Powerball is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lotteryA lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
game sold in 44 jurisdictions as a shared
jackpotA progressive jackpot is a jackpot for a gaming machine where the value of the jackpot increases a small amount for every game played...
game. It is coordinated by the
Multi-State Lottery AssociationThe Multi-State Lottery Association is a non-profit, government-benefit association owned and operated by agreement of its 33 member lotteries MUSL was created to facilitate the operation of multi-jurisdictional lottery games, including Powerball, Mega Millions), video lottery, and instant ...
(MUSL), a non-profit organization formed by an agreement with lotteries. Powerball is a game whose advertised jackpot starts at $20 million (annuity) and can roll into the hundreds of millions over many drawings. The jackpot is paid as a 30-payment annuity; players may choose
cashPresent value, also known as present discounted value, is the value on a given date of a future payment or series of future payments, discounted to reflect the time value of money and other factors such as investment risk...
instead. Powerball drawings are held Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern time. The game currently uses a 5/59 (white balls) + 1/39 (Powerballs) matrix to select its winning numbers. Each selection of six numbers costs players $1 for the base game; for an extra $1, they can multiply a non-jackpot prize by up to 5 (10 during promotional periods) with the Power Play multiplier. The official cutoff time for ticket sales is one hour before drawings; some jurisdictions cut sales earlier. The drawings usually are held at
Universal StudiosUniversal Orlando Resort is a theme park resort in Orlando, Florida. It is wholly owned by NBCUniversal and its affiliates. The resort consists of two theme parks , Universal CityWalk , and three Loews Hotels...
in Orlando, Florida. The drawings consist of 6 prerecorded draws on the night of the drawing. Four "Test" draws are initiated, with an actual draw following the four "Test" draws. After the "actual" draw is completed, a final "Post Test" draw is done. Some drawings have been held away from headquarters, often to promote the game's expansion to a new jurisdiction. The results of drawings are not official until they are audited by the accounting firm Harvey, Covington & Thomas, LLC
Powerball produced the third largest prize awarded for one set of numbers drawn in a US lottery game; on February 18, 2006, one ticket won the $365 million jackpot. The eight people sharing the ticket chose the cash option, splitting $177,270,519.67 before withholdings. (Mega Millions produced the two biggest jackpots in American history.)
The 2010 expansion of Mega Millions and Powerball
On October 13, 2009, MUSL and the
Mega MillionsMega Millions is a US multi-jurisdictional $1 lottery game. Since it replaced The Big Game in May 2002 , Mega Millions' advertised jackpots have started at $12 million, paid in 26 yearly installments , increasing when there is no jackpot winner...
consortium signed an agreement to allow US lotteries to sell both games, no longer requiring exclusivity. The expansion occurred on January 31, 2010, as 10 Mega Millions members began selling Powerball tickets for their first drawing on February 3, 2010; simultaneously, 23 Powerball members began offering Mega Millions tickets for their first drawing on February 2, 2010. On March 1, 2010, Montana (by joining Mega Millions) was the first jurisdiction to join the other game after the cross-selling expansion. Later that month, Nebraska, followed by Oregon, also joined Mega Millions; Arizona followed suit on April 18, 2010, and Maine joined Mega Millions on May 9, 2010. Colorado and South Dakota joined Mega Millions on May 16, 2010. The most recent MUSL member joining Mega Millions is Louisiana, in November 2011. Mega Millions and Powerball each are played in 44 jurisdictions; 43 offer both games. (California offers only Mega Millions, while Florida has Powerball.)
Current and future participating members
Powerball replaced Lotto*America in April 1992; Mega Millions replaced The Big Game in May 2002 (see below for the evolution of its name.)
Mega Millions and Powerball
| Jurisdiction |
Powerball |
Mega Millions |
| Arizona The Arizona Lottery is run by the government of Arizona. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . Its games include Powerball, Mega Millions, Fantasy 5, Pick 3, Cash 4 , 2by2 and The Pick.Arizona requires lottery players to be at least 21; the minimum age was 18 until June 1,...
|
1994 |
April 18, 2010 |
| Arkansas |
October 31, 2009 |
January 31, 2010 |
| Connecticut The Connecticut Lottery Corporation, also called the CT Lottery, is the official lottery in Connecticut. It was created in 1971 by then-Gov. Thomas Meskill, who signed Public Act No. 865. The first tickets were sold on February 15, 1972. The Connecticut Lottery offers five in-house drawing games...
|
1995 |
January 31, 2010 |
| Colorado The Colorado Lottery is run by the government of Colorado. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association .The Colorado Lottery began on January 24, 1983, initially selling only scratch tickets. Its first drawing took place on April 23, 1983...
|
2001 |
May 16, 2010 |
| Delaware The Delaware Lottery is run by the government of Delaware. Unlike most US lotteries, Delaware offers video lottery; its other games include Mega Millions, Powerball, Cash 5, Play 3, and Play 4....
|
1991 |
January 31, 2010 |
| Georgia The Georgia Lottery is overseen by the government of Georgia, United States. Headquartered in Atlanta and run by the Georgia Lottery Corporation, the lottery takes in over US$1 billion yearly. By law, half of the money goes to prizes, one-third to education, and the remainder to operating and...
|
January 31, 2010 |
1996 |
| Idaho The Idaho Lottery, which began on July 19, 1989, is run by the government of Idaho. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association...
