Powerball

Powerball is an American lottery game sold through U.S. lotteries as a shared jackpot pool game. It is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), a non-profit association formed by an agreement with member lotteries. Powerball is available in 31 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Powerball drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. Eastern time. The drawings are regularly held at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Occasionally, drawings are held at remote locations, sometimes to promote the game's expansion to new locations. The results of drawings are not official until they are audited by the accounting firm LWBJ, LLP.

Powerball's predecessor began in 1988; it was known as Lotto America. The game, and name, were officially changed to Powerball on April 19, 1992. The first drawing was held on April 22, 1992.

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 possibility of both high jackpot odds and low odds for other prize levels. The two-drum concept was suggested by Steve Caputo of the Oregon Lottery. The two-drum concept has since been copied by Mega Millions (formerly The Big Game) in the U.S., Australia's Powerball, Thunderball in the United Kingdom, and EuroMillions.

Powerball drawings were held Wednesdays and Saturdays a Screenscape Studios in West Des Moines, Iowa. Powerball drawings were usually hosted by longtime Iowa radio personality Mike Pace, who had hosted MUSL drawings since the organization began. Starting in 1996 the PowerBall occasionally held Remote Draws starting with 5 drawings in Atlanta Georgia during the 1996 Olympics. In August of that year, Georgia becomes the first state to leave the PowerBall.

On November 2, 1997, the annuity was changed from 20 to 25 yearly payments, and the cash option was added. Currently the annuity consists of 30 graduated payments (increasing 4% annually) over a period of 29 years.

On March 7, 2001, an optional multiplier (called "PowerPlay") was added allowing players to multiple non-Jackpot winnigs from 1 to 5 time if they elect to pay an extra $1 per ticket. A wheel was introduced to select the PowerPlay multiplier for each drawing.

On October 9, 2002 the 1x was removed from the PowerPlay wheel.

Powerball is currently played in 31 states; the District of Columbia; and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Compared to its rival, Mega Millions, which is played in 12 states. Arkansas was the most recent jurisdiction to join Powerball; it began selling tickets on October 31, 2009.

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 has worsened 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 has increased to $20 million. The jackpot contribution has increased from 30.3% to 32.5% of total sales.

The PowerPlay option, available for an extra $1 charge per play, continues to multiply lower-tier prizes by either 2×, 3×, 4× or 5× with an equal chance of each multiplier, except that the Match 5+0 prize of $200,000 automatically has a multiplier of 5× for PowerPlay wagers, making the Match 5+0 prize $1 million, paid in a lump sum.

The special rules allowing for a Match 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 Studios in Orlando, Florida. The three hosts rotating announcing duties from Universal Studios are Tracy Wiu, Elizabeth Hart, and Scott Adams. (MUSL headquarters remain in Iowa; its other games, except for its Ca$hola (video lottery), continue to be drawn there.)

The wheel that was used to determine the PowerPlay multiplier has been retired; a random number generator (RNG) is used for the Florida drawings.

Powerball is a multi state lottery jackpot game. Each Wednesday and Saturday evening at 9:59 p.m. Central Time, five white balls are drawn out of a drum with 59 balls, and one red ball is drawn out of a drum with 39 red balls. If all your numbers match those that are chosen, you win the jackpot, which starts at $20 million and grows until someone wins. If other players also match all six numbers, the prize will be shared in equal amounts. Each Powerball Lottery play is $1. For an additional dollar, you can add the PowerPlay option to multiply non-jackpot winnings by 2 to 5 times.

Powerball Lottery Game players can win 9 different ways. The Powerball jackpot is won by matching all five white balls in any order and the red Powerball. Prizes are  either an annuitized prize paid out over 29 years (30 payments) or a lump sum payment of approximately half the value. Each Powerball Lottery ticket costs $1.00 and if the winner chooses the annuity prize, the annual payment increases each year by a percentage determined in the Powerball Lottery rules.

Additional prizes are paid out to Powerball players that match several white balls or the the Powerball(see chart below)

Power Play is an optional selection that allows a Powerball winner to multiply the original prize amount by so many times. Powerball players can multiply their prizes by 2 to 5 times (not including the jackpot). The Match 5 prize with Power Play option will always be multiplied 5 X’s for $1 million cash. Please note that any set prizes or Power Play prizes, including the Match 5+0 prize, may be reduced if other wins exceed the available Powerball prize pot. The Powerball Lottery picks the PowerPlay number at random before the draw. Powerball players must choose the Power Play option when buying a Powerball game ticket.