Powerball to Get More 'Bounce' in October
MIDDLETOWN, Pa., July 8, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Changes coming this fall to the Powerball® multi-state game will grow jackpots faster and increase the average jackpot prize won.
"Powerball players are motivated by larger jackpots and that's what these game changes are designed to create," said Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko. "At the same time, we want Powerball players to keep in mind that any jackpot can be a life-changer."
Starting with its October 7 drawing, Powerball will change from the current game as follows:
| Current Game |
Changes Effective October 7 |
| Players select five of 59 numbers and one of 35 numbers (the Powerball). |
Players will select five of 69 numbers and one of 26 numbers (the Powerball). |
| Overall chances of winning any prize are 1-in-31.85. |
Overall chances of winning improve to 1-in-24.87. |
| Chances of winning the jackpot are 1-in-175.22 million. |
Chances of winning the jackpot change to 1-in-292.20 million. |
| Match 4+1 prize is $10,000. |
Match 4+1 prize will increase to $50,000. |
The Power Play® multiplier will also change. For tickets purchased with the Power Play option, A 10X multiplier will be available for the Match 4+1 prize and lower prize tiers when the jackpot is at or below $150 million, or when announced. The other available multipliers will continue to be 2X, 3X, 4X, or 5X. The multiplier is selected immediately before each drawing.
After the Wednesday, July 8, drawing, the number of advance plays available for purchase will decrease by one after each drawing until the new game configuration begins. After the October 3 Powerball drawing, players will again be able to purchase up to 13 weeks (26 draws) of advance-play tickets for the game's new configuration.
Powerball's ticket price will remain $2 and the price of purchasing the Power Play option will remain $1.
The Pennsylvania Lottery has sold 17 jackpot-winning Powerball tickets since joining the multi-state game in June 2002.
How to play Powerball (currently): Players pay $2 and select five white balls from the first set of 59 numbers plus a single red ball, the Powerball, from a second set of 35 numbers. Players may select their own numbers using a Powerball playslip, or they may opt for computer-selected quick picks. Players must match all five numbers drawn plus the Powerball number to win the jackpot. There also are eight additional ways for players to win a cash prize.
Purchasing the $1 Power Play option allows a winner to increase lower-tier prizes by a factor of 2, 3, 4 or 5, depending on the Power Play number drawn. The jackpot and the Match 5 prize are not multiplied. The Match 5 prize with the Power Play option is worth $2 million. It is $1 million without Power Play.
Powerball is sold in 44 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In Pennsylvania, tickets are sold until 9:59 p.m. on drawing nights, Wednesday and Saturday.
About the Pennsylvania Lottery: The Pennsylvania Lottery remains the only state lottery that designates all its proceeds to programs that benefit older residents. Since its inception in 1971, the Pennsylvania Lottery has contributed more than $24.7 billion to programs that include property tax and rent rebates; free transit and reduced-fare shared rides; the low-cost prescription drug programs PACE and PACENET; long-term living services; and the 52 Area Agencies on Aging, including full- and part-time senior centers throughout the state.
The Pennsylvania Lottery reminds players to check every ticket, every time. Players must be 18 or older. Please play responsibly. For help with a gambling problem, call 1-800-848-1880.
For drawings results, winning numbers, winners' stories and to subscribe to the Lottery's RSS news feed, visit www.palottery.com. Like us on Facebook or follow us at www.twitter.com/palottery.
MEDIA CONTACT: Gary Miller, 717-702-8008
SOURCE Pennsylvania Lottery
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