Declining lottery sales prompt more Powerball jackpot changes

Comment #46

SaraAnnRapp — Sat, 11 Apr 2020 03:02:47 GMT

No longer my $2. ($3 actually as I always bought the Powerplay option.) I will be spending that money on the smaller state lottery games now.

Comment #45

noise-gate — Sat, 11 Apr 2020 01:41:45 GMT

That tells one that we got comfortable seeing our JP's starting at $40Mil. In some ways it reminds me of this virus.I mean who would have thought that America, let alone the world could be crippled by a virus that started abroad. Grind just about everything to a halt, disrupting lives and creating uncertainty of the future. In talking to a friend this morning, he said he read that 60% if not more, restaurants will not be coming back- this is the nail in the coffin for their business. Oh the horr... [ More ]

Comment #44

HoLeeKau — Fri, 10 Apr 2020 23:35:38 GMT

9.5 million cash after my state taxes too. Definitely enough for me. That still would provide a very very nice life.

Too bad my state doesn't have any worthwhile games. They'd probably see an uptick in sales if they did.

Comment #43

ronechuck — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 21:53:27 GMT

for those who don't know Mega Millions made same change.

The advertised Mega Millions jackpot for Friday, April 3, is a guaranteed annuitized value of $121 million. If there is no jackpot winner that evening, the jackpot will roll to an annuitized value of $127 million. If the jackpot is won on April 3, it will reset to a guaranteed annuitized value of $20 million for the next drawing on April 7. Subsequent starting jackpots and the rate at which the jackpot increases will be establishe... [ More ]

Comment #42

Six balls — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 18:30:31 GMT

Definitely weird to see 'only' $20mil, but you're right, I wouldn't complain. It still works out to $10mil cash after federal taxes. I can't think of any problems I have that wouldn't be fixed with that kind of money.

Comment #41

Bleudog101 — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 12:00:18 GMT

Some lucky person in New Jersey hit for all the moola last night....was it Todd et al???

Really sucked seeing $20 million reset value, but I don't think anyone would complain getting that.

Comment #40

Stack47 — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 02:37:11 GMT

To my knowledge, the smallest recent PB winning jackpot was $59 million two years ago. And that was two drawings after a $456.7 million jackpot was won. I doubt they expected someone to win considering only 14 million tickets were sold.

These changes are necessary to ensure that ticket sales can support the Powerball jackpot and other lower-tier cash prizes,

Is it that difficult for some people to understand there is an obvious reason for lower sales

Comment #39

KY Floyd — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 19:34:52 GMT

It's like having a poker hand, and we change the game in the middle of the game.

If you don't like it then don't play the next hand, but your analogy isn't even close to accurate. I'm pretty sure that the rules of Poker don't say that the pot carries over or that the pot for each hand has to increase by a set amount, or even increase at all. Last time I looked the pot was based on how much the players put into it.

I don't recall seeing a lot of idiotic whining about changes every time the... [ More ]

Comment #38

n969bj — Sun, 05 Apr 2020 20:36:49 GMT

Feels like they are changing the rules in the middle of the game. It doesn't seem fair. They should wait till this round of play

has a winner, then they can change the rules. It's like having a poker hand, and we change the game in the middle of the game.

This is just wrong, not fair to loyal players. If they want to change the game than they should change the cost back to $1.00 like it was for years. But this change should be against the rules that they established.

Comment #37

Bleudog101 — Sun, 05 Apr 2020 16:45:43 GMT

Besides MM PB, what other tickets can you purchase on-line? I love the convenience. Only drawback here is, according to my question to the Kentucky Lottery, is that they will not cut separate checks for say you had a lottery pool.

Comment #36

HaveABall — Sun, 05 Apr 2020 02:56:47 GMT

In Illinois we residents can purchase these lottery tickets online without an upcharge. The first credit card I tried to use didn't allow though. However, the second credit card I entered did allow it. Cheers, fellow gamblers.

Comment #35

MsBee18 — Sat, 04 Apr 2020 23:48:55 GMT

I'll continue to play because our Florida state lotto pales in comparison to MM/PB jackpots. I bought two PB tickets for tonight's draw. Anyone else

Comment #34

Cassie8620 — Sat, 04 Apr 2020 19:12:09 GMT

Hi, Sara. Interesting, 1 of my family members husband,Rob is from WI., and just the other day,

he said analogous, to what you're saying today, insofar as kinda laggin' behind, for many years. and lol @ vending comment. i hear ya...

G-luck.

Comment #33

Cassie8620 — Sat, 04 Apr 2020 19:10:09 GMT

im co-signing this, icam.(i couldn't agree more.)

i m not surprised it's being circumvented, they think they are so slick, as my fam in california stop playing literally, maybe 1x a month or every other few months.

