Puerto Rico joins Powerball today

Oct 1, 2014, 11:02 am (37 comments)

Powerball

By Todd Northrop

Tonight's Powerball drawing is the first in which residents of Puerto Rico can participate and win in one of the world's most popular lottery games.

The Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Lotteries Puerto Rico, Antonio Pérez López, reported that ticket sales for Powerball started on the island as of 11:00 am Sunday.  All retailers that sell lottery tickets are eligible to sell Powerball plays, with the first participating drawing on Wednesday, October 1.

Tonight's Powerball jackpot is $50 million.

López said that between Sunday and Wednesday, the lottery would hold events at up to 90 retailers to explain to players how to play the new game, and to raise awareness for the game's availability.

During the events people learned how to choose their numbers on playslips, learned all the ways to win a prize, and then how to purchase their game ticket.

In addition, the lottery had a display Sunday at the Baby Boomers Expo at the Convention Center, which also sold Powerball tickets and all its products. The first Powerball ticket sold on the island occurred at 11:00 am Sunday at the "First Sale of Tickets" at the exhibit.

Powerball drawings happen every Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 pm Eastern Time. In Puerto Rico the drawings will be broadcast on Channel 6.

Powerball tickets are available in Puerto Rico up until 10:00 pm of the day of each drawing.

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Puerto Rico should become the 51st USA state instead of joining the Powerball lottery.

cbr$'s avatarcbr$

Well once the people learn the game, I won't be surprise if a Jackpot end up being won there soon. Beginner Luck, God bless them. LOL

Toronto

+3.6 million population should have a bigger effect than Wyoming.

Why didn't they add Mega Millions as well?

PrinceRene

viva boricua!

adamc224

Well they better get used to the jackpot going to California or New York... I have. If this is a success i think it will be just a matter of time for the Mega Millions to be offered there too.

psykomo's avatarpsykomo

Quote: Originally posted by adamc224 on Oct 1, 2014

Well they better get used to the jackpot going to California or New York... I have. If this is a success i think it will be just a matter of time for the Mega Millions to be offered there too.

ADC & Power Ball pickers: 

Don't Thinking of...you worry about Calie or NY cause when D powers N Power Ball think these

states R gitting more than there "fair" share $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

they can change D matrix^^^^^^^^^^^^################^^^^^^^^^^^^Green laughBig Grin Angel Idea

                                                                 Party

music*'s avatarmusic*

Banana Good fortune to all the Puerto Ricans.  One more step to Statehood. I also believe in beginners luck. Lurking

LottoMetro's avatarLottoMetro

Interesting, wonder why they didn't just wait and join when the matrix changes next year?

They are going to get players used to playslips, numbers, etc. then turn around and change. My only guess is they're trying to speed up jackpot rolls to hedge the terrible sales (every state is bemoaning about it in their fiscal reports), at least until the change takes effect.

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

Welcome Puerto Ricans. It is my hope you bring a rash of powerball hits that the jackpots never reach $100M for a while. Also let your entrance bring me luck in this game. Cool

PrinceRene

Quote: Originally posted by LottoMetro on Oct 1, 2014

Interesting, wonder why they didn't just wait and join when the matrix changes next year?

They are going to get players used to playslips, numbers, etc. then turn around and change. My only guess is they're trying to speed up jackpot rolls to hedge the terrible sales (every state is bemoaning about it in their fiscal reports), at least until the change takes effect.

Powerball is changing it's matrix next year? Link please.

rock_nc's avatarrock_nc

Virgin Islands has a population of only 104,737..as of 2013.. Now Puerto Rico has over 3 million people... Last drawing of POWERBALL in the Virgin Islands had only 288 winners in all last Saturday. GOOD LUCK our newest member!

LottoMetro's avatarLottoMetro

Quote: Originally posted by PrinceRene on Oct 1, 2014

Powerball is changing it's matrix next year? Link please.

It hasn't been publicized but I've discussed it before.

rcbbuckeye's thread about it mentioned at a TLC meeting:
https://www.lotterypost.com/thread/279748

Also mentioned at Idaho lottery's meeting in May:

http://www.idaholottery.com/theIdahoLottery/meetingAgenda.aspx?id=160

I alluded to the change back in June:

https://www.lotterypost.com/thread/277047/3655357

I actually heard about it at SMART-TECH 2014, which is a lottery conference that took place in April. Along with the discussion about the new Monopoly game, Chuck (MUSL) made a presentation regarding jackpots and Powerball...talking about poor sales and whatnot. Apparently they have "too many winners" (ironic) and as a result jackpot fatigue is causing poor sales. The issue is very real; if you check most lotteries' reports in the past months their Powerball sales are down by alarming numbers. I still can't remember if he said the bonus pool was expanding to 43 or 45, but that is where the change will be happening. They will also be adding a second-chance element like the new Monopoly game will have. This was briefly discussed again at the Lottery Expo in Miami a few weeks ago, but it was not explicitly explained. Most of these discussions happen behind closed doors at director meetings and are then presented at an open forum like the conferences. They were originally planning to do the matrix change in coordination with the new game launch, but now I think they will hold off until 2015.

Toronto

Quote: Originally posted by LottoMetro on Oct 1, 2014

It hasn't been publicized but I've discussed it before.

rcbbuckeye's thread about it mentioned at a TLC meeting:
https://www.lotterypost.com/thread/279748

Also mentioned at Idaho lottery's meeting in May:

http://www.idaholottery.com/theIdahoLottery/meetingAgenda.aspx?id=160

I alluded to the change back in June:

https://www.lotterypost.com/thread/277047/3655357

I actually heard about it at SMART-TECH 2014, which is a lottery conference that took place in April. Along with the discussion about the new Monopoly game, Chuck (MUSL) made a presentation regarding jackpots and Powerball...talking about poor sales and whatnot. Apparently they have "too many winners" (ironic) and as a result jackpot fatigue is causing poor sales. The issue is very real; if you check most lotteries' reports in the past months their Powerball sales are down by alarming numbers. I still can't remember if he said the bonus pool was expanding to 43 or 45, but that is where the change will be happening. They will also be adding a second-chance element like the new Monopoly game will have. This was briefly discussed again at the Lottery Expo in Miami a few weeks ago, but it was not explicitly explained. Most of these discussions happen behind closed doors at director meetings and are then presented at an open forum like the conferences. They were originally planning to do the matrix change in coordination with the new game launch, but now I think they will hold off until 2015.

Jackpots need to start at $100 million. Anything less isn't worth winning Big Smile

nina09

Yay, I made sure to get my ticket. I only played powerball when I was in DC and the jackpot was over 100 million but I wanted to play in the first game in PR.

I wonder how people are going to react when they start seeing a bunch of jackpots in California.  People are still mad that the winner of the biggest jackpot in the local lottery hasn't claimed his prize and they think it was a conspiracy. 

I think the reason they joined was because of the debt that we have and they are trying to get funds any way they can.

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