|
1990 |
January 31, 2010 |
| Illinois The Illinois Lottery is run by the government of Illinois. The Lottery was founded in 1974, when U.S. lotteries were confined to the Northeast and Midwestern states. Televised drawings are based at the West Bradley Place studios of Chicago's CW affiliate WGN-TV , and occur twice daily, with the...
|
January 31, 2010 |
1996 |
| Indiana The Hoosier Lottery is run by the government of Indiana. It is the only US lottery that uses the state's nickname, rather than the state name itself, as its name. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association...
|
1990 |
January 31, 2010 |
| Iowa The Iowa Lottery is run by the government of Iowa. It is a charter member of, and home to, the Multi-State Lottery Association , which administers its games on behalf of the member lotteries...
|
1988 |
January 31, 2010 |
| Kansas The Kansas Lottery is run by the government of Kansas. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association .In November 1986, voters approved a constitutional amendment authorizing the creation of a government-run lottery. The Kansas Legislature passed the "Kansas Lottery Act" in 1987,...
|
1989 |
January 31, 2010 |
| Kentucky The Kentucky Lottery, consisting of various games of chance, is a government-regulated form of gambling. The Lottery began in April 1989 after a November 1988 vote in which over 60% of voters cast ballots in favor of it. On April 4, 1989, ticket sales began with first day sales of over $5 million...
|
1991 |
January 31, 2010 |
| Louisiana - History :The Louisiana Lottery Corporation began in 1991, after the 1990 Louisiana legislature proposed a government-run lottery as a way to generate revenue without increasing taxes...
|
1995 |
November 16, 2011 |
| Maine The Maine Lottery is run by the government of Maine. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association , whose flagship game is Powerball....
|
2004 |
May 9, 2010 |
| Maryland The Maryland Lottery is an independent agency of the Maryland government. Its games include Mega Millions, Powerball, Multi-Match, Keno, Bonus Match 5, and numerous scratch tickets. The Maryland Lottery is headquartered in Suite 330 at 1800 Washington Boulevard, in Montgomery Business Park,...
|
January 31, 2010 |
1996 |
| Massachusetts The Massachusetts Lottery was established in 1971, following the legalization of gambling by the Massachusetts General Court, the legislature of the Commonwealth...
|
January 31, 2010 |
1996 |
| Michigan The Michigan Lottery offers numerous on-line and scratch-off games, giving players a wide variety of prize possibilities. Initiated under the authority of Public Act 239 in 1972, the games collect funds to support Michigan’s public school system.- History :...
|
January 31, 2010 |
1996 |
MinnesotaThe Minnesota Lottery is the official lottery association in Minnesota. The minimum age to purchase Minnesota Lottery tickets is 18.As a result of the 2011 Minnesota state government shutdown, sales of Minnesota Lottery tickets were suspended on July 1, 2011...
|
1990 |
January 31, 2010 |
| Missouri The Missouri Lottery is run by the government of Missouri. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association , whose first drawing was held in 1988.-History:...
|
1988 |
January 31, 2010 |
| Montana The Montana Lottery is run by the government of Montana. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . The Montana Lottery has a large number of games, such as scratch tickets, Powerball, Hot Lotto, Wild Card 2, and Montana Cash....
|
1989 |
March 1, 2010 |
| Nebraska The Nebraska Lottery is run by the government of Nebraska. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . Its games include Mega Millions, Powerball, 2by2, Nebraska Pick 5, Pick 3, and MyDaY....
|
1994 |
March 20, 2010 |
| New Hampshire Begun in 1964, the New Hampshire Lottery is the oldest US mainland-based lottery. New Hampshire's games include Mega Millions, Powerball, Hot Lotto, and numerous scratch tickets.New Hampshire is part of the Multi-State Lottery Association , which it joined in 1995...
|
1995 |
January 31, 2010 |
New JerseyThe New Jersey Lottery is run by the government of New Jersey. Its games consist of Powerball, Mega Millions, Pick-6, Jersey Cash 5, Pick-4, Pick-3, and scratch tickets. The Lottery is headquartered in the One Lawrence Park Complex in Lawrence Township, Mercer County.New Jersey Lottery players must...
|
January 31, 2010 |
1999 |
| New Mexico The New Mexico Lottery is run by the government of New Mexico. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . Its games include Mega Millions, Powerball, Pick3, and Roadrunner Cash. ....
|
1996 |
January 31, 2010 |
| New York The New York Lottery began in 1967 as the third modern U.S. lottery, after Puerto Rico's began in 1934, and New Hampshire's in 1964. It provides revenue for public education, and is based in Schenectady.-History:...
|
January 31, 2010 |
2002 |
| North Carolina The North Carolina Education Lottery is run by the government of North Carolina. It was established after Gov. Mike Easley signed the North Carolina State Lottery Act and the 2005 Appropriations Act....
|
2006 |
January 31, 2010 |
| North Dakota The North Dakota Lottery is run by the government of North Dakota. The Lottery began in 2004. It is unique among US lotteries in that it is allowed only to offer multi-jurisdictional games, i.e., North Dakota-only games cannot be sold. As a result, all of its games are part of the Multi-State...
|
2004 |
January 31, 2010 |
| Ohio The Ohio Lottery is run by the Ohio Lottery Commission. Its games include Pick 3 and Pick 4 , Rolling Cash 5, Ten-OH!, Keno, Classic Lotto, Powerball, Mega Millions, and scratch tickets. The marketing slogan is "Take a chance on education. Odds are, you'll have fun!" In 1973, the creation of the...
