Powerball is a national lottery game played in 45 states, Washington and Puerto Rico. Its jackpots keep growing until a winner is found. The minimum jackpot is $20 million, and the prize increases by $2 million each drawing until it is won.
The odds of winning a Powerball ticket are 1 in 292.2 million, compared to a 1 in 175 million chance for Mega Millions tickets. It’s one of the longest odds for any big-money lottery, according to Victor Matheson, an economics professor at the College of the Holy Cross who studies lotteries.
This is a big reason why lottery officials often make their games harder to win in order to juice the jackpots and lure more players to play. By making the game more difficult, they can almost guarantee higher jackpots on a regular basis, says Matheson.
Organizers have also been gradually changing the rules of Powerball, which was first launched in 1985, to increase the odds of winning. These changes are part of an effort to make the game more attractive to players and keep it a top-selling game, Matheson told CNBC Make It.
For a small fee, players can purchase tickets with the optional Power Play feature. That feature doubles the Match 5 prize and increases non-jackpot prizes by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times for an additional $1 per wager.
Another new option called Double Play allows players to choose up to five numbers and get a second chance to win a $10 million prize in a separate drawing. The ticket also contains the same numbers and the wager amount as a standard Powerball game.
If you win the prize, you can claim it in any participating state that sells Powerball, but you must do so within 90 days of purchasing the ticket, or you may lose the prize. Winnings are also subject to federal and state income taxes, depending on where they were purchased.
You can also buy a Powerball ticket at any West Virginia Lottery Retailer, or download the official West Virginia Lottery app to play the game anytime and anywhere! The app features a Ticket Checker tool that lets you scan the barcode on your ticket to see if it matches any winning numbers.
The official Powerball site provides information about the game, including winning numbers and past winners. It also has a wealth of other resources, such as tips for playing the game and the latest news.
To play, players select five numbers from the range of 1 to 69, and a red Powerball number from the range of 1 to 26. They can choose to select their own numbers, or let a machine pick them for them.
There are also Powerball raffles where the jackpot is won for a fixed sum, usually $100,000. The drawing is held at least twice a week and winners must be present to claim their prize.
Those who win are required to sign a ticket, which includes their name, address and phone number. They also have to complete a back page, which is a legal document that proves they own the ticket. 파워볼사이트