NWI(not worth it)as dad still say as i post here saying it at times Oh Cassie! You're winning more per year with your pick 3 multi-play on 1 number that hit

pretty well, for u.

Odds are better(of course on PICK 4) that is.

Dad says,it is RIGGED lol so, Cassie,... [ More ]

Comment #32

SaraAnnRapp — Sat, 04 Apr 2020 15:25:59 GMT

No actually Wisconsin. It's a great state in many ways but the lottery lacks any sort of sophistication here. It's like we're always lagging years behind other states in improvements.

We finally got widespread lottery vending machines over the past year or so but they are very basic and limited in function. It's sad that in 2020 a soda vending machine out performs the lottery vending machines by a country mile.

Comment #31

Bleudog101 — Sat, 04 Apr 2020 13:48:31 GMT

Let me guess...Massachusetts. Your Treasurer Debby so and so is all for it, that I know. An uphill unnecessary battle because of the old geezers in the state and federal level. Like the old saying goes Too ornery for the Devil and God doesn't want them. IOW...they live forever and stifle anything they don't like, which is most everything. Sad being that this is the 21st Century.

Comment #30

SaraAnnRapp — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 19:55:30 GMT

I agree with the needed shift to online ticket purchasing options. Unfortunately the state assembly here has a Puritanical bent and will be hard pressed to sanction online gambling . They won't even allow for entering losing tickets online for the second chance drawing. Instead you have to buy postage stamps, fill out the back of the ticket(s) then fill out the envelope(s) and then find a mailbox to drop it all in because heaven forfend we embrace the heathenistic 20th century technology called... [ More ]

Comment #29

Soledad — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 19:51:15 GMT

We are seriously witnessing one of the greatest failures in governance and basic leadership in modern times...

Comment #28

CDanaT — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 19:25:46 GMT

Bring back the Dollar and a Dream philosophy

Comment #27

noise-gate — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 19:08:34 GMT

I'm not the first to say that, but right now it makes the most sense, and make it $1 per ticket.-

Personally Rcb, l say anyone winning a $20 mil jackpot has no reason to complain. It's more than anyone of us will ever make in our lifetimes on our own. So $1 a line it should be.

Comment #26

EnReval — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 18:33:56 GMT

I say Michigan, Ohio, or Massachusetts. So, after this jackpot is won, the beginning amount could be $2-5 million

Comment #25

Big Joey — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 18:14:11 GMT

I have stopped buying lottery tickets because I'm not leaving my family's home. I used Instacart for grocery delivery yesterday. People don't realize that once you get it you have a 80% death rate. The news is now saying that New Orleans' eating habits is why there is such a high death rate, I don't believe that for one moment.

Comment #24

HoLeeKau — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 18:06:31 GMT

I'm still buying normally, but covid hasn't hit my state hard yet. It's here though, so by next draw I might be staying home completely. At that point, I still have my regular numbers till 4/22, but no extra quick picks.

Hopefully this will encourage all states to sell tickets online in the future. There are several states who do it, so I know it's possible. Maybe the loss of revenue this pandemic has caused will get their butts in gear and just make it happen.

Comment #23

rcbbuckeye — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 18:04:38 GMT

Haven't heard a peep about MM. Seems odd because they're in the same boat as PB. Sales aren't too good. That's why I think combining the 2 games into 1 would make sense. I'm not the first to say that, but right now it makes the most sense, and make it $1 per ticket. We may not see jackpots reaching $300-$400 million or more again, but jackpots that exceed state's lotto games because it would be a national game.

Comment #22

noise-gate — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 17:52:01 GMT

Have any changes been announced for Mega Millions or is it going to stay put. Is it because it's much harder to HIT

Comment #21

konane — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 17:24:23 GMT

Well said. Welcome to Lottery Post Lucklives.

Comment #20

PHIL85 — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 17:14:37 GMT

The best option would be to combine Mega-Millions and Powerball into a single game. Drawings twice a week and $1 per wager. If you have all players wagering on a single game the jackpots would grow bigger, faster. Everyone would be a winner.

Comment #19

SaraAnnRapp — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 15:16:58 GMT

So are Lottery Post members still buying PB and MM tickets at the same rate or has anyone cut back and/or stopped buying entirely

Comment #18

Ranett — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 15:14:46 GMT

As it is now it's an unattractive game and with the pandemic forget it. Hopefully, they will do an overhaul and produce a more attractive game in the future.

Comment #17

Bulldogdc55 — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 13:15:07 GMT

Gonna be hard to sell tickets, if there's no starting jackpot. I think they are about to do a lot more damage.

Comment #16

Prob988 — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 12:30:36 GMT

Covid-19 was apparently fatal to Powerball as well as the human beings who died from what our wonderful President, Don the Con, called a hoax.