|
April 16, 2010 |
2002 |
| Oklahoma The Oklahoma Lottery, which began on October 12, 2005, is operated by the government of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Lottery is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association .As with most US lotteries, the minimum age to purchase a ticket is 18.-History:...
|
2006 |
January 31, 2010 |
| Oregon The Oregon Lottery is run by the government of Oregon. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association .- History :The Oregon Lottery was enabled by an amendment to the Oregon Constitution, approved by voters in the 1984 general election. The Lottery began the next year, eventually offering...
|
1988 |
March 28, 2010 |
| Pennsylvania The Pennsylvania Lottery is operated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The lottery was created by the Pennsylvania General Assembly on August 26, 1971; two months later, Henry Kaplan was appointed as its first executive director...
|
2002 |
January 31, 2010 |
| Rhode Island The Rhode Island Lottery is run by the government of Rhode Island. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . Rhode Island Lottery games include Mega Millions, Powerball, Wild Money, keno, and numerous scratch tickets...
|
1988 |
January 31, 2010 |
| South Carolina The South Carolina Education Lottery began in 2002.South Carolina is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association , best known for Powerball...
|
2002 |
January 31, 2010 |
| South Dakota The South Dakota Lottery is run by the government of South Dakota. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . The Lottery is headquartered in Pierre; it is a self-funded endeavor...
|
1990 |
May 16, 2010 |
| Tennessee The Tennessee Lottery is run by the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation , which was created on June 11, 2003 by the Tennessee General Assembly through the Tennessee Education Lottery Implementation Law....
|
2004 |
January 31, 2010 |
| Texas The Texas Lottery is the government-operated lottery available throughout Texas. It is operated by the Texas Lottery Commission, headquartered in downtown Austin.-History:...
|
January 31, 2010 |
2003 |
| US Virgin Islands A lottery exists within the United States Virgin Islands, the only US lottery outside the mainland and Puerto Rico. The USVI is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . It is the smallest US lottery to offer either Powerball or Mega Millions or scratchcard games...
|
October 2010 |
2002 |
| Vermont The Vermont Lottery began fiscal operations as an enterprise fund in October 1977, following a 1976 referendum, and the enactment of Public Act No. 82 by the 1977 General Assembly. It is run by the Vermont Lottery Commission headquartered in Berlin...
|
2003 |
January 31, 2010 |
| Virginia The Virginia State Lottery is run by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Its residents voted for a government-run lottery in 1987. It is one of 43 lotteries which sells Mega Millions tickets, and one of 44 offering Powerball. In 2007, the Lottery funded Virginia's K-12 public schools with $437 million,...
|
January 31, 2010 |
1996 |
WashingtonWashington's Lottery is run by the government of Washington. Its games include Mega Millions, Powerball, Keno, Hit 5, and scratch games.-Games:Washington's Lottery offers several draw games, plus scratch ticket games...
|
January 31, 2010 |
2002 |
| West Virginia The West Virginia Lottery is run by the government of West Virginia. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . It offers games such as Powerball, Mega Millions, and scratch tickets...
|
1988 |
January 31, 2010 |
| Wisconsin The Wisconsin Lottery is run by the government of Wisconsin. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . Its games consist of Mega Millions, Powerball, Megabucks, Supercash!, Badger 5, Pick 3, Pick 4, and scratch games....
|
1989 |
January 31, 2010 |
Powerball only
| Jurisdiction |
Powerball |
Mega Millions |
| Florida The Florida Lottery is a government-run organization in Florida, USA. With numerous on-line and scratch-off games available, players have a wide variety of prize levels to choose from. Since it began, the Florida Lottery has continued to add variety to its portfolio of games...
|
2009 |
no plans |
Mega Millions only
| Jurisdiction |
Powerball |
Mega Millions |
| California |
no plans |
2005 |
AlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
,
AlaskaAlaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
,
HawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
,
MississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
,
NevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
,
UtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, and
WyomingWyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
do not sell government-run lottery tickets. Although
Puerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
has a lottery, it does not participate in either Mega Millions or Powerball; it does not plan to join either game.
Lotto*America
Powerball's predecessor began in 1988; it was known as Lotto*America. The game, and name, were changed to Powerball on April 19, 1992. Powerball's first drawing was held three days later.
Maine joined MUSL in 1990, dropping out when Powerball began; it did not rejoin MUSL until summer 2004.
Powerball begins
When it was launched Powerball became the first game to use two drums as its core game. Using two drums offers more flexibility in game design, allowing for the simultaneous possibility of high jackpot odds, numerous prize levels, and low overall odds of winning. (As explained later, a Powerball ticket can win by matching only one number.) The two-drum concept was suggested by Steve Caputo of the Oregon Lottery. The two-drum concept has since been copied by
Mega MillionsMega Millions is a US multi-jurisdictional $1 lottery game. Since it replaced The Big Game in May 2002 , Mega Millions' advertised jackpots have started at $12 million, paid in 26 yearly installments , increasing when there is no jackpot winner...
(formerly The Big Game) in the U.S.,
Australia's PowerballPowerball is a lottery operated by New South Wales Lotteries in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, Tattersalls in Victoria and Tasmania, Golden Casket in Queensland, South Australia Lotteries Commission for South Australia and Lotterywest in Western Australia.Australian Powerball...
,
ThunderballThe National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and
EuroMillionsEuroMillions is a transnational lottery, launched on 7 February 2004 by France's Française des Jeux, Spain's Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, and the United Kingdom's Camelot. The first draw was held on Friday 13 February 2004 in Paris...
