. Its the players money not theirs! We should have more say in how its managed and devied.
May they each roll for one more week. I have no problem seeing the amounts increase. Tis true that the PB lacks the cash payouts in comparison to MegaBall. I'd be content to hit both at the second tier level. Though my heart is set on winning both!
Not keen on the fact that PB is winning the cash , hand over foot, by seeing the rolls! The interest they are making off that is more then profitable! They need to back off their greediness. Its the players money not theirs! We should have more say in how its managed and devied.
I am so sick of this Powerball propaganda. The players got a major screwing last year after the matrix change and this nitwit spokesman comes out and says the changes really caught on? What a crock! It's far more likely the general public is absolutely clueless about the changes and is reacting to the bogusly inflated jackpots.
Imagine Joe and Josephine Schmuck sitting around the kitchen table having a conversation about Powerball:
Joe: Hey honey? Do you realize that last year they made it a lot harder to win Powerball by increasing the odds?
Josephine: Yeah and they inflated the jackpot amount by extending the annuity and backloading it too!
Joe: And would you look at this...now the cash value is reduced to under 50%! I better go out and get some tickets right away.
Josephine: Oh and honey...they just eliminated one of the 5X's multiplier slots too so please remember to "wisely" purchase the Powerplay option too!
Joe: Good idea! More than 97% of all Powerball tickets sold are losers so if we going to lose a dollar we might as well lose 2! After all...the money we lose goes to pay for education and other worthwhile projects in our state.
Josephine (after Joe returns with the tickets): Honey, did you get the Powerball tickets?
Joe: Sure did! And I "wisely" purchased Powerplay too!
Josephine: Good! I sure hope the jackpot rolls again!
Pffffffffffffffffbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbtttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt!
What a crock!
Jim
You left out the part where they force you to buy tickets.
NCPicks, your point is well taken. As is the money taken in from the lottery. Its a choice to play, but it can also be within reasonable statistics as well. Increasing the odds is NOT causing the increase in players or funds. Its the fact that the economy is such that the average citizen can only dream of making ends meet by hitting some decent payouts. Which are few and far between. The bottom line is, the PB spokespersons are misleading the public and in the process gaining more revenue by decreasing the jackpot payout. And that is what is so irritating.
I just want to say *cough cough* That the next powerball and mega millions winner will be from OHIO!!!! And um.... with them both being this high, it would be the only appropriate time for the hot ladies of SassaRi to hit BIG!!!!
Pulling for the MM of course, but hey, I'm not going to complain if we're holding the winning PB too! Heck, we play powerplay so match 5 would be just fine with me!
SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!