On Jan. 15, 2012, the multistate game Powerball will get a facelift, including a starting jackpot that doubles to $40 million, better odds of winning and a $1 million match-5 prize. In order to provide these game enhancements, the cost of a ticket will increase to $2.
The decision to change the game was necessitated by a 96 percent increase in player population when 11 additional lotteries joined the game in Feb. 2010.
"With greater participation, fewer drawings occur before jackpots reach higher levels and these jackpots are getting hit faster," explained Louisiana Lottery President Rose Hudson. "Player research indicates Powerball is played primarily for the opportunity to win a life-changing jackpot, so to sustain the game's long-term success considering the different gaming options available to today's players, the changes focus on what players have come to expect from the brand - bigger jackpots and more millionaires, while also giving them better odds of winning."
Toward that end, Powerball's starting jackpot will double from $20 million to $40 million with a minimum $10 million increase each time the jackpot rolls. In addition, the average jackpot size will increase from $144 million to $222 million. Odds of winning the jackpot will decrease from 1 in 195.2 million to 1 in 175.2 million.
The match-5 prize for matching all five white ball numbers, but missing the red Powerball number will increase from $200,000 to $1 million, and the prize for matching only the red Powerball number will increase from $3 to $4.
The overall odds of winning any prize will go from 1 in 35 to 1 in 32.
To produce these game enhancements, four numbers will be removed from the field of red Powerball numbers for a total of 35 and the cost of a ticket will increase to $2.
In order to prepare for Powerball game changes, the Lottery will temporarily and gradually suspend the multidraw purchase option for Powerball tickets, beginning Nov. 9. The multidraw option allows players to purchase plays for 20, 10, five, four, three or two advance, consecutive drawings.
The Powerball multidraw option will be suspended according to the following schedule and will become fully operational again on Jan. 15, 2012, when sales start for the enhanced game version.
Power Play, the $1 add-on option to Powerball, will also change to no longer involve a multiplier number. Instead, when players add Power Play to their ticket for an additional $1 per play, they will have the chance to increase any nonjackpot prize won to a set amount. These new Power Play replacement prizes are at least double the original Powerball prize amount, and range from $12 for matching just the Powerball to $2 million for matching all five white ball numbers.
"The Lottery has always prided itself on offering a product mix that promotes a variety of games with price points, play-styles, odds and top prizes to meet our players' different preferences," said Hudson. "By launching Mega Millions on Nov. 16 and with these enhancements coming to Powerball in January we're giving our players even more choices for playing big jackpot games four times a week!"