. (Unlike most two-drum games, Euromillions selects two numbers, called "Lucky Stars", from the second drum; jackpot winners must make a total of seven matches).
Through 2008, Powerball drawings usually were held at Screenscape Studios in
West Des Moines, IowaWest Des Moines is a city in Polk, Dallas, and Warren counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 46,403; a special census taken in the spring of 2005 counted 51,744 residents and the United States Census Bureau estimated that 53,889 residents lived there in...
. The drawings' master of ceremonies was longtime Iowa radio personality
Mike PaceMike Pace is an Iowa radio and television personality, most notable as the former emcee of Powerball drawings. He is also an actor, narrator and host...
, who had hosted MUSL drawings since the organization began in the late 1980s. In 1996 Powerball went "on the road" for the first time, holding five remote drawings at the
Summer OlympicsThe 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta. Ironically, weeks later, the Georgia Lottery became the only lottery to leave Powerball (Maine, which joined MUSL in 1990, left when Powerball began). In August 1996, Georgia joined the then-new The Big Game (now
Mega MillionsMega Millions is a US multi-jurisdictional $1 lottery game. Since it replaced The Big Game in May 2002 , Mega Millions' advertised jackpots have started at $12 million, paid in 26 yearly installments , increasing when there is no jackpot winner...
), then the other major US lottery group. It planned to sell tickets for both games for the remainder of that year; however, within a few days, Georgia was forcibly removed from MUSL, not to return until the 2010 cross-sell expansion.
On November 2, 1997, the
annuityIn the United States an annuity contract is created when an insured party, usually an individual, pays a life insurance company a single premium that will later be distributed back to the insured party over time...
was changed from 20 to 25 yearly payments; the cash option was added. Currently, the annuity consists of 30
graduated paymentsGraduated Payments are repayment terms involving gradual increases in the payments on a closed-end obligation. A graduated payment loan typically involves negative amortization, and is intended for young people who currently have low income but foresee a greater future income...
(increasing 4% annually) over a period of 29 years.
In 1998
FloridaThe Florida Lottery is a government-run organization in Florida, USA. With numerous on-line and scratch-off games available, players have a wide variety of prize levels to choose from. Since it began, the Florida Lottery has continued to add variety to its portfolio of games...
was given permission by its government to participate in a multi-jurisdictional game. It was set to offer Powerball; however, in early 1999, the new governor,
Jeb BushJohn Ellis "Jeb" Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. He is a prominent member of the Bush family: the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; the younger brother of former President George W...
, prevented Florida from joining since he believed Powerball would hurt the existing Florida Lottery games. In 2008 Gov.
Charlie CristCharles Joseph "Charlie" Crist, Jr. is an American politician who was the 44th Governor of Florida. Prior to his election as governor, Crist previously served as Florida State Senator, Education Commissioner, and Attorney General...
reversed the policy and Florida joined MUSL on January 4, 2009.
On March 7, 2001, an optional multiplier (called Power Play) was added, allowing players to multiply non-jackpot winnings by up to 5 after paying an extra $1 per play. A wheel was introduced to select the Power Play multiplier for each drawing.
On October 9, 2002, the 1x was removed from the Power Play wheel.
Game change in January 2009; Florida hosts drawings
With the start of Powerball sales in Florida on January 4, 2009 (with its first participating drawing January 7), the matrices changed to 5/59 + 1/39 (adding four white ball numbers and dropping three red balls). This change decreased the jackpot probability from 1:146 million to 1:195 million; the overall probability dropped to 1:35.
Based on statistical projections, the average jackpot won increases from $95 million to $141 million. Over 3.5 million additional prizes are expected to be won yearly (based on the same sales level) due to the drop in overall probability. The starting jackpot increased to $20 million, with each rollover adding at least $5 million. The jackpot contribution has increased from 30.3% to 32.5% of total sales.
The Power Play option continues to multiply lower-tier prizes by either 2, 3, 4 or 5 with an equal chance of each multiplier, except that the second prize, $200,000, automatically has a multiplier of 5 for Power Play wagers, making the 5+0 prize $1 million, paid in a lump sum.
The rules allowing for a 5+0 bonus second prize if the jackpot exceeds its previous record by $25 million, triggered only twice, continue.
The conditions for Florida joining Powerball included a relocation of the live drawings from West Des Moines, Iowa, to
Universal StudiosUniversal Studios Florida is an American theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies," and it features numerous attractions and...
in
Orlando, FloridaOrlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. The three hosts rotating announcing duties from Universal Studios are Tracy Wiu, Elizabeth Hart, and Scott Adams. (MUSL headquarters remain in Iowa; its other draw games continue to be drawn there.)
The wheel that was used to determine the Power Play multiplier was retired when the drawings moved to Florida; a random number generator (RNG) now is used.
The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery became the 33rd MUSL member on October 31, 2009, the last to join before the 2010 cross-sell expansion. The Ohio Lottery added Powerball on April 16, 2010, leaving just California with Mega Millions only.
Cross-sell expansion of 2010
In March 2009, it was reported that New Jersey, already a Mega Millions member, sought permission to join Powerball. Shortly after New Jersey announced its desire to sell both games, discussions were revealed about allowing each US lottery to sell tickets for both games. On October 13, 2009, the Mega Millions consortium and MUSL reached an agreement in principle to cross-sell Mega Millions and Powerball in U.S. lottery jurisdictions. In November 2009, MUSL signed an agreement to start streaming the
live Powerball drawings online.
