National Powerball

Reply #11

CASH Only — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 20:42:22 GMT

I'm thinking it would be great if there were THREE separate groups of states competing against each other.

As for a smaller PB, there is such a game, but of course you don't have it nearby (Hot Lotto). I hope someday HL expands to all MUSL members (currently 31) with jackpot odds roughly that of the original PB (1:55 million), but with a better overall chance of winning something, and a somewhat higher percentage of the prize money going to the lower tiers (the original PB was 5/45 + 1/45... [ More ]

Reply #10

rdc137 — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 20:33:49 GMT

There's a part of me that wishes Powerball was still a game for the small and less populated states, and the larger states had their own games. Ideally you could a double system: a national lottery played in all 50 states, and state lotteries with their own jackpot games too, with the smaller states clustering together for 2 or 3 games (ie: Powerball pre-Pennsylvania).

Reply #9

CASH Only — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 20:15:05 GMT

I would hope that if there is to be a national lottery, that Mega Millions and Powerball would be preserved much as they are now.

Perhaps a better idea is to have California, NY, and Texas break from MM and form the nation's third major multi-state game, with Florida eventually joining MM (rather than PB).

Reply #8

guesser — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 04:42:26 GMT

Let each state VOTE on it.

Some states are ultra-conservative and don't want it.

Besides, the more states that get into it, the better the chances are of someone winning it, which means the less chance of BIG jackpots too often.

Isn't it ironic we live in the greatest nation on earth, and yet few of us have a good opinion of our own guv't and how they run things

Reply #7

konane — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 22:13:45 GMT

The government doesn't need another slush fund for buy pork.

Only way I'd consider playing it is if the jackpot were totally and completely free of all types of federal taxes ... and we know that isn't going to happen.

Reply #6

weshar75 — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 21:38:44 GMT

A national lottery would have to be in the states that first had their own state lottery. It would be just another game added to each states line up of games they offer to their players. It does not make sense to have states that do not have lotteries already to have just a national lottery in their own state. I would propose that the two multi-state games and the larger state lotteries have their directors sit on a panel to over see this new national lottery. That is if it ever did happen.

Reply #5

rdc137 — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 18:50:08 GMT

My rationale would be so all 50 states would be able to participate regardless of the status of a state lottery.

Reply #4

Todd — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 13:22:12 GMT

Powerball is played in the majority of states already, not sure why it would need to be run by the federal government. MUSL does a great job of running it, IMHO.

Reply #3

ryanm — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 13:02:23 GMT

The odds against winning a jackpot would be at least 325 million to one

Reply #2

guesser — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 06:37:47 GMT

Nope.

I have yet to see the guv't get involved in much of anything and have John Q. Public come out ahead.

Reply #1

JimmySand9 — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 05:35:27 GMT

It's a good idea, don't know if I'd play it though, depends on what the game is like.

National Powerball

rdc137 — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 03:48:36 GMT

I apologize if this has been brought up before.

If the Federal government started a national lottery in a manner similar to Powerball if it were run by the US Government to fund the Treasury Department. Such revenues would be assumed to be used towards general revenue and paying down the national debt.