By Todd Northrop
Starting with the Wednesday, Jan. 22, Powerball draw, players of the popular multi-state lottery game will have the chance to multiply non-jackpot winning prizes up to five times with the return of the random Powerball Power Play multiplier.
Two years ago Powerball's Power Play feature was changed from a random multiplier to a set of fixed prize increases for winners of non-jackpot prizes who purchased the Power Play option for an extra $1 per play.
(See Powerball multi-state lottery to raise prices, jackpots, Lottery Post, Jan. 3, 2012.)
Now the state lotteries have decided to "go retro" on the Power Play option and revert to the random multplier of old. The Power Play option will remain $1 but, rather than a fixed prize, players will now have a chance to win prizes multiplied 2, 3, 4 or 5 times.
But not every prize level will be a random increase.
Winning the Match 5 prize (all five white balls) with the Power Play option will pay $2 million, regardless of the multiplier number drawn.
"New and different ways to win will bring more excitement for our players," said Karen Bach, director of budget, products and communications for the Arizona Lottery. "We're expecting the return of the enhanced Power Play multiplier to be popular with our players, and we look forward to awarding even bigger prizes to Arizona Powerball winners in the coming months."
The return of the random multiplier is the only change in store for players on Jan. 22, although players are once again able to purchase long-term multi-draw tickets. In the weeks leading up to the Power Play change, state lotteries could not sell multi-draw tickets beyond the drawing prior to the changeover.
New Powerball prize structure
| Power Play Number Drawn | ||||||||
| Match | Base Prize | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||
| 5 (no Powerball) | $1 million | $2 million | $2 million | $2 million | $2 million | |||
| 4 + Powerball | $10,000 | $20,000 | $30,000 | $40,000 | $50,000 | |||
| 4 (no Powerball) | $100 | $200 | $300 | $400 | $500 | |||
| 3 + Powerball | $100 | $200 | $300 | $400 | $500 | |||
| 3 (no Powerball) | $7 | $14 | $21 | $28 | $35 | |||
| 2 + Powerball | $7 | $14 | $21 | $28 | $35 | |||
| 1 + Powerball | $4 | $8 | $12 | $16 | $20 | |||
| 0 + Powerball | $4 | $8 | $12 | $16 | $20 | |||
Powerball is now played in 43 states, plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Tickets cost $2 each.
A 44th Powerball state will be added later this year, as the state of Wyoming has approved a new state lottery with the intention of joining Powerball and other multi-state games. (See Wyoming officially becomes 44th state with a lottery, Lottery Post, Mar. 14, 2013.)
Powerball lottery results are published within minutes of the drawing at USA Mega (www.usamega.com). The USA Mega Web site provides lottery players in-depth information about the United States's two biggest multi-state lottery games, Mega Millions and Powerball.
until the price goes back to $1 a ticket...not interested.
Thanks Powerball: Spending a extra $1.00 is always good news
I never play for second place. Why would I pay an extra buck to play for third to last place? I would rather play $2 on Mega because if I were to win 2nd prize, I could be potentially walking away with $5 million gross before taxes. But I only play for jackpot so $1 will do me.
No thanks! I don't do national lotteries anymore, since certain states always win.
No thanks PB
This might be why my Powerball playslip would'nt work even though i used it for months. I tried 3 playslips, 2 Patels and 1 Ahmed and nothing would let me multi-draw. Ahmed tried telling me you could only buy tickets on certain days.
Another outrageous notion we lottery ticket buyers are told!
Anyhow, since I always play "Powerplay" on my solo row purchased each draw, I'm super pleased that the multiplier is back, I won't be as deeply in the red! So, thanks Powerball lottery administration!
Nah the MM megaplier is better bang for the buck. Now if they went back to the 200k, 400k, 600k. I might've been interested
As Todd said in an earlier thread about this it would be nice if 1 + PB payed more than 0 + PB.
Powerball is becoming expensive.
I think an extra dollar to buy a ticket will probably lessen the chances of luring more people to play. They have to consider the fact that why not just stick to a one dollar ticket and buy two of that than spending two dollars and have one chance together with that multiplier thing. they have to know the certainty that people are practical nowadays and as much as I like the multiplier it is disregarded in the jackpot. So if it is disregarded in the jackpot that everyone wants why waste a dollar more? for second place? third? No one wants to be that what all want is the jackpot.
I'd consider it if the 5+0 prize was multiplied but asking me to spend another dollar to potentially multiply the smaller prizes is almost an insult.
"In the weeks leading up to the Power Play change, state lotteries could not sell multi-draw tickets beyond the drawing prior to the changeover."
Yeah, PB kept saying you could buy multi-picks in diminishing amounts up to the change, but you couldn't.
You couldn't even buy one multi-pick.
And you still can't.
I tried again tonight and the machine kept spittin' the slip out until I took off the multipick.