On January 31, 2010, Powerball sales expanded to 43 jurisdictions with the addition of 10 Mega Millions members (see list.) On the same day, 23 Powerball members began selling tickets for Mega Millions, then leaving only 10 jurisdictions with just Powerball. Of these, 8 added Mega Millions by May 2010. The Montana Lottery joined Mega Millions on March 1, 2010. Nebraska added Mega Millions on March 20, 2010; Oregon followed suit on March 28, 2010; Arizona joined Mega Millions on April 18, 2010; Maine added Mega Millions on May 9, 2010; Colorado and South Dakota joined Mega Millions on May 16, 2010. The most recent MUSL lottery joining Mega Millions was the US Virgin Islands, in October 2010. The Ohio Lottery joined Powerball on April 16, 2010 for the drawing the next day; only California offers Mega Millions, but not also Powerball.
On March 13, 2010, New Jersey became the first previous Mega Millions-only member (just before the cross-selling expansion) to produce a jackpot-winning Powerball ticket. It was worth over $211 million annuity; it was sold in
Morris PlainsMorris Plains, billing itself "the Community of Caring," is a Borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 5,236....
.
On May 28, 2010, North Carolina became the first previous Powerball-only member (just before the cross-selling expansion) to produce a jackpot-winning Mega Millions ticket; that jackpot was $12 million (annuity).
On June 2, 2010, Ohio won a Powerball jackpot; it became the first lottery selling either Mega Millions or Powerball (not both) on January 31, 2010 to provide a jackpot-winning ticket for its newer game. The ticket was worth $261.6 million annuity; it was sold in
SunburySunbury is a village in Delaware County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,389 at the 2010 census. The village is centered around a New England-styled traditional town square with the historic village hall located in the center of a village green...
. Ohio's second Powerball jackpot-winning ticket, sold for the June 23, 2010 drawing, was part of another first; since Montana also provided a jackpot winner for that drawing, it was the first time two lotteries shared a jackpot where the two lotteries sold competing games before the cross-selling expansion, as Montana sold only Powerball before the expansion date.
As a result of Illinois joining Powerball, the game became the second multi-jurisdictional game (after Mega Millions, which Illinois already participated in) whose drawings are carried nationally, instead of in participating jurisdictions. Both games' drawings are simulcast via cable superstation
WGN-TVWGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
in Chicago through its national WGN America feed. WGN-TV has aired Illinois Lottery drawings nationally since 1992 after acquiring broadcast rights from Fox
owned-and-operated stationIn the broadcasting industry , an owned-and-operated station usually refers to a television station or radio station that is owned by the network with which it is associated...
WFLDWFLD, virtual channel 32 , is the Fox owned-and-operated television station, based in Chicago, Illinois; through its parent company News Corporation, the station is owned in a duopoly with area MyNetworkTV affiliate WPWR-TV...
(channel 32) in 1988, which took the rights from WGN-TV in 1987. Powerball drawings are aired on WGN-TV and WGN America Wednesdays and Saturdays immediately following the station's 9 p.m. (Central time) newscast with the Mega Millions drawings being aired Tuesdays and Fridays after the newscast (though both drawings air a minute later than on some television stations that carry either drawing).
2012 changes
Beginning January 15, 2012, each basic Powerball play will cost $2; with Power Play, $3. The minimum jackpot will be $40 million. Any non-jackpot play matching the 5 white balls will win $1 million. There will be 35 Powerballs instead of 39.
Basic game
The minimum Powerball bet is $1. In each game, players select 5 numbers from a set of 59 white balls, and 1 number from 39 red Powerballs. Players can select their own numbers, and/or they can have the lottery terminal randomly select numbers (called "quick pick", "easy pick", etc. depending on the jurisdiction). In each drawing, winning numbers are selected using two ball machines; one contains white balls numbered 1 through 59; the other contains the red Powerballs numbered 1 through 39. Five balls are drawn from the first machine, and one from the second machine; these are the winning numbers. Games matching at least three white balls and/or the red Powerball win.
The drawing order of the five white balls is irrelevant; all tickets show the five white ball numbers in ascending order. Players do not have to match the white numbers in draw order, but they cannot use the drawn Powerball number to match one of their white numbers, or vice versa. Occasionally, a drawing occurs where a white ball matches the red ball.
Two identical machines are used for each drawing, randomly selected from four machines. The model of machine used is the Halogen, manufactured by Smartplay International of
Edgewater Park, New JerseyEdgewater Park Township is a Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States and a northeastern Delaware Valley suburb of Philadelphia...
. There are eight ball sets (four white, four red); one set of each color is randomly selected before a drawing. The balls are mixed by a turntable at the bottom of the machine that propels the balls around the chamber. When the machine selects a ball, the turntable slows to catch it, sends it up the shaft, and then down the rail to the display.
The double matrix has varied:
| Starting date |
Pick 5 of |
Pick 1 of |
Jackpot odds |
Power Play multipliers |
| April 22, 1992 |
45 |
45 |
1:54,979,154 |
none |
| November 5, 1997 |
49 |
42 |
1:80,089,127 |
none |
| March 7, 2001 |
49 |
42 |
1:80,089,127 |
1x, 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x |
| October 9, 2002 |
53 |
42 |
1:120,526,770 |
2x, 3x, 4x, 5x |
| August 28, 2005 |
55 |
42 |
1:146,107,962 |
2x, 3x, 4x, 5x |
| January 7, 2009 |
59 |
39 |
1:195,249,053 |
2x, 3x, 4x, 5x |
Power Play
For an additional $1 per game, a player may activate the Power Play option, which applies a multiplier (drawn by random number generator (RNG) just before the Powerball drawing) to all prize levels except the
jackpotA progressive jackpot is a jackpot for a gaming machine where the value of the jackpot increases a small amount for every game played...
and second prize. Depending on the multiplier, winners multiply the appropriate prize level by 2 to 5. The multiplier for the 5+0 second prize always is 5x.
