The wait is over for Oklahomans eager to try their luck playing Powerball or tired of driving to neighboring states to play.
Oklahoma joined 27 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands today in what has become one of the most popular lottery games in the world, because of the size of its jackpots — the jackpot hit an all-time high of $340 million in early November.
Tickets went on sale at 4:01 a.m. today for the next drawing on Saturday. A drawing worth an estimated $65 million was held Wednesday.
"We're hoping for a good turnout," said Andy Chapin, owner of Andy's Convenience Store south of Muskogee on U.S. 64. "They (Scientific Games service representatives) are telling me to expect a lot of traffic when the Powerball sales begin."
Chapin said interest in the Pick 3 and scratch-off tickets have slowed some, but sales remain high.
"We were overwhelmed when it (the lottery) first started, but it has become a regular part of doing business.
Customers at Martin's 66 Convenience Store, 1910 N. Main St., were mixed about the Powerball prospects. Several customers said they probably would play but were skeptical about their odds of winning: There's a one chance in 146,107,962 a person will win the grand prize jackpot.
Despite those odds, Crystal McMurtrey said she will be buying at least one Powerball ticket.
"My dad had to go out of town on business, but he gave me strict orders to get him a Powerball ticket when they go on sale," McMurtrey said. "He gave me the numbers to play."
In its nearly 14-year history, Powerball has become a household name. Its worldwide recognition comes primarily from the game's multimillion dollar jackpots, which are offered twice weekly.
Although the giant jackpots are key to Powerball's popularity, the game also offers players a chance to win one of eight other cash prizes, ranging from $3 to $200,000. The overall odds of winning a prize in the games are better than 1 in 37. Jackpots start at $15 million.
Like the Pick 3 game, Powerball results will be printed in the Phoenix and will be available immediately after each drawing on USA Mega at www.usamega.com.
Thirty percent of the proceeds from Powerball ticket sales — just like the other Oklahoma Lottery games — will help fund public education in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma lottery officials said the 29 Powerball lotteries sold more than $2 billion in Powerball tickets in fiscal year 2005, generating more than $600 million for state projects.
While the Powerball buzz has caused some excitement for some, others condemn the lottery in particular and gambling generally.
James C. Dobson of Focus on the Family, a nonprofit Christian organization, called on legislators this week to end what he calls "government-sponsored gambling."
"If the nation's politicians don't fix this national disaster, then the oceans of gambling money with which Jack Abramoff tried to buy influence on Capital Hill will only be the beginning of the corruption we'll see," Dobson said in a media release.
Dobson was a member of the National Gambling Impact Study Commission, which investigated gambling and its ties to political campaign contributions over a two-year period.
Increasing the number of players only increases the chance of someone else winning the grand prize. With fixed odds and fixed incremental rollover amounts to the jackpot there seems to be little benefit in adding more and more states to the game after a certain point.
More money in, more money out. Hopefully, more often. Ten winners a year should make every player happy. More winners, the better the chance of it being "you" - fewer winners are self defeating. Hoping for $100M for one person, or $30M for 10 winners will always be better.
If more people buy PB tickets, especially in OK, the more likely a PB jackpot grand prize will win sooner. In that case, people will win more smaller jackpots before it hits PB records. I think PB should have increased their matrix odds. Instead of 5/55+1/42, I would have suggested 5/55+1/45 or 5/55+1/50.
I'm thinking KS is going to win soon! I don't think we've ever won a jackpot, but it'll piss OK off. Specially if it was a store on the border that sells the winning ticket.
OK that sounded harsh.....I really DO wish everyone the best of luck....but I STILL think it would be funny.
If more people buy PB tickets, especially in OK, the more likely a PB jackpot grand prize will win sooner. In that case, people will win more smaller jackpots before it hits PB records. I think PB should have increased their matrix odds. Instead of 5/55+1/42, I would have suggested 5/55+1/45 or 5/55+1/50.
Increase the matrix! Bite your tongue! Perish the thought! No way! Leave the damn matrix alone! Despite the whining we heard from Powerball last year about a record number of winners...it's already hard enough to win anything significant!
I'm sorry but I just don't undersand that attitude. And I don't understand the obsession with record jackpots. I'd be thrilled to win a paltry $15 million jackpot anyday. I'd take the less than 50% cash value they're now offering and say adios muchachos to the world!
Increase the matrix! Bah! I say; Reduce the matrix and increase the number of winners!
Jim
PS...Hey Cash...tired of being ripped off by the New York Lottery? Come to Indiana and get ripped off by the Hoosier Lottery.
