Here’s a reminder for this weekend: Sunday marks the debut of $2 Powerball, and the revamped game will sport several new features. As of that day, Powerball jackpots will start at $40 million and the jackpot will be easier to win. The overall odds of winning any prize also will be easier, and there will be more chances to win a prize of at least $1 million cash.
Powerball has been redesigned several times over the years so it will keep delivering the big jackpots that people expect, but also give players the chance to win other big prizes as well.
U.S. lottery directors approved the upcoming changes back in June. Before that vote was taken, the issue had been studied in two years of national research that involved 5,000 participants.
Some of you may remember that back when Powerball started in 1992, it was played in just 15 states with jackpots that started at a guaranteed $2 million. Fast forward 20 years to today. Powerball is one of the world’s biggest and most recognizable lottery games, played by 44 lotteries across the country, with players buying more than $3 billion annually in Powerball tickets. The biggest jackpot in the game so far was a $365 million prize split by eight co-workers at a Nebraska meat-packing plant in February 2006.
But with the game’s success has come demand for innovation to keep things fresh. The latest changes that take effect Sunday will help give players choices when it comes to lotto games and differentiate Powerball from other games. If you’re someone who thinks you’d rather keep playing a $1 lotto game, remember that you still have plenty of choices in that regard: Mega Millions, Hot Lotto and Iowa’s $100,000 Cash Game will continue to be available for $1 per ticket.
As of Sunday, you’ll still choose your first five numbers from a pool of 59. But the group of numbers in the Powerball pool will shrink from 39 down to 35, producing better overall odds of winning a prize.
The Powerball jackpots will start at $40 million – that’s double the current starting jackpot of $20 million. And the “second prize” in the game for matching the first five numbers but missing the Powerball will move to $1 million cash rather than the current $200,000.
Check out the changes on Sunday, and then we’ll all sit back and watch those jackpots climb!
Brillant idea, I have played Powerball for 10 years , NOT ANYMORE!! Oh wait,It will probrably increase jobs,which I currently dont have. At least give current decision makers a bonus.
Posted by: michael paulsen | January 15, 2012 at 07:49 AM