Powerball Power Play variable multiplier to return in January

Comment #35

jamella724 — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 09:56:33 GMT

I wonder if the said changes brought increase in ticket sales? Did they increase in prize? I hope they can make changes that the players will love. I think some changes happen just to say that there's something new.

Comment #34

TheOtherOne — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 15:07:56 GMT

This!

It seems every time I've hit the pb since the increase, it includes on white ball.

Yay! I win nothing extra.

Even if it added a buck or 2 to the $4 it would be better than nothing.

Comment #33

mypiemaster — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:34:23 GMT

Hmmm...sounds like PB is having MULTIPLIER ENVY .

Comment #32

RJOh — Sat, 26 Oct 2013 16:34:30 GMT

Most states offer only 5-10 online games and maybe 50 scratch-off games, unless you're traveling all over the country you'll never see more than a hundred of them.

These games aren't suppose offer any real value, they are only meant to be an entertaining way to get rid of your money and maybe end up with some extra cash if you're real lucky.

Comment #31

Jon D — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 23:20:56 GMT

I've said it before, I'm not a fan of either Megaplier or Powerplay, but it seems like Megaplier may be the lesser of two evils.

Both Megaplier and Powerplay are side bets that return ~50% and when combined with the base wager increase 2nd thru 9th prizes total return:

MM from 17.42% to 33.68% with Megaplier

PB from 18.02% to 28.67% with Powerplay

New PB with variable multiplier: increases from 18.02% to 28.47% with Powerplay. Less than 1% difference, essentially a wash. The small di... [ More ]

Comment #30

THRIFTY — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 21:42:21 GMT

I wonder why each lottery is offering thousands of games with no real value to lottery players. They want us to spend money on the lottery everyday.

Comment #29

THRIFTY — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 21:35:41 GMT

I bought a $2 Mega Millions quick pick ticket with Megaplier today. I have spent $3 for a powerball ticket with Powerplay too. I won zero dollars.

Comment #28

THRIFTY — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 21:22:13 GMT

I forgot everything about the odds of winning MM. Did you know that lottery players spent $1.5 Billion US dollars trying to win a $640 Million Mega Millions jackpot? I contributed $1 to the pool of losers and winners.

Comment #27

LottoMetro — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 20:46:53 GMT

More like:

Risking $2 to win $5 million with odds of 1 in 46,230,510 playing Mega Millions

vs.

Risking $3 to win $2 million with odds of 1 in 5,153,633 playing Powerball

The odds of winning $1 million in MM are 1 in 18,492,204 and because the 5x multiplier has odds of 1 in 2.5, the result is conditional. 60% of the time your prize will be less than $5 million. Using a weighted multiplier and dividing by cost, the 2nd prize for MM is worth ~10.5 cents versus ~12.9 cents in Powerb... [ More ]

Comment #26

JADELottery — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 20:31:01 GMT

How about changing this multiplier from 2 x $1.00 = 1 Play to 1 x $1.00 = 1 Play

Maybe we'll play again.

Comment #25

THRIFTY — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 18:26:34 GMT

Risking $2 to win $5 Million playing Mega Millions?

VS.

Risking $3 to win $2 Million playing Powerball

Comment #24

TNPATL — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 15:31:07 GMT

I guess with Mega Millions making hteir game change, Powerball had to come up with something to stay in the loop.

Comment #23

weshar75 — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 03:53:33 GMT

If I read it right their not changing the 5+0 prize from $2 million so it only affects the $10,000 prize and lower so they are not going to be head to head with mega millions on that level.-weshar75

Comment #22

Coin Toss — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 03:49:38 GMT

From the OP:

The return of the Power Play variable multiplier is expected to be popular with our Powerball players, said Lottery Executive Director Todd Rucci.

Translation,

We're not selling near the $3 tickets we thought we would and to try to get people to play the Powerplay - and thus an extra dollar per ticket, we're brining back the multiplier.

Comment #21

NYLOTTERY — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 02:22:47 GMT

Thanks for the update

Comment #20

Think — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 23:17:35 GMT

Well now they are giving Megamillions a break and making people consider buying 2 PB tickets for $4 instead of the powerplay

Comment #19

ressuccess — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 18:04:20 GMT

Good luck to the people purchasing the Powerplay playing Powerball.

Comment #18

HoLeeKau — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 17:15:42 GMT

The only way this will be kinda sorta ok with me is if the 5+0 is also multiplied. I have a feeling PB is a little worried about MM's potential 5M payoff at the 5+0 level and is scrambling to cut their losses by implementing something like it.

If I'm wrong and the 5+0 will not be multiplied, then it sucks. lol

Comment #17

LottoMetro — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 16:16:15 GMT

Yes, JonD is right....the payouts I posted would not be what you receive if you won. It was simply a weighted average of payouts (basically, from the lottery's perspective). If you played this over time your average winnings would be about this much because of how often the multiplier appears. As mentioned, I suspect that although the change mostly changes the variability of lower prizes, it is to being reinstituted to compensate for the lackluster Powerplay sales which increase the liability of... [ More ]

Comment #16

Saylorgirl — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 14:50:23 GMT

I couldn't agree more! I hit the 1+1 often and it is discouraging that it pays the same as just the powerball number.