CO: My state lottery's a bigger rip off than yours is! Nyah Nyah!
UJ: Uh uh! My state lottery's a bigger rip off!
CO: No way! My state lottery only pays 38% to 40% cash value!
UJ: Oh yeah! Well my state lottery doesn't have any winners to pay so there! Nyah!
I'm thinking KS is going to win soon! I don't think we've ever won a jackpot, but it'll piss OK off. Specially if it was a store on the border that sells the winning ticket.
OK that sounded harsh.....I really DO wish everyone the best of luck....but I STILL think it would be funny.
::going back to my corner now:::::
Yeah I think it would be a riot if some okie had that winning kansas jackpot ticket in their hot lil hands....like me hehe The best of luck to everyone who plays powerball on this Full moon draw!!!
Increase the matrix! Bite your tongue! Perish the thought! No way! Leave the damn matrix alone! Despite the whining we heard from Powerball last year about a record number of winners...it's already hard enough to win anything significant!
I'm sorry but I just don't undersand that attitude. And I don't understand the obsession with record jackpots. I'd be thrilled to win a paltry $15 million jackpot anyday. I'd take the less than 50% cash value they're now offering and say adios muchachos to the world!
Increase the matrix! Bah! I say; Reduce the matrix and increase the number of winners!
Jim
PS...Hey Cash...tired of being ripped off by the New York Lottery? Come to Indiana and get ripped off by the Hoosier Lottery.
CO: My state lottery's a bigger rip off than yours is! Nyah Nyah!
UJ: Uh uh! My state lottery's a bigger rip off!
CO: No way! My state lottery only pays 38% to 40% cash value!
UJ: Oh yeah! Well my state lottery doesn't have any winners to pay so there! Nyah!
Well you could always take the blue pill .............
"I'm sorry but I just don't undersand that attitude. And I don't understand the obsession with record jackpots. I'd be thrilled to win a paltry $15 million jackpot anyday. I'd take the less than 50% cash value they're now offering and say adios muchachos to the world! "
In the vernacular of the 80s, "RIGHT ON, BROTHER!" (or was that the 70s? 60s?...it's all a blurr)
I used to hope Florida would get PB or MM, but I spend enough on the State games as it is. Tonight Lotto is $35 million. Average lump sum is around 56% ...more than enough for me. Heck, our MegaMoney is $900,000 and pays around 70%. After taxes I could buy a beautiful home for $175,000 cash and I'd have plenty left over so I could move to it, because I'm not going to find a house in SW Florida for that! But who cares? No rent! No mortgage! No car payment! Raleigh area looks like a nice place to live...maybe Asheville.
congrats to oklahoma 40,927 people in the money matrix..second only to the keystone state with winners! proof to all the people who said oklahoma wouldn't support the lottery!! WTG!
I do know that last night before I went to the hockey game in Tulsa I had to stop at one of the local Quik Trips (about 635pm central) and the madhouse there was more than I expected, espcially more than a full hour before cutoff. Two lines, about eight in each line, and every one of em buying PB tickets. I remember back in 94 when OK became the first state in the union to vote down a lottery. About time Okies were contributing to their own pool instead of other states.
My brother won $4 dollars last night (although he played a full $5 panel). He's hooked now.
Increase the matrix! Bite your tongue! Perish the thought! No way! Leave the damn matrix alone! Despite the whining we heard from Powerball last year about a record number of winners...it's already hard enough to win anything significant!
I'm sorry but I just don't undersand that attitude. And I don't understand the obsession with record jackpots. I'd be thrilled to win a paltry $15 million jackpot anyday. I'd take the less than 50% cash value they're now offering and say adios muchachos to the world!
Increase the matrix! Bah! I say; Reduce the matrix and increase the number of winners!
Jim
PS...Hey Cash...tired of being ripped off by the New York Lottery? Come to Indiana and get ripped off by the Hoosier Lottery.
CO: My state lottery's a bigger rip off than yours is! Nyah Nyah!
UJ: Uh uh! My state lottery's a bigger rip off!
CO: No way! My state lottery only pays 38% to 40% cash value!
UJ: Oh yeah! Well my state lottery doesn't have any winners to pay so there! Nyah!
I agree. Even with Oklahoma, the combined population of all of the Powerball states is still a lot lower than the combined population of all the Mega Millions states when that game's odds were only 1 in 135 million. Heck, even with North Carolina joining Powerball later this year, its current odds will still be appropriate for the population. I think Powerball jumped the gun on its latest matrix change.