The dilemma for players is whether to maximize the chance at the jackpot, or "half" the chance at the jackpot in exchange for an increase in lower-level prize(s). The average Power Play multiplier is about 3.5, since 5+0 is guaranteed to be 5x).
In 2006 and 2007, MUSL replaced one of the 5x spaces on the then-Power Play wheel with a 10x. During each month-long promotion, MUSL guaranteed that there would be at least one drawing where the 10x multiplier would be drawn. The promotion returned in 2008; the ball landed in the 10x space twice. After skipping 2009, the 10x multiplier returned in May 2010 (after the Power Play drawing was changed to the current RNG.) The promotion was extended for the first time, as the 10x multiplier was not drawn until June 12. The second prize 5x guarantee continued as usual; the 10x applied to all non-jackpot prizes, as in previous promotions.
Power Plays success has led to similar multipliers in other games, such as the tripler in MUSL's smaller
Hot LottoHot Lotto is administered by the U.S.' Multi-State Lottery Association , which also operates the Powerball game. Hot Lotto is available in some of the 33 MUSL jurisdictions; Maine is the latest to join, in October 2009. The first drawing was on April 10, 2002 as part of MUSL celebrating the 10th...
, called Sizzler; and Megaplier, available in all
Mega MillionsMega Millions is a US multi-jurisdictional $1 lottery game. Since it replaced The Big Game in May 2002 , Mega Millions' advertised jackpots have started at $12 million, paid in 26 yearly installments , increasing when there is no jackpot winner...
jurisdictions except California.
Payout and odds
Payouts (on a $1 play) are:
| Matches |
Prize |
Odds of winning |
| Powerball only |
$3 |
1 in 61.74 |
| 1 number, plus Powerball |
$4 |
1 in 123.48 |
| 2 numbers, plus Powerball |
$7 |
1 in 787.17 |
| 3 numbers, no Powerball |
$7 |
1 in 359.06 |
| 3 numbers, plus Powerball |
$100 |
1 in 13,644.24 |
| 4 numbers, no Powerball |
$100 |
1 in 19,030.12 |
| 4 numbers, plus Powerball |
$10,000 |
1 in 723,144.64 |
| All 5 numbers, no Powerball |
$200,000 |
1 in 5,138,133 |
| All 5 numbers, plus Powerball |
Jackpot A progressive jackpot is a jackpot for a gaming machine where the value of the jackpot increases a small amount for every game played...
|
1 in 195,249,054 |
Overall odds of winning a prize is 1 in 35.11. All non-jackpot prizes are fixed amounts; they may be reduced and paid on a parimutuel basis if the liability exceeds the funds in the prize pool for that drawing.
Some may notice that the odds of matching only the Powerball (1-39) are 1:62, instead of 1:39. This is because there is a chance of matching at least one white ball in addition to the Powerball. Additionally, some may calculate the jackpot odds at 1:17 billion versus the actual 1:~131.24 million. This is because the five white balls win in any order.
To put these odds in perspective, in the US in 2008 there were 1.03 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. A person living one mile from a retailer selling Powerball tickets is four times as likely to die in an accident traveling to and from that store, than winning the jackpot on a $1 play. (Jackpot odds = 1 in 127.9 million; chance of death from vehicle accident=2 miles*1.03 deaths/100 million miles); 1 jackpot= 2*1.03*127.9 million/100 million=0.69 deaths.
Jackpot accumulation and payment options
Jackpot winners have the option of receiving their prize in cash (in two installments; one from the winning jurisdiction, then the combined funds from the other 43 members) or as a graduated annuity paid in 30 yearly installments. Each annuity payment is 4% higher than in the previous year to adjust for inflation.
The advertised estimated jackpot represents the total payments that would be paid to a jackpot winner should they accept the 30-installment option. This estimate is based on the funds accumulated in the jackpot pool rolled over from prior drawings, expected sales for the next drawing, and market interest rates for the securities that would be used to fund the annuity. The estimated jackpot usually is 32.5% of the (non-Power Play) revenue of each base ($1) play, submitted by game members to accumulate into a prize pool to fund the jackpot. If the jackpot is not won in a particular drawing, the prize pool carries over to the next drawing, accumulating until there is a jackpot winner. This prize pool is the cash that is paid to a jackpot winner if they choose cash. If the winner chooses the annuity, current market rates are used to calculate the graduated payment schedule and the initial installment is paid. The remaining funds in the prize pool are invested to generate the income required to fund the remaining installments. If there are multiple jackpot winners for a drawing, the jackpot prize pool is divided equally for all such plays.
MUSL and its members accept all investment risk and are contractually obligated and liable to the winner to make all scheduled payments to annuity winners. If a jackpot ticket is not claimed, the funds in the prize pool are returned to members in proportion to the amount they contributed to the prize pool. The 44 jurisdictions have different rules regulating how unclaimed funds are used.
When the Powerball jackpot is won, the next jackpot is guaranteed to be $20 million (annuity). If a jackpot is not won, the next jackpot is guaranteed to be $5 million higher than the prior drawing. The cash in the jackpot pool is guaranteed to be the current value of the annuity. If revenue from ticket sales falls below expectations, game members must contribute additional funds to the jackpot pool to cover the shortage; the most likely situation is if the jackpot is won in consecutive drawings.
