I asked a store clerk about the promo since it is supposed to start in a few days but the only answer I received was "I don't know." So I went to the TX Lotto website. According to the information at the site there is not supposed to be an extra charge to participate. And this does not apply to the sum it up feature.
Here is more information I found at the official TX Lotto site. http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/sos/in-addition/in-addition.html#401
Notice of Texas Lottery Pick 3 On-Line Game Green Ball Promotion
The Texas Lottery Commission announces the following limited time player promotion to be conducted in accordance with the Pick 3 on-line game rule.
The Green Ball promotion is a limited time player promotion associated with the Pick 3 on-line game and is conducted in accordance with the Pick 3 game rules and other lottery rules applicable to the Pick 3 game. The Green Ball promotion will offer Pick 3 players a chance to increase their Pick 3 prize amounts won in a day or night Pick 3 drawing during the promotion dates.This promotion applies to prizes for the Pick 3 base game only and does not increase the prizes for the Sum It Up® add-on feature.
When a green ball is drawn, Pick 3 prizes will be increased by approximately 20%. See prize chart included.
PICK 3 GREEN BALL PROMOTION DESCRIPTION
Promotion Dates: October 4 - October 30, 2010
The Green Ball promotion allows a player to increase their winning Pick 3 prize amount by approximately 20%. The promotion does not increase the cost of the Pick 3 play for the player.
From October 4 - October 30, 2010, there will be a total of forty-eight Pick 3 drawings that will include an additional Green Ball drawing. At the start of this promotion, five (5) white balls and one (1) green ball will be placed in a drawing machine and one ball will be randomly selected after each Pick 3 day and each Pick 3 night drawing. If the green ball is selected, winning players will have approximately 20% added to their regular Pick 3 prize amount. Every time a white ball is selected, the white ball is removed from the drawing machine. This increases the chances of the green ball being selected in the next drawing. Once the green ball is selected, all five white balls and one green ball are loaded back into the drawing machine for the next drawing. The odds of selecting the green ball range from 1:1 to 1:6 and depend on the total number of white balls in the drawing machine for a given drawing.
The Pick 3 drawings and the Green Ball drawings will be available for viewing on the Texas Lottery website at www.txlottery.org.
Chart (.pdf)
TRD-201005379
Kimberly L. Kiplin
General Counsel
Texas Lottery Commission
Filed: September 15, 2010