"I agree. Even with Oklahoma, the combined population of all of the Powerball states is still a lot lower than the combined population of all the Mega Millions states when that game's odds were only 1 in 135 million. Heck, even with North Carolina joining Powerball later this year, its current odds will still be appropriate for the population. I think Powerball jumped the gun on its latest matrix change."
Sorry, I know I already posted a comment on this topic, but when I read "only 1 in 135 million" I had to chuckle. You've got much better odds of getting hit by lightning, having of a heart attack or slipping and breaking your back in your bathtub. One of the funniest things I once read was "You are several times more likely to die in a car accident on your way to buying a lottery ticket. "It's funny that so many people get excited when a jackpot keeps rolling over. I'd love to win $300M so don't get me wrong, but I'd rather have better odds and win a lot less. So many people only buy tickets when the jackpot rolls over several times, so that might be the source of Powerball's complaint. Less winners means higher jackpots which attract more players. The odds aren't any better of winning (or losing) when the jackpot grows, so I do not understand the logic of "I'll buy a ticket when the jackpot is $300M" I guess when people like Howard Stern are signing $500 million dollar deals..$100 million a year...people start to lose perspective on what a lot of money really is. If I got a really great job and made $100,000 a year for the next 30 years (which would make me very old!) that would only be $3 million. Taking inflation into consideration, let's make it $4 million! Now imagine not having to get out of bed, deal with screaming bosses, disgruntled co-workers, miserable customers....sounds like Paradise to me.
I would like games with easier odds and minimum jackpots of $4 million cash after taxes as well, but in reality, no game would sell enough tickets to justify that. If Powerball and Mega Millions got hit every drawing, they'd be out of business, and you can't win a lottery that's out of business.
I'm not so sure you are correct when you say they would be out of business. Powerball has a minimum annuity jackpot of $15 million. At a cash value of less than 50% that's still $7 million. Even if you paid the maximum amount of Federal withholding (35%) and a state tax of 5% (Indiana's is 3.4%) that is a total of 40% or $2.8 million leaving a balance of $4.2 million.
And they are still generating revenue for the states at that. If I remember correctly 29 cents of every sales dollar goes directly to the states. (Somebody please double check me. I didn't look it up and I may be confusing that with the Hoosier Lottery.)
I put the question of increased odds to Powerball last year when they changed the matrix. Here is part of their answer:
This past year we got hit more than predicted and sales dropped by $200 million...Our goal is to keep sales above $2 billion per year. When we drop below that, states get grouchy.
It was clear to me from their answer (which I did edit) and it is clear to me now that they can survive paying smaller jackpots. The game is profitable at that level. But it does not generate enough money to satisfy the insatiable appetite for cash our state legislatures have.
In short their position is (and this was actually said to me by a Powerball representative I spoke to on the phone):
Winners are bad for the game. Too many winners keep the jackpots small and smaller jackpots mean smaller sales.
So again we're back to that obsession with record jackpots. The game would surrive and indeed thrive if more people payed regularly instead of obsessing (and indeed only playing) when there is ahuge (or even record) jackpot.
When all those jackpots were won last year, they were barely out of the "guaranteed" range. Powerball was lucky the jackpots were hit every third drawing instead of every other drawing or every drawing. While Powerball's guaranteed cash jackpots are $7.3 million, in reality, they sell only enough to fund a $4.3 million cash jackpot at that level, assuming 30.28855% of sales goes toward the jackpot. They only guarantee minimum jackpots and minimum rollovers because they don't expect those jackpots to be won at those levels that often.
Increasing the number of players only increases the chance of someone else winning the grand prize. With fixed odds and fixed incremental rollover amounts to the jackpot there seems to be little benefit in adding more and more states to the game after a certain point.
More money in, more money out. Hopefully, more often. Ten winners a year should make every player happy. More winners, the better the chance of it being "you" - fewer winners are self defeating. Hoping for $100M for one person, or $30M for 10 winners will always be better.
The record $340 million PB jackpot was actually in mid-October, during my Oklahoma-California trip.
lets hope tennessee gets another jackpot winner soon......
lets hope tennessee gets another jackpot winner soon......
I say it will take 8-9 years for OK to get its first PB winner, since every few years the jackpot odds are changed.
If more people buy PB tickets, especially in OK, the more likely a PB jackpot grand prize will win sooner. In that case, people will win more smaller jackpots before it hits PB records. I think PB should have increased their matrix odds. Instead of 5/55+1/42, I would have suggested 5/55+1/45 or 5/55+1/50.
