Powerball tickets to double in price
Powerball drawings are on Wednesday and Saturdays.
January 2nd, 2012
07:44 AM ET

Powerball tickets to double in price

Lottery players, your chance for millions is about to cost you twice as much.

The Multi-State Lottery Association, which administers the Powerball game, says the price of a single ticket will double to $2 beginning January 15.

"After 20 years at the same price and after watching scratch ticket sales take off with $2, $3, $5, $10, $20, and even $50 tickets, we are going to make the big jump," the association says on its website.

When the price increases, jackpots will start at $40 million, up from $20 million now, and will increase twice as fast, lottery officials say. The average jackpot is predicted to be $255 million, nearly double the current $141 million. The lottery association hopes that will increase sales.

"We know that most folks play for the big jackpots and this game will have more of those more often," it says on its website.

Officials say the odds of winning the jackpot will decrease slightly as the number of red balls, or powerballs, will decrease from 39 to 35.

They also say the pricier game should produce more millionaires, as second prize - for matching the five white balls without the powerball - increases from $200,000 to $1 million.

The Power Play option, which doubles all prizes except the jackpot, will remain, for an additional dollar on the ticket purchase, according to the lottery's website.

Powerball drawings are at 10:59 p.m. ET Wednesdays and Saturdays. Powerball is available in 42 states plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Officials say the cost of a single ticket for the MegaMillions game, drawn on Tuesday and Fridays, will remain at $1. Forty states plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands participate in MegaMillions.
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Filed under: Gambling • Lotto
soundoff (289 Responses)
  1. teams33

    This is NOT news !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    January 2, 2012 at 2:56 pm | Report abuse |
    • james

      I agree–What the heck is CNN doing–Making News–

      January 2, 2012 at 8:48 pm | Report abuse |
  2. PaulD

    Wow... Where's the throngs of people whining about this price increase?

    January 2, 2012 at 3:19 pm | Report abuse |
  3. opinion8it

    "When the price increases, jackpots will start at $40 million"- since half the winnings go toward taxes, the jackpot really starts at 20 million. I never liked the idea of someone telling me that I just won something and then take half of it away.

    January 2, 2012 at 3:22 pm | Report abuse |
    • youkiddingme?

      The maximum federal tax rate is 35%...not 50%!

      January 2, 2012 at 3:48 pm | Report abuse |
    • middlestudent

      In my state, 70% of all profits off lotteries go to the public schools.

      January 2, 2012 at 5:53 pm | Report abuse |
  4. SittingBull

    This twice the reason now why I have never bought one.

    January 2, 2012 at 3:25 pm | Report abuse |
  5. David

    CNN probability FAIL: "Officials say the odds of winning the jackpot will decrease slightly as the number of red balls, or powerballs, will decrease from 39 to 35."

    January 2, 2012 at 3:30 pm | Report abuse |
    • Franky

      Epic Failure.

      January 2, 2012 at 4:08 pm | Report abuse |
  6. augustghost

    So now you can lose twice as much each time you play....scam

    January 2, 2012 at 3:31 pm | Report abuse |
  7. brad

    The lottery. An investment program for those with extremely poor math skills.

    January 2, 2012 at 3:50 pm | Report abuse |
    • glu

      yes, for liberals, because we all know how terrible libs are at math.

      January 2, 2012 at 3:59 pm | Report abuse |
  8. glu

    the lottery is one big ponzi scheme, look at those hefty odds people, wow!!!

    January 2, 2012 at 3:57 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Franky

    "Officials say the odds of winning the jackpot will decrease slightly as the number of red balls, or powerballs, will decrease from 39 to 35."

    How is the odd's of winning decreasing if the number powerballs goes from 39 to 35? It's 4 less options thusly should increase the odd's of winning.

    January 2, 2012 at 4:08 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Suzanne

    Crapolla lots,all that lottery,,more skim money for them!! Hide and seek crackpots!!!

    January 2, 2012 at 4:51 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Floyd

    Check out all the power ball winners and you will find out that the winners are linked to the authorities and split on a ratio with the so called winners. It is a scam and use stupid ignorant citizens to buy the tickets and generate money for bankers. Why do you think they will not allow a small time lottery for locals in your immediate locality? Maybe because it would finally get around to who is who and show off scams easier than the big ones. It is controlled to who gets the money take it or leave it and go ahead like fools and bid on a losing bid.

    January 2, 2012 at 7:03 pm | Report abuse |
  12. john

    if you dont play you win $2

    January 2, 2012 at 7:44 pm | Report abuse |
  13. james

    Double the price !!!!!!-Jeeeze CNN, its just a Buck to start with.–What the H–l is the problem. CNN is making news rather than just reporting it–Boy–

    January 2, 2012 at 8:47 pm | Report abuse |
  14. JAMES B.

    I OFTEN SAY SMALLER AMOUNT, MORE NUMEROUS PURSES WOULD BENEFIT MORE PEOPLE. WHO NEEDS $255 OR EVEN $ 144 MILLION? HOW ABOUT LOTS OF $5,000,$10,000 PRIZES ! THAT'S USEFUL ENOUGH! 25K 30 K 50K 100K 250K...

    January 2, 2012 at 8:57 pm | Report abuse |
  15. banasy©

    Che, my fat white cat is getting a little irritated by you using her to make your point...she prefers the term "fluffy" also.
    She has never purchased a lottery ticket in her life.
    She has neither a golden parachute, nor a stinky ass.
    She's quite fastidious, actually.
    Leave her out of it, please.

    January 2, 2012 at 10:46 pm | Report abuse |
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