Powerball Celebrates 13th Anniversary

22 April 2005

UNITED STATES – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Today marks the 13th anniversary for Powerball. While the number 13 has always been associated with bad luck, this year Powerball has proven that 13 can be a lucky number with more winners than ever before. In 13 years, the game has had a significant impact on lotteries world-wide and the states that benefit from the added revenue. Powerball two-drum design has been imitated by lotteries around the world and other multi-state games have been formed in the United States, Australia and Europe following the success of the Powerball game.

Since the game's first drawing on April 22, 1992, Powerball has given away an estimated $5.8 billion dollars in jackpot winnings. The game also has the distinction of awarding over half of the world's 20 highest lottery jackpots. Although Powerball luck in its 13th year has kept jackpots from climbing, the game has proven lucky for a larger number of players. In just the past four months, seven winners have claimed jackpots totaling $186.6 million dollars.

In a single drawing last month, 110 players matched five numbers based on a lucky fortune cookie: winning between $100,000 and $500,000. Powerball also holds the record for the biggest jackpot ever won by a single ticket holder -- a $315 million jackpot won on Christmas Eve in 2002. Powerball has also given away an additional $3.4 billion in non- jackpot prizes.

"With lottery profits going to a wide range of good causes, everyone benefits and just about everyone has a personal connection to the game," said Randy Davis, current Chairman of the Powerball group and President of the Louisiana Lottery Corporation. "While paying out billions in prizes and creating many new millionaires is the fun part, over the past 13 years, we have been able to really make a difference by creating a new source of revenue for important state programs."

While Powerball has created nearly 200 instant millionaires, it is also contributing funds to a variety of state activities. In the past 13 years of Powerball sales, approximately $4.7 billion has contributed to state funded programs that include general education/college scholarships, the elderly, parks and recreation, and countless other worthwhile projects. In FY04 alone, approximately $660 million dollars was made available for essential state projects -- that would not otherwise be funded or would be funded by tax increases.

Amazingly, this has all been done without having to raise the cost of a Powerball ticket. Despite the growth of other higher price-point lottery offerings, the Powerball games still sells for just $1 -- a bargain when comparing the price increase of all other forms of entertainment since 1992.

In 2001, Powerball added a new option to the game. The Power Play feature gives players the choice to increase all prizes they might win, except the jackpot by purchasing the $1 multiplier option. Later this year, the Powerball game will be changed again to increase the size of the average jackpots. The game will also see higher guaranteed starting jackpots and faster growing jackpots. Still, the Powerball lotteries have listened to the wishes of a number of their players who want to see more $1 million prizes. The new game will feature a second prize that, with the Power Play option, will randomly offer cash prizes of $1 million.

Powerball drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday nights. The drawing show is uplinked to over 91 television stations beginning at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time.