Comment #15

rcbbuckeye — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 12:10:41 GMT

Well,I've been playing PB religiously for ages, mainly just hoping to hit $2 million second prize. The odds are less than half of my state's lotto game, and I was willing to spoon up $3 a ticket. The place I work is closed for the time being, so, I'm cutting way back on my lottery spending. No more PB. Back to Tx Lotto at a buck.

Personally, I think PB and MM really need to at least go back to $1 a ticket. Especially at the odds the jackpots are. I know sales drives jackpots, but if people ar... [ More ]

Comment #14

dpoly1 — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 11:54:27 GMT

and still $2 per play

SMH

Comment #13

jackpotismine — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 10:25:56 GMT

There was a time when the lottery was a chance to win big and change your life. These over the top games like Power ball are just not that

attract to play anymore. The odds are so out there and the price of $2.00 a wager is not going to attract players anymore. Only those die hard

players will continue to fork a few bucks on these games. They need to make it more interesting if they hope to attract more players and more revenue. The Pick 3,4 5 games are more realistic for the average perso... [ More ]

Comment #12

Lucklives — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 10:17:30 GMT

When Powerball made these changes adding more numbers (69) and shortening the powerball numbers (26) they made them on the premise that the jackpot goes higher and higher biggest jackpots back in (2016) and beyond.

Also if they do lower the size of the jackpot, that means they should change the numbers to a much shorter set like before and possibly even go back tp a $1 a wage. Because greed and increasing their coffers will not work usually anytime they ordinarily do a change but given the ti... [ More ]

Comment #11

Big Joey — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 07:52:16 GMT

Almost all of the United States is not playing the lottery at the moment. I think it will roll until June, or July.

Comment #10

Mobile Merchant — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 07:14:56 GMT

Who would like to take a bet that there will be a winner for the $180 million on Sat. April 4th?

I would even go as far as to say that the winning ticket will be sold in either Florida, New York or California. The house always win folks! All the more reasons to stick with the tried and true....Pick 3s and Pick 4s for me....all day...everyday! Lol.

Comment #9

grwurston — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 03:27:33 GMT

Sounds good to me.

Comment #8

Soledad — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 02:51:12 GMT

No no no they have it all wrong. They need to increase the payouts for pick 3 and pick 4 to attract more players. Ha

Comment #7

ThaRock1 — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 01:46:08 GMT

Definitely sounds like a plan ah yes when greed overshadows their thinking. When the state lotteries follow suit they'll have no choice but to rethink how to get the money. I was good on paying a $1 once it went up to $2 I stopped but that's just me.

Comment #6

Big Joey — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 01:13:05 GMT

The Governor of Louisiana just announced a mandatory stay in your home until April 30th. So, on May 1st, I don't think everything will be okay, as originally projected by many businesses, casinos for reopening.

The more I think about it, this means the Powerball jackpot is basically parimutuel, and the minimum jackpot can change at any moment. When the isolation / seclusion to save lives ends, I still don't anticipate I'll be playing the Powerball, or Mega Millions like I once did. Probably... [ More ]

Comment #5

MsBee18 — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 00:53:41 GMT

We have two dueling jackpots competing for limited dollars. Four nights a week. I'm afraid one either PB or MM will not make it if COVID-19 conditions persist. That may be the new normal.

Comment #4

duckman — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:52:21 GMT

LOL Powerball. The biggest problem besides the odds is the $2 ticket price.

Comment #3

KY Floyd — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:27:30 GMT

I have a really radical idea.

What if they took a percentage of sales revenue and set it aside and called that money the jackpot prize pool. When somebody matches all of the number to win (a share of) the jackpot the prize would be based on the cash that's in the jackpot prize pool. They could call that cash value a jackpot .

Comment #2

konane — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:25:58 GMT

I like your idea of one drawing per week. I would love to see the matrix lowered, thereby lowering odds and dropping to $1 per draw. They once had a good thing but just had to keep messing with it.

We need to believe we can win in order to buy plays, not just want to win. Perhaps they're missing that big point.

Comment #1

Bleudog101 — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:21:27 GMT

Auf Wiedersehen Powerball with treating loyal players like this. My point is it is not like there is a grand jackpot every drawing. Next thing you know MUSL will put Mega Millions of the chopping block too. Personally would be happier if both just went to one drawing each/week. Lottery fatigue 101.

Declining lottery sales prompt more Powerball jackpot changes

Lottery Post — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:16:58 GMT

The Powerball Product Group today announced its decision to further modify the rules for determining each successive Powerball jackpot roll, and set a firm implementation date rather than waiting for the next jackpot winner.

Today's changes are in addition to the modifications announced just last week.

The new Powerball rules for determining the advertised jackpot will be based strictly on game sales and interest rates, completely eliminating guaranteed starting jackpot amounts and minimum... [ More ]