Powerball Redesign Coming In October

Powerball® is getting a make-over, with changes that will take effect in the game in October. The update is designed to continue to deliver the big jackpots that people expect from Powerball while upping other significant prizes in it as well. The October revamp will be the eighth in the game since its start back in April 1992.

Here are the basics: Powerball plays will still cost $2 each. There will be better overall odds of winning any prize, a big jump up to $50,000 for the game’s third prize level, and a chance for players to multiply most winnings by up to 10 times when the jackpot is $150 million or less.

Sales in the “new” Powerball will begin on Sunday, Oct. 4, and the first drawing with the new features will be on Wednesday, Oct. 7. Both sets of numbers that are used in the game will change.

You’ll choose your first five numbers from a set of 69 (currently 59) white balls and your Powerball from a pool of 26 (currently 35) red balls. The end result will be better overall odds of winning any prize with longer odds of winning the jackpot.   Powerball jackpots will continue to start at $40 million and the game’s second prize for matching the first five numbers but missing the Powerball will still be $1 million. But the game’s third prize level will get a five-fold increase from $10,000 up to $50,000 for matching four of the first five numbers and the Powerball.

The Power Play® option also will get a big expansion with a 10X feature when jackpots in the game are at lower levels. Currently, players can multiply many prizes by up to five times by adding the Power Play option to their purchase for an extra $1 per play.

Under the new design, the Power Play option will be expanded to multiply most prizes (except the jackpot and Match 5 level) by up to 10 times whenever the game’s advertised annuitized jackpot is $150 million or less. The Match 5 prize of $1 million will continue to double to $2 million with the Power Play added.

We’ve featured the 10X feature in special promotions a few times through the years and players have always liked it, so we’re keeping it as an enhancement to the game.

Starting Oct. 7, the Power Play numbers available will be 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X and 10X when the jackpot is $150 million or less. Only the first four multipliers will be in play when the jackpot is higher than that.          

Here’s an example of how it will work: Let’s say the Powerball jackpot is at $100 million for a particular drawing and you win a $50,000 prize that night for matching four of the first five numbers and the Powerball. But you also added the Power Play option to your ticket. If 10X is selected as the Power Play number in that night’s drawing, your $50,000 prize will be multiplied to $500,000.   Powerball drawings will continue to be held at 9:59 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

We’ll have more reminders as we get closer to the change date so you’ll be up on the very latest. Remember to look for the “redo” coming in October! 

 

Comments

[Mary Neubauer]

Jeff: Thank you for bringing your sense of humor with you! This is perhaps my favorite comment EVER to the blog. You are right that it takes long odds to produce the big jackpots that people expect today. You really can't have one with out the other! And you're also right that you can choose which lottery game you want to play. Remind us to send you a bday card for your 1,999,999th birthday, just in case you don't make it to 2,000,000...

[Jeff]

I'm looking forward to the advances in medical technology to keep me alive longer so I can finally have a chance at winning this jackpot with this new structure!

Current odds - 1:175,223,510
Drawing 2x week x 52 weeks = 104 chances per year buying just 1 ticket every drawing.

New odds - 1:292,201,338

Logic would say sometimes in the next 2,864,719 years I should win the jackpot. Yes, I know how math works and the above isn't fully accurate but this is just a fun example of how hard it really is for one person to hit this thing anymore.

Let's face it - no one stands in line buying a ticket and "dreaming" of hitting the 3rd tier prize. People are attracted to bright, shiny objects... a big jackpot is sexy, draws headlines and gets more people to donate their $2.

Let's hope us Charlie Bucket's of the world find the golden ticket well before our 2,000,000th birthday. :)

Until then, I'll enjoy paying $1 for a ticket and an all cash, taxes paid for jackpot advertised with the Hot Lotto game. The still astronomical odds of 1:29,144,841 is more manageable to swallow.

[Mary Neubauer]

Hi, Mobius33, thanks for reaching out. Just to clarify, the details you presented about the odds of winning in the games isn't correct. The odds of winning are based upon the chances of the numbers on your ticket matching the winning numbers selected, so the odds are the same for each ticket in the game. So, you don't cut your odds in half by purchasing two tickets. Rather, you have two plays that each have the same odds of winning.

To answer the general point that you raised, Powerball and Mega Millions each have their own unique prize structure and game features. You can choose to play both or the one you like better -- it's your choice.

If I am trying to win a prize of $1 million or more -- which I would guess is the goal of most Powerball/Mega Millions ticket buyers -- why would I play Powerball after this change?

For $2 on one Powerball ticket, I have a 1:292M chance at a jackpot and a 1:12M chance at $1 million.

Or, for $2 on 2 Mega Millions tickets, I have a 1:130M chance at a jackpot and a 1:9M chance at $1 million (and lower overall odds of winning in general).

Why are the big prize odds for a more expensive game worse than its cheaper "competitor"?

[Mary Neubauer]

Interesting point, Jamie! I think that years ago, the lowest prize that a person could win in Powerball was just $1 or $2. But as I recall, players at that time said they wanted an increase in the smallest prize available in the game, so it was raised a few years back. I will pass your comment along to those involved in the game-design discussions! It's always good to have player feedback.