I'm thinking KS is going to win soon! I don't think we've ever won a jackpot, but it'll piss OK off. Specially if it was a store on the border that sells the winning ticket.
OK that sounded harsh.....I really DO wish everyone the best of luck....but I STILL think it would be funny.
::going back to my corner now:::::
If more people buy PB tickets, especially in OK, the more likely a PB jackpot grand prize will win sooner. In that case, people will win more smaller jackpots before it hits PB records. I think PB should have increased their matrix odds. Instead of 5/55+1/42, I would have suggested 5/55+1/45 or 5/55+1/50.
"Sooner", eh?
Increase the matrix! Bite your tongue! Perish the thought! No way! Leave the damn matrix alone! Despite the whining we heard from Powerball last year about a record number of winners...it's already hard enough to win anything significant!
I'm sorry but I just don't undersand that attitude. And I don't understand the obsession with record jackpots. I'd be thrilled to win a paltry $15 million jackpot anyday. I'd take the less than 50% cash value they're now offering and say adios muchachos to the world!
Increase the matrix! Bah! I say; Reduce the matrix and increase the number of winners!
Jim
PS...Hey Cash...tired of being ripped off by the New York Lottery? Come to Indiana and get ripped off by the Hoosier Lottery.
CO: My state lottery's a bigger rip off than yours is! Nyah Nyah!
UJ: Uh uh! My state lottery's a bigger rip off!
CO: No way! My state lottery only pays 38% to 40% cash value!
UJ: Oh yeah! Well my state lottery doesn't have any winners to pay so there! Nyah!
I'm thinking KS is going to win soon! I don't think we've ever won a jackpot, but it'll piss OK off. Specially if it was a store on the border that sells the winning ticket.
OK that sounded harsh.....I really DO wish everyone the best of luck....but I STILL think it would be funny.
::going back to my corner now:::::
Yeah I think it would be a riot if some okie had that winning kansas jackpot ticket in their hot lil hands....like me hehe
The best of luck to everyone who plays powerball on this Full moon draw!!!
Increase the matrix! Bite your tongue! Perish the thought! No way! Leave the damn matrix alone! Despite the whining we heard from Powerball last year about a record number of winners...it's already hard enough to win anything significant!
I'm sorry but I just don't undersand that attitude. And I don't understand the obsession with record jackpots. I'd be thrilled to win a paltry $15 million jackpot anyday. I'd take the less than 50% cash value they're now offering and say adios muchachos to the world!
Increase the matrix! Bah! I say; Reduce the matrix and increase the number of winners!
Jim
PS...Hey Cash...tired of being ripped off by the New York Lottery? Come to Indiana and get ripped off by the Hoosier Lottery.
CO: My state lottery's a bigger rip off than yours is! Nyah Nyah!
UJ: Uh uh! My state lottery's a bigger rip off!
CO: No way! My state lottery only pays 38% to 40% cash value!
UJ: Oh yeah! Well my state lottery doesn't have any winners to pay so there! Nyah!
Well you could always take the blue pill .............
"I'm sorry but I just don't undersand that attitude. And I don't understand the obsession with record jackpots. I'd be thrilled to win a paltry $15 million jackpot anyday. I'd take the less than 50% cash value they're now offering and say adios muchachos to the world! "
In the vernacular of the 80s, "RIGHT ON, BROTHER!" (or was that the 70s? 60s?...it's all a blurr)
I used to hope Florida would get PB or MM, but I spend enough on the State games as it is. Tonight Lotto is $35 million. Average lump sum is around 56% ...more than enough for me. Heck, our MegaMoney is $900,000 and pays around 70%. After taxes I could buy a beautiful home for $175,000 cash and I'd have plenty left over so I could move to it, because I'm not going to find a house in SW Florida for that! But who cares? No rent! No mortgage! No car payment! Raleigh area looks like a nice place to live...maybe Asheville.
Celebrate good times, YAHOO! Come on! Wish we had an all states lotto with a Monday Drawing!
congrats to oklahoma 40,927 people in the money matrix..second only to the keystone state with winners! proof to all the people who said oklahoma wouldn't support the lottery!! WTG!
Increase the matrix! Bite your tongue! Perish the thought! No way! Leave the damn matrix alone! Despite the whining we heard from Powerball last year about a record number of winners...it's already hard enough to win anything significant!
I'm sorry but I just don't undersand that attitude. And I don't understand the obsession with record jackpots. I'd be thrilled to win a paltry $15 million jackpot anyday. I'd take the less than 50% cash value they're now offering and say adios muchachos to the world!
