Powerball lottery changes go into effect Sunday

Comment #19

CASH Only — Wed, 07 Sep 2005 15:54:47 GMT

todd:I'd rather pay regular price for tickets. I used to make drives to other states that took most of the day just to buy tickets, but no more.

Comment #18

Todd — Sat, 03 Sep 2005 17:54:13 GMT

I agree, it's much cheaper to play online by clicking the links on the left side of this page.Plus, you don't waste HOURS in the car driving to another state just to pick up a couple of tickets.

Comment #17

CASH Only — Sat, 03 Sep 2005 17:41:09 GMT

Normally I play PB or MM when the format changes. However with the high price of gas, I have not gone to Connecticut in over a month to play PB.

Comment #16

Rip Snorter — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 12:40:06 GMT

The lottery is a business and if it is a well run business, it won't lose money.I wonder if, in the entire history of lotteries and before that, in the numbers racket, if any lottery has ever lost money. In that business I'd guess success is measured not in whether it makes money, or loses it, but rather in whether it pays out in pennies, or in nickles for the $100 bills it takes in.When something seems plain and simple in this life it usually isn't. But occasionally it's simpler than we'd ima... [ More ]

Comment #15

Littleoldlady — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 23:56:47 GMT

Makes no sense to me..the odds are defintely against the players and yes, they did change it to make more money!! and anyone who doesn't think so is living in la-la land. The lottery is a business and if it is a well run business, it won't lose money. By expanding the W/B by 2, we may see a 500 million jackpot..this is their goal..because people play more when the jackpot is higher and they make more money...plain and simple.

Comment #14

Just6ntlc — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 21:10:36 GMT

smd173, I had proposed 44 to 46 PB in addition to the 55 WBs for these reasons. First, PB had the 5/45+1/45 matrix where they draw a red PB out of 45 before November 1997. I wanted the odds much worse so PB can compete with Mega Millions to see which multi-state game will eventually pass the North American jackpot record of 363 million. Besides only $1 can win a jackpot.

Comment #13

NearNewBrit — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 18:21:13 GMT

About the $300 million (presumably) limit... what gives?! Play for over a billion, I say! My mini-pool at work doesn't start playing until it reaches $50 million (it's mini because layoffs/illness has shrunk our ranks and we keep to ourselves and don't try to join adjoining offices pools, if they even have them) and we play until they payoff the jackpot. In over 10 years of playing, including CT Lotto, I have no clear memory of hitting any single prize over $10, although we might have accumul... [ More ]

Comment #12

Rip Snorter — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 12:57:33 GMT

I'm thinking that might make the worst storm since Carla in '62, '63, hit Port Lavaca, Matagorda Bay.What with all the subsidence a storm of that magnitude mightn't just hit it.... New Orleans could come out of it with a lot less charm down in the French Quarter if a person has to wear scuba gear to visit it.Might be better if the storm swings west and hits Houston, Galveston, Corpus or Beaumont instead, brings a bit of rain up this way. They tend to be more prepared for those really bad storms,... [ More ]

Comment #11

smd173 — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 12:28:04 GMT

I don't think anyone is jealous of Louisiana today. Unfortunately, they just upgraded Hurricane Katrina to a Category 5 storm with 160 MPH winds. And it looks like there is a good chance it will hit New Orleans.

Comment #10

smd173 — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 12:26:52 GMT

Why would you want the PB matrix to go to 45 or 46? That would have made the odds alot worse than adding 2 white balls.Plus with keeping it at 42 PB, for really big jackpots, it is still manageable to buy 42 tickets covering every PB number.

Comment #9

starchild_45 — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 05:49:34 GMT

i am so jealous of you. i wish i lived close enough to get to louisiana. i don't know what it is about that state but 2 out of 3 tickets i get from there i win. i only play powerball when i come but i always get me a dollar ticket for max drawings.i was in hog heaven a while ago. i was working in shreveport for a month and i was buying a max ticket every new drawing while i was there. i would then just drive over to texas and get me a megamillion ticket too. i had a lot of baby hits on the power... [ More ]

Comment #8

Just6ntlc — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 04:53:49 GMT

No one hit the last draw in the 5/53+1/42 matrix. The current jackpot under the new 5/55+1/42 matrix will be 44 million. The $25 million dollar restriction rule and no jackpot winners will help. I hope PB's changes help in the future and go above the North American jackpot record of 363 million with 1 ticket winning it all with lots of Match 5 Bonus Prize.

Comment #7

PrisonerSix — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 20:32:06 GMT

Me too. I run a lottery pool at the office of both Powerball and Lotto tickets. I can buy all the lotto tickets in one purchase, but have to keep going back for Powerball. Now I can take care of all of it in one shot every payday. PrisonerSix

Comment #6

Chewie — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 14:18:31 GMT

Jack:Seldom as it happens, in this case I agree with you. No one can call a QP talent. I always agree, in that the reason for the change was profit, not player demands for higher jackpots. Everyone wants higher jackpots, no science there.Would be nice if someone hit today though. Would like some luck player to get to the profit-mongers one more time.Good luck to whoever is playing today.

Comment #5

Rip Snorter — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 13:18:26 GMT

I agree with a lot of what you say. But I don't think there's any evidence to support the statement, They couldn't stand the fact that players were able to pick winning numbers as frequently as they did. The conventional wisdom that the games were won mostly with QPs appears to be more accurate than any conventional wisdom has a right to be. LP members probably have the best informational tools, databases, and lottery information exchange in existence. There's probably nowhere in the world whe... [ More ]

Comment #4

JADELottery — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 05:57:53 GMT

I'm unexcited about this new Powerball, as usual.Whooptie-puke... so what if the jackpot starts at 15M and increases by 5M.Big vomit... if there's a power play... I don't power play.Untill I'm big time winner... I'm not big on Powerball.Now, I'll only play untill the jackpot reaches 300M.Good Luck, You'll need it

Comment #3

bobby623 — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 03:28:10 GMT

I sure wish the Powerball folks would provide hard evidence that it is the players who want change.I doubt that many players demanded a harder game.It's the lottery folks who changed the game to make more money. They couldn't stand the fact that players were able to pick winning numbers as frequently as they did.This is typical deceit by lottery folks. They do it because they can get away with it. They know that no politician or law enforcement official will interfere, so long as the money conti... [ More ]

Comment #2

Just6ntlc — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 03:10:10 GMT

Me too. I'm glad that PB increased the number of WB from 53 to 55. I'm also happy about the 2nd tier prize of $200000 and 3rd tier prize of $10000. I was a little disappointed that the number of PB stayed at 42 when I had demanded 45 or 46 PBs. Other than the disappointment of number of PB staying at 42, I'm happy.

Comment #1

starchild_45 — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 02:35:48 GMT

good bad or indifferent. i am glad that it is going into effect. i can now once again get my multi draw tickets.

Powerball lottery changes go into effect Sunday

Lottery Post — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 01:17:40 GMT

Changes to Powerball, the country's largest lotto game, take effect Sunday (August 28), with two new numbers added to the mix.Lottery players will be able to buy the new Powerball tickets beginning Sunday morning, and the first drawing held from among 55 white balls and 42 red balls will be Wednesday night (August 31).The 29 lotteries that operate Powerball announced the changes April 6 to meet players' demands for larger and faster-growing jackpots.The minimum jackpot will increase to $15 milli... [ More ]