When the Powerball jackpot reaches a new record for the game, the annuity jackpot is capped at $25 million more than the prior drawing. If ticket sales are enough where the jackpot would be increased by more than $25 million, the excess accumulates into a bonus prize pool, which is shared by "5+0" plays in the next drawing where the jackpot is won; these prizes are paid in cash. If the bonus pool is to be awarded but there are no 5+0 plays, the pool is divided among 4+1 winners. The bonus prize is in addition to the regular prize (or Power Play prize) won by the 5+0 (or 4+1) ticket. Bonus pool funds for expired tickets are returned to the members in proportion they contributed to the prize pool.
Claiming prizes
Although players may purchase tickets in other jurisdictions, all prize claims must be made in the jurisdiction that sold the ticket.
The minimum age to play Powerball is 18, except in Nebraska, where it is 19, and in Arizona, Iowa, and Louisiana, where it is 21.
Generally, Powerball players do not have to choose cash or annuity unless they win a jackpot (then they usually have 60 days to choose.) There are exceptions: in
FloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and
MissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, the 60-day "
clockA clock is an instrument used to indicate, keep, and co-ordinate time. The word clock is derived ultimately from the Celtic words clagan and clocca meaning "bell". A silent instrument missing such a mechanism has traditionally been known as a timepiece...
" starts with the drawing, so a
jackpotA progressive jackpot is a jackpot for a gaming machine where the value of the jackpot increases a small amount for every game played...
winner who wishes to take the cash option needs to make immediate plans to claim their prize. (In
IdahoIdaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, winners have only 30 days after claiming to choose.)
New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and
TexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
require the cash/annuity choice to be made when playing; in New Jersey, an annuity ticket can be changed to cash after winning; however, in Texas, the choice is binding. (When the cash option was introduced in 1997, all Powerball players had to make the choice when playing; this regulation was phased out by early 1999.) All Powerball prize winners, must claim within a period ranging from 90 days to 1 year, depending on the rules of the jurisdiction where the ticket was bought.
Powerball winnings are exempt from local and state
income taxAn income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
es in
DelawareDelaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
,
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
,
South DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, and the
District of ColumbiaWashington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. There is no state income tax in
FloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
,
South DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
,
TexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, or Washington, and only on interest and dividends in
TennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and
New HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
; however, New Hampshire began collecting a 10% tax on lottery winnings in July 2009. Winnings from tickets purchased in another jurisdiction may be subject to its income tax laws (with possible credit for taxes paid to one's own jurisdiction, or vice versa).
Secondary prizes
Unlike the jackpot pool, other prizes are the responsibility and liability of each participating lottery. All revenue for Powerball ticket sales not used for jackpots is retained by each member; none of this revenue is shared with other lotteries. Members are liable only for the payment of secondary prizes sold in their jurisdiction.
Since the secondary prizes are defined in fixed amounts, on rare occasions, if the liability for a given prize level exceed the funds in the prize pool for that level the amount of the prize may be reduced and the prize pool be distributed on a parimutuel basis and result in a prize lower than the fixed amounts given in the prize tables. Because the secondary prize pools are calculated independently, it is possible prizes may be lower in one jurisdiction, yet remain at their advertised level in the other Powerball jurisdictions.
Winning expectation
Because the quoted jackpot amount is paid as an annuity over 26 years, its immediate cash value relative to the annuity fluctuates. The actual ratio depends on projected interest rates and other factors. MUSL starts with the cash value, built from a percentage of sales (currently over 32%) and then calculates the advertised jackpot amount from that value based on the average costs of the three best securities bids.
The most common strategy that is employed by players is to play Powerball only when the jackpot is over $100 million, so that the long-term winning expectation would approach $1 in prizes for each $1 bet. This analysis is similar to one when a poker player calculates pot odds to determine if the expected return would be high enough to justify placing an additional bet in hope of overcoming the odds their hand could win the pot.
If an advertised jackpot is $200 million, the average expected return on a $1 bet for that drawing is $0.78, compared to $0.52 when the jackpot is at $20 million. Break-even is reached for a jackpot of about $323 million. Assuming a Powerball ticket is bought only if the jackpot exceeds $323 million, the expectation is to win more than the amount bet over the long term (before taxes.) However, this strategy does not guarantee a positive return for three reasons: (1) these calculations do not account for the possibility of multiple tickets matching the winning numbers in a given drawing, with the jackpot shared equally among winners. Additionally, as the jackpot increases, more tickets are sold for each drawing, increasing the likelihood that a split jackpot will occur; (2) taxes on winnings will diminish the winner's returns unless the player was able to concentrate their gambling losses in that tax year; (3) the jackpot has to be won to realize these returns.
The chart below shows that, for each $1 bet, the net expected return (before tax withholding(s) for a given drawing (assuming the cash value is exactly 50% of the annuity):
Jackpot pool cash
32.5% of wagers since last winner |
Expected advertised jackpot
30-payment total |
Expected return per $1 bet
For all players |
Notes |
| $10m |
$20m |
$0.56 |
Minimum jackpot |
| $25m |
$50m |
$0.66 |
|
| $50m |
$100m |
$0.71 |
|
| $75m |
$150m |
$0.90 |
|
| $97.681m |
$195.362m |
$1.11 |
Break-even if all combinations purchased1 and 1 winner24 |
| $125m |
$250m |
$1.30 |
|
| $150m |
$300m |
$1.43 |
|
| $165m |
$322.274m |
$1.55 |
| $177.270m |
$365m |
$1.59 |
Largest Powerball jackpot (1 ticket) |
| $195m |
$390m |
$1.70+5 |
If a $365m jackpot rolls, with 5+0 bonus activated |
1If it were feasible for one player to buy all 134,249,054 combinations for one drawing, their ticket purchase would add $63.5 million to the cash prize pool.