Increase the matrix! Bah! I say; Reduce the matrix and increase the number of winners!
Jim
PS...Hey Cash...tired of being ripped off by the New York Lottery? Come to Indiana and get ripped off by the Hoosier Lottery.
CO: My state lottery's a bigger rip off than yours is! Nyah Nyah!
UJ: Uh uh! My state lottery's a bigger rip off!
CO: No way! My state lottery only pays 38% to 40% cash value!
UJ: Oh yeah! Well my state lottery doesn't have any winners to pay so there! Nyah!
I agree. Even with Oklahoma, the combined population of all of the Powerball states is still a lot lower than the combined population of all the Mega Millions states when that game's odds were only 1 in 135 million. Heck, even with North Carolina joining Powerball later this year, its current odds will still be appropriate for the population. I think Powerball jumped the gun on its latest matrix change.
"I agree. Even with Oklahoma, the combined population of all of the Powerball states is still a lot lower than the combined population of all the Mega Millions states when that game's odds were only 1 in 135 million. Heck, even with North Carolina joining Powerball later this year, its current odds will still be appropriate for the population. I think Powerball jumped the gun on its latest matrix change."
Sorry, I know I already posted a comment on this topic, but when I read "only 1 in 135 million" I had to chuckle. You've got much better odds of getting hit by lightning, having of a heart attack or slipping and breaking your back in your bathtub. One of the funniest things I once read was "You are several times more likely to die in a car accident on your way to buying a lottery ticket. " It's funny that so many people get excited when a jackpot keeps rolling over. I'd love to win $300M so don't get me wrong, but I'd rather have better odds and win a lot less. So many people only buy tickets when the jackpot rolls over several times, so that might be the source of Powerball's complaint. Less winners means higher jackpots which attract more players. The odds aren't any better of winning (or losing) when the jackpot grows, so I do not understand the logic of "I'll buy a ticket when the jackpot is $300M" I guess when people like Howard Stern are signing $500 million dollar deals..$100 million a year...people start to lose perspective on what a lot of money really is. If I got a really great job and made $100,000 a year for the next 30 years (which would make me very old!) that would only be $3 million. Taking inflation into consideration, let's make it $4 million! Now imagine not having to get out of bed, deal with screaming bosses, disgruntled co-workers, miserable customers....sounds like Paradise to me.
I would like games with easier odds and minimum jackpots of $4 million cash after taxes as well, but in reality, no game would sell enough tickets to justify that. If Powerball and Mega Millions got hit every drawing, they'd be out of business, and you can't win a lottery that's out of business.
@ryanm:
I'm not so sure you are correct when you say they would be out of business. Powerball has a minimum annuity jackpot of $15 million. At a cash value of less than 50% that's still $7 million. Even if you paid the maximum amount of Federal withholding (35%) and a state tax of 5% (Indiana's is 3.4%) that is a total of 40% or $2.8 million leaving a balance of $4.2 million.
And they are still generating revenue for the states at that. If I remember correctly 29 cents of every sales dollar goes directly to the states. (Somebody please double check me. I didn't look it up and I may be confusing that with the Hoosier Lottery.)
I put the question of increased odds to Powerball last year when they changed the matrix. Here is part of their answer:
This past year we got hit more than predicted and sales dropped by $200 million...Our goal is to keep sales above $2 billion per year. When we drop below that, states get grouchy.
It was clear to me from their answer (which I did edit) and it is clear to me now that they can survive paying smaller jackpots. The game is profitable at that level. But it does not generate enough money to satisfy the insatiable appetite for cash our state legislatures have.
In short their position is (and this was actually said to me by a Powerball representative I spoke to on the phone):
Winners are bad for the game. Too many winners keep the jackpots small and smaller jackpots mean smaller sales.
So again we're back to that obsession with record jackpots. The game would surrive and indeed thrive if more people payed regularly instead of obsessing (and indeed only playing) when there is ahuge (or even record) jackpot.
At least that's my opinion.
Jim
When all those jackpots were won last year, they were barely out of the "guaranteed" range. Powerball was lucky the jackpots were hit every third drawing instead of every other drawing or every drawing. While Powerball's guaranteed cash jackpots are $7.3 million, in reality, they sell only enough to fund a $4.3 million cash jackpot at that level, assuming 30.28855% of sales goes toward the jackpot. They only guarantee minimum jackpots and minimum rollovers because they don't expect those jackpots to be won at those levels that often.
All states need a lotto.
All states need a lotto.
I'm glad to her PB got off to a strong start in OK. I doubt my Okie friends played however.