2002 Press Releases

POWERBALL REDESIGN MEANS BIGGER JACKPOTS, QUICKER

DOVER, DE -Changes designed to make POWERBALL® even more exciting are being put into effect by the Multi-State Lottery Association. Tickets for the updated POWERBALL game go on sale Sunday, October 6 at more than 400 Delaware Lottery Retailers.

According to Delaware Lottery Director Wayne Lemons, although new states have joined POWERBALL recently, the game hasn't changed in five years. "It was time to make some updates. So the Multi-State Lottery Association took steps to provide players with a more exciting game. We believe players will like that the new POWERBALL offers bigger jackpots, quicker, as well as a guaranteed way to multiply set cash prizes."

Four white balls have been added so players now select from 53 white ball numbers instead of 49. The additional four ball numbers will be added to the drum for the drawing on October 9, 2002. The number of red ball numbers will remain the same at 42.

The dynamics of POWERBALL design means that while the odds of winning the jackpot prize will increase from 1 in 80 million to 1 in 120 million, the odds of winning a prize for matching the red POWERBALL alone will actually go down. The overall odds for winning any prize in the new POWERBALL game will remain about the same, 1 in 36. The higher jackpot odds and the increased number of players will mean that the jackpot will climb faster and higher.

The $1 Power Play® option, which allows a player to multiply their winnings on all set prizes (except the jackpot prize) has changed so that players who select it will now be guaranteed to at least double their winnings. The new Power Play wheel will have 15 slots ranging from 2 to 5, with six "5's" and three each of "2's", "3's", and "4's".

Finally, the annuity option for POWERBALL is changing. Although most players take the cash option, POWERBALL will now extend the current annuity option from 24 years (25 payments) to 29 years (30 payments). Annuity winners receive their first payment immediately and will then receive a guaranteed return and annual payments for the next 29 years after their win. "The annuity payments are the best option for our winners who want a guaranteed cash stream," said Charles Strutt, the executive director of the Multi-State Lottery Association, which administers the game for the member lotteries. "POWERBALL can invest the entire cash amount before taxes and will guarantee the return and the annuity payments to the winner. Adding five more annual payments means a larger annuity prize and additional payouts for the winner without substantially reducing each annual payment."

Since the start of operations in 1975, the Delaware Lottery has contributed more than 1.4 billion to the state's General Fund to help finance needed state services that benefit everyone in
Delaware. The Lottery offers a variety of games: POWERBALL, LOTTO, PLAY 3, PLAY 4, and assorted Instant Games. More information is available at delottery.com.