By Todd Northrop
Tonight's Powerball drawing is the first in which residents of Puerto Rico can participate and win in one of the world's most popular lottery games.
The Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Lotteries Puerto Rico, Antonio Pérez López, reported that ticket sales for Powerball started on the island as of 11:00 am Sunday. All retailers that sell lottery tickets are eligible to sell Powerball plays, with the first participating drawing on Wednesday, October 1.
Tonight's Powerball jackpot is $50 million.
López said that between Sunday and Wednesday, the lottery would hold events at up to 90 retailers to explain to players how to play the new game, and to raise awareness for the game's availability.
During the events people learned how to choose their numbers on playslips, learned all the ways to win a prize, and then how to purchase their game ticket.
In addition, the lottery had a display Sunday at the Baby Boomers Expo at the Convention Center, which also sold Powerball tickets and all its products. The first Powerball ticket sold on the island occurred at 11:00 am Sunday at the "First Sale of Tickets" at the exhibit.
Powerball drawings happen every Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 pm Eastern Time. In Puerto Rico the drawings will be broadcast on Channel 6.
Powerball tickets are available in Puerto Rico up until 10:00 pm of the day of each drawing.
Puerto Rico should become the 51st USA state instead of joining the Powerball lottery.
Well once the people learn the game, I won't be surprise if a Jackpot end up being won there soon. Beginner Luck, God bless them. LOL
+3.6 million population should have a bigger effect than Wyoming.
Why didn't they add Mega Millions as well?
viva boricua!
Well they better get used to the jackpot going to California or New York... I have. If this is a success i think it will be just a matter of time for the Mega Millions to be offered there too.
ADC & Power Ball pickers:
Don't
you worry about Calie or NY cause when D powers N Power Ball think these
states R gitting more than there "fair" share $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
they can change D matrix^^^^^^^^^^^^################^^^^^^^^^^^^
Interesting, wonder why they didn't just wait and join when the matrix changes next year?
They are going to get players used to playslips, numbers, etc. then turn around and change. My only guess is they're trying to speed up jackpot rolls to hedge the terrible sales (every state is bemoaning about it in their fiscal reports), at least until the change takes effect.
Welcome Puerto Ricans. It is my hope you bring a rash of powerball hits that the jackpots never reach $100M for a while. Also let your entrance bring me luck in this game.
Powerball is changing it's matrix next year? Link please.
Virgin Islands has a population of only 104,737..as of 2013.. Now Puerto Rico has over 3 million people... Last drawing of POWERBALL in the Virgin Islands had only 288 winners in all last Saturday. GOOD LUCK our newest member!
It hasn't been publicized but I've discussed it before.
rcbbuckeye's thread about it mentioned at a TLC meeting:
https://www.lotterypost.com/thread/279748
Also mentioned at Idaho lottery's meeting in May:
http://www.idaholottery.com/theIdahoLottery/meetingAgenda.aspx?id=160
I alluded to the change back in June:
https://www.lotterypost.com/thread/277047/3655357
I actually heard about it at SMART-TECH 2014, which is a lottery conference that took place in April. Along with the discussion about the new Monopoly game, Chuck (MUSL) made a presentation regarding jackpots and Powerball...talking about poor sales and whatnot. Apparently they have "too many winners" (ironic) and as a result jackpot fatigue is causing poor sales. The issue is very real; if you check most lotteries' reports in the past months their Powerball sales are down by alarming numbers. I still can't remember if he said the bonus pool was expanding to 43 or 45, but that is where the change will be happening. They will also be adding a second-chance element like the new Monopoly game will have. This was briefly discussed again at the Lottery Expo in Miami a few weeks ago, but it was not explicitly explained. Most of these discussions happen behind closed doors at director meetings and are then presented at an open forum like the conferences. They were originally planning to do the matrix change in coordination with the new game launch, but now I think they will hold off until 2015.
Jackpots need to start at $100 million. Anything less isn't worth winning
Yay, I made sure to get my ticket. I only played powerball when I was in DC and the jackpot was over 100 million but I wanted to play in the first game in PR.