2Taxes negligible as winnings would equal losses under this assumption
3Taxes relevant as losses spread over many tax years but income earned immediately.
4Does not account for the possibility of a shared jackpot.
5A $25 million increase in the estimated jackpot represents the sale of 38.5 million plays for one drawing. Each ticket sold above that amount increases the 5+0 payout if the jackpot is won in that drawing. The expected payout at this level would be slightly higher than the calculated value here.
Largest payoffs
The largest Powerball jackpot of $365 million occurred on February 18, 2006 and was won by a single ticket in Nebraska. It was shared by eight persons who worked for a Conagra meatpacking plant. They elected to receive their winnings in cash, sharing $177,270,519.67 (before taxes). This is the largest prize awarded for a single ticket in an American lottery.
On October 19, 2005, the West family of
Jacksonville, OregonJacksonville is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, a few miles west of Medford. It was named for Jackson Creek, which runs through the community and was the site of one of the first placer gold claims in the area. It includes Jacksonville Historic District which was designated a U.S....
won that evening's $340 million jackpot. However, the cash pool for their winnings was actually smaller than the $314.9 million jackpot from December 25, 2002. Their cash share was "only" $164,410,058.03. The family won less than two months after the rules were changed to generate larger estimated annuity jackpots. Had the December 2002 jackpot been estimated under the current rules, it would have been $352.6 million.
On August 25, 2007, a jackpot worth $314.3 million was won by a retired auto worker from
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
; that ticket was bought in
Richmond, IndianaRichmond is a city largely within Wayne Township, Wayne County, in east central Indiana, United States, which borders Ohio. The city also includes the Richmond Municipal Airport, which is in Boston Township and separated from the rest of the city...
, a community that has sold two jackpot-winning tickets of at least $200 million each.
Indiana and Pennsylvania have produced the most Powerball jackpot winners.
Fortune cookie payout
The Powerball drawing on March 30, 2005 produced 110 second-prize winners. The total payout to these winners was $19,400,000, with 89 plays winning $100,000 each; the other 21 winning $500,000, as they were Power Play selections.
MUSL officials initially suspected a reporting error or fraud. However, all 110 winners had played numbers from
fortune cookieA fortune cookie is a crisp cookie usually made from flour, sugar, vanilla, and oil with a "fortune" wrapped inside. A "fortune" is a piece of paper with words of faux wisdom or a vague prophecy...
s made by Wonton Food Inc. of Long Island City, New York. The factory had printed the numbers 22, 28, 32, 33, 39, 40 on thousands of fortunes. The "40" in the fortune did not match the Powerball (42). None of the employees of Wonton Food played those numbers (at the time, the closest jurisdiction with Powerball was Connecticut.) Since the winners had been the result of a coincidence rather than foul play, the payouts were made.
Had these 110 winners shared the then-$25 million jackpot, each ticket would have been worth about $227,272 annuity or $122,727 cash.
The fortune read, "All the PREPARATION you've done, will finally be paying off".
Computers and slot machines
In 2007 the
Oregon LotteryThe Oregon Lottery is run by the government of Oregon. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association .- History :The Oregon Lottery was enabled by an amendment to the Oregon Constitution, approved by voters in the 1984 general election. The Lottery began the next year, eventually offering...
released a Windows Vista Sidebar gadget which relays the winning numbers for Powerball in live time. The gadget also provides large jackpot announcements.
In 2006,
WMS GamingWMS Gaming is a manufacturer of slot machines, video lottery terminals and software to help casinos manage their gaming operations. The company is based in Waukegan, Illinois.- History :...
released a range of slot machines under the Powerball brand name.
The
New York LotteryThe New York Lottery began in 1967 as the third modern U.S. lottery, after Puerto Rico's began in 1934, and New Hampshire's in 1964. It provides revenue for public education, and is based in Schenectady.-History:...
introduced a Powerball
scratchcardA scratchcard is a small card, often made of thin paper-based card for competitions and plastic to conceal PINs, where one or more areas contain concealed information which can...
in 2010. It is played similarly to other high-stakes scratchcards in that lottery's portfolio. A series of five winning numbers plus a powerball are printed across the top of the card, with 12 opportunities to match. Matching the winning numbers or the powerball wins; the top prize is $1 million (annuity); unlike actual Powerball, there is no cash option for the top prize.
See also
- MUSL
The Multi-State Lottery Association is a non-profit, government-benefit association owned and operated by agreement of its 33 member lotteries MUSL was created to facilitate the operation of multi-jurisdictional lottery games, including Powerball, Mega Millions), video lottery, and instant ...
- Mega Millions
Mega Millions is a US multi-jurisdictional $1 lottery game. Since it replaced The Big Game in May 2002 , Mega Millions' advertised jackpots have started at $12 million, paid in 26 yearly installments , increasing when there is no jackpot winner...
- Lottery jackpot records
Lottery jackpot records have always attracted attention of lottery analysts and players.It is generally believed that Spanish Sorteo Extraordinario de Navidad is the world's largest lottery...
External links