As Powerball prepares to celebrate its 20th year in 2012, the game is being redesigned to bring more value to its players.
Jackpots will start at $40 million and the jackpot is being made easier to win. The overall odds of winning any prize are also easier, and there are more chances to win a prize of at least $1 million cash. The ticket price also will change, moving from $1 to $2.
Since getting its start in April 1992 in 15 states with jackpots that started at a guaranteed $2 million, Powerball has grown into one of the world's biggest and most recognizable lottery games. Today it's played in 44 jurisdictions across the United States, with players buying more than $3 billion annually in Powerball tickets.
The biggest Powerball jackpot so far was a $365 million prize split by eight co-workers at a Nebraska meat-packing plant in February 2006.
With that success comes a demand for innovation to keep things fresh. Alan Yandow, Vermont Lottery Executive Director and Powerball Group Chair, said lotteries are responding with the latest changes in Powerball.
"Frequently we hear from players suggesting that in addition to Powerball's big jackpots, we give away more $1 million cash prizes," Yandow said. "We're excited to deliver the opportunity to create more millionaires and also provide more opportunities to raise additional revenues for the respected causes benefitted by lotteries."
U.S. lottery directors this month approved the upcoming changes to the game. The enriched Powerball game will debut Jan. 15, 2012. Tickets in the game will cost $2 and the Power Play multiplier feature will still be available for an extra $1 per play. For that extra $1, players have the chance to win $2 million cash for the match 5 prize.
Players in the newly designed game will still choose their first five numbers from a pool of 59, but the group of numbers in the Powerball pool will shrink from 39 to 35, producing better overall odds of winning a prize in the game.
Players today have a 1 in 35 overall chance of winning, which will improve to 1 in 31.8 in the revamped game. The Powerball jackpots will start at $40 million, double the current starting jackpot of $20 million.
The odds of winning the jackpot will still be astronomical, but they will improve a bit to 1 in 175,223,510 — a hair better than Mega Millions' 1 in 175,711,536 odds.
Yandow said that by changing Powerball's ticket price to $2, U.S. lotteries are following the same successful business model they've used for years with lottery scratch games by offering various tickets at different prices. The Mega Millions jackpot game and other in-state lotto and scratch games will still be available for those players who prefer the $1 price level of play.
The new Powerball game will still offer players nine ways to win prizes, with its second prize moving up to $1 million in cash from the current $200,000, and the lowest prize level (for those who match just the Powerball) being elevated to $4 from $3.
Since Powerball's inception on April 19, 1992, the game has generated approximately $33 billion in sales for lotteries that the game supports. About 25 to 35 percent of that amount goes to good causes such as education, senior programs, local towns and the environment; 50 percent is paid in cash prizes and 6 percent goes back to local communities in the form of retailer compensation. Participating Powerball jurisdictions are expected to generate even more money for those good causes by selling the new Powerball game.
Powerball drawings are Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time, 9:59 p.m. Central Time, 8:59 p.m. Mountain Time and 7:59 p.m. Pacific Time. The winning numbers are published within minutes of the drawing at USA Mega (www.usamega.com).
sounds awesome
I wish this had happened a year ago before I started developing my lottery addiction.
At first glance I like it.
If I read the OP right then the Powerplay will be gone.
If the ticket is $2 and the 5 + 0 prize is $1 million it will be a better bet than Mega Millions, kind of. 5 of 56 is still more likely than 5 of 59 but you have to go the other $1 for the Megaplier to turn the 5 + 0 into $1 million.
Since competition is always good for the consumer, let's see what happens to Mega Millions.
I don't like it, their sales will go down and the jackpots will not grow as before. Liars also!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! a $1,000,000 or $2,000,000 prize isn't, they will tax you just the same. 1 in 35 to 1 in 31.8 I'd rather play 10 lines than 5 lines any day, what a hoax..........
My middle finger in case you are wondering Mr. Powerball.
Not at all happy about these changes!!! !!!! This is nothing more than a way for all the lotteries to earn more money by making us spend $2 instead of $1. And the odds changing from 1 in 35 to 1 in 31.8.....HA! What a freakin' joke!!!! Glad I live near the Georgia border where I can, and will, continue to play MegaMillions for just $1.
I don't like this. Last time the changed the game the told us it was for our own good that the increased the odds. Now they have come up with a way to make twice what players usually spend and eliminate "a dollar and a dream" fact by reducing the number of bouns balls. In a couple years when the complain about the poor sales which there will be, they will increase the bonus ball back up. Tada... all we got will be a simple increase (double) in price.
Why do the need more money. They make a ton already. Is this really to give us back more money? I dont believe it.
if you read the systems that i posted you will know that at: $2 the ticket with less than: $2,000 or less than: $1,500 you can win Powerball [i think so, i think i am correct]...would had liked for them to create a 3rd Powerball at $2 and leave the regular PB at: $1...and a: 4th one at: 25 cents...
These are some of the same changes that happened to the Canadian lotteries a couple of years ago. First their main game (Lotto 649) went from $1 a ticket to $2 a ticket. Then Super 7 which already had $2 tickets, was replaced with Lotto Max with $5 tickets.
These changes are not good for individual players. Players have to pay more. What they get in return, larger jackpots, is not of greater value. For an individual, a $100 million jackpot is not twice as valuable as a $50 million jackpot. There are diminishing returns when dealing with huge sums of money.
Larger jackpots only benefit group plays. I never buy individual tickets for the major games such as Lotto 649, Lotto Max, Mega Millions and Powerball. The odds are too large and are only there is support jackpots that are larger than I wish to play for.
In general, the larger the jackpot the higher the cost - in either ticket cost or odds or both.
Hope this doesn't happen with MM.
Oh well, things change!
Tickets in the game will cost $2 and the Power Play multiplier feature will still be available for an extra $1 per play. For that extra $1, players have the chance to win $2 million cash for the match 5 prize.
The above line states what is happening Mr. Coin Toss! So if you were to play one line with the powerplay the total cost will be 3 dollars instead of the original 2 dollars as before the change!
a supercomputer will be able to lower them more...
Powerball is great but it has a flaw there is only 1 winner....
Hope MM comes to florida before 2012
Actually this will probably encourage more people to start spending their lottery dollars on state lotteries instead of PB. I have better odds and have to spend less money on the Florida State lottery versus powerball in January. I don't care if I have a better chance of winning a lower tier prize....I don't play PB to win 1 or 2 million.