I wonder how people are going to react when they start seeing a bunch of jackpots in California. People are still mad that the winner of the biggest jackpot in the local lottery hasn't claimed his prize and they think it was a conspiracy.
I think the reason they joined was because of the debt that we have and they are trying to get funds any way they can.
PR is very attractive now for U.S. citizens to move to. You can avoid U.S. federal taxes
PR is 70 billion in debt so I don't think PB will help much. Good luck on your first draw.
Hey, welcome Powerball to Puerto Rico I hope the Mega Millions decides to join also.................:)
And we all know the first time a jackpot is won in Puerto Rico someone here will post:
How come it's always Puerto Rico!
It won't help much, but is a new revenue stream. Last year Hacienda (our irs) did not reach their collection goal by about 28 millions , this lottery will help them reach it.
They have played with the idea of joining the game for a decade.
The good thing about the lottery in PR is that they don't do press conference or publish the name, so I wonder if the rules are going to change for Powerball.
Yo, Cointoss,
Yea, they'll say " how come it's always the new guy ?
"How can some tiny Island win ?
"How can Wyoming win when hardly anyone lives there ?
That's right folks people win the lottery, not places.
Other anonymous places don't publish, would PR make different rules for PB ?
Yay for Puerto Rico!
Well, maybe hubby's relatives who live in Puerto Rico will win something. And maybe if they do, they will share.
That may be as close as we come to winning.
Don't think so, but I truly don't know if Puerto Rico is anonymous . I know that they don't do press conference and the winners are never mention , only one winner has been made public and that was because he request it. So I don't know if is an official rule or is just courtesy.
In P.R only 40% of the prizes are claimed and that number is one of their best year.
If PR allows anonymous claims, it must be easily the best place to win the lotto. All the other anonymous states require some state income tax. PR you only pay a 4% rate - no federal!
Here's a poor translation of their Powerball FAQ:
ANONYMOUS IF I WIN THE LOTTERY?
The number 10 of May 24, 1989 Act, as amended provides that the identity of the winners of the Lotto is protected. This also applies to the Powerball game in Puerto Rico.
It seems it's possible to remain anonymous.
I can't find any info on whether PR taxes lottery winnings at a different rate than income - I do know up to $10k prizes are tax free. Here's an article about the 1% moving to the island: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-06-26/puerto-rico-tax-haven-for-americas-super-rich
Actually I just looked into it and it seems there is a personal income tax rate up to 33% (not sure if this applies to lottery) and the new laws that were passed were meant to entice U.S. citizens living elsewhere http://www.investinpuertorico.net/#!law_20/c1m
It would have to be really lucky to nail everything perfect: Never have lived in PR prior 15 years, moved and lived there for 183 days, win the lottery - pay 0% income tax.
If your last name is Rodríguez or Lopez, i don't think you have to worry anonymity in PR. There's thousands with the same name.
Welcome to madness Puerto Rico......
The 33% tax rate applies to lottery winnings , the traditional Puerto Rican lottery is the tax free one. But compared to the states the rate is not that bad. Out of the current lump sum you will end taking home around 24 of 36 million.
"Apparently they have "too many winners" (ironic) and as a result jackpot fatigue is causing poor sales."
Yeah right, lets re-write that: Apparently they have "too many california winners" (ironic) and as a result california is causing poor sales.
That is how it should've been said.
Quite the contrary, actually. California joining Powerball improved sales. Without California in the mix the game would be much worse off. And MUSL's presentation about poor sales was before California's string of winners, using data from prior years, so that argument doesn't work. They are looking at the long run trends, and the averages of sales and jackpots. The lottery doesn't jump at every opportunity to change the matrix; they would rather wait it out and sometimes spend years before implementing a planned matrix change. The new Monopoly game has been more than 5 years in the making, for example. So to assume they are making changes because of one state in a chosen timeframe (selection bias, confirmation bias) is ridiculous. But whatever floats your boat.
Nice try....People win the lottery in places, though. The places that win the most, will always be scrutinized.
The only state that benefited joining powerball has been california, not the rest of the other states. If you want to continue spinning excuses for your favorite state, that is up to you...But, don't expect me to buy those excuses.
Will it make a difference is the question.
Good Luck Puerto Rico