Comment #15

rcbbuckeye — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 14:33:44 GMT

Funny. Before Texas got Powerball, I would drive up to Ok to buy PB tics.

Before they changed the Hot Lotto matrix, I was contemplating driving up there to play it. Now the odds on that game are worse than Texas Lotto.

Comment #14

dallascowboyfan — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 13:35:36 GMT

I don't blame you TnT, when ever we go to Texas I always multi-draw there state games.

Comment #13

Jon D — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 12:29:54 GMT

Actually, no, the values he posted were just an approximate weighted average. Those are not the actual prize values you would receive.

Based on the new variable multiplier 2X to 5X, that means your 2nd-9th prizes from Powerplay would be like below:

Match Prizes Prizes (New)

5 of 5 $2,000,000 $2,000,000

4 + PB $40,000 $20,000-$50,000

4 of 5 $200 $200-$500

3 + PB $200 $200-$500

3 of 5 $14 $14-$35

2 + PB $14 $14-$35

1 + PB $12 $8-$20

PB $12 $8-$20

Comment #12

shyguitar — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 12:11:03 GMT

Hi LottoMetro,

Based on your chart it looks like the 4 + 1 will be going down from 40,000 to 28,000. Since I always play Powerball with the powerplay it looks like that is a big letdown. When I play I'm always hoping for at least a lower tier prize since winning the jackpot or the 2nd prize is so impossible. The other increases seem very small and they are going to lower the 1+1 and 0 + 1 to 11 dollars instead of 12 dollars. I'm not sure what the prizes will be if the multiplier is 3 or 4.... [ More ]

Comment #11

Jon D — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 11:02:58 GMT

It's basically a wash, no real change in total payout. All they've done is increase the variability of the 3rd-9th prizes, that's all.

The real change would be if either MM or PB steps beyond the standard 50% of sales prize pool, to maybe 55% or 60%, then that would be something.

Doesn't matter for us Californians though, being pari-mutuel with no Powerplay option.(I don't miss it though...)

On a side note, Cali finally claimed it's first Powerball Jackpot last night:

FAST N EASY... [ More ]

Comment #10

Todd — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 03:00:50 GMT

Hey Lotto Geek, have you stopped blogging? I miss reading new blog entries from you.

Comment #9

mikeintexas — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 01:35:25 GMT

I've always wondered about that, too. I started to ask why that was, but was afraid it would be something so simple I'd sound stupid for asking.

I do well enough with that as it is.

Comment #8

Lotto Geek — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 01:09:51 GMT

Hallelujah

Comment #7

Todd — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 01:07:37 GMT

I think one of the best and easiest things Powerball can change is to increase the prize for 1 + 1. I think it's pretty strange to have a separate prize level for 1 + 1 when it awards the exact same prize as 0 + 1.

Comment #6

TnTicketlosers — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 00:20:59 GMT

Sure is alot of changing in these Lotteries.Now I'm studying Kentucky,it's a close drive than Georgia.Anything is better than playing here.Pick up some Powerball while Im there...

Comment #5

LottoMetro — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 00:11:06 GMT

Power Play comparison using weighted multiplier (2.8) effective 2014:

Match Now 2014

5+0 $2,000,000 $2,000,000

4+1 $40,000 $28,000

4+0 $200 $280

3+1 $200 $280

3+0 $14 $20

2+1 $14 $20

1+1 $12 $11

0+1 $12 $11

All figures rounded to whole dollars.

In EV terms, the 2014 change decreases expectancy by 1 cent (bad).

As I suspect, they rarely change the game unless it's in their favor

Comment #4

Pinkpansies — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 23:52:44 GMT

It says the match 5 prize for Powerplay will remain 2 million dollars, it's the prizes below that, that will have the multiplier take affect.

Comment #3

LottoMetro — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 23:47:24 GMT

I'm sure declining Powerplay sales had something to do with this.

Here are the new multiplier odds:

5X - 1 in 10

4X - 1 in 10

3X - 1 in 3.33

2X - 1 in 2

Comment #2

RedStang — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 23:37:35 GMT

Nice, and the price does'nt change.

Comment #1

billionaire2bee — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 23:27:07 GMT

So what are they saying...they're going back to the 200, 400, 600, 800 thousand 2nd tier prizes

Powerball Power Play variable multiplier to return in January

Lottery Post — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 23:21:48 GMT

The Powerball Power Play variable prize multiplier will return starting with the Jan. 22, 2014, drawing, the Pennsylvania Lottery said today.

Under new game rules, a separate drawing will be performed to select the Power Play number a 2, 3, 4 or 5 for all prizes except the jackpot and the Match 5 prize. The Match 5 prize is $2 million if the Power Play option is purchased.

The return of the Power Play variable multiplier is expected to be popular with our Powerball players, said Lottery E... [ More ]