Michigan Lottery players will enjoy bigger prizes and better odds with the new Powerball game that goes on sale January 15.

In honor of Powerball’s 20th birthday, several changes are being made to the game. Jackpots will start at $40 million and with better odds, will be easier to win. Estimates are that the average jackpot will be $255 million, up from the current average of $141 million!

Additionally, players who match five white balls will see the second prize level increase from $200,000 to $1 million. A match of five white balls plus the Power Play prize will be increased to $2 million, and the lowest level prize, matching just the Powerball, will increase from $3 to $4.

To play the new Powerball game, players will continue to select their first five numbers from 1 to 59 but their red Powerball number, or the sixth number, will be selected from 1 to 35, which will produce better overall odds of winning a prize in the game, 1 in 31.8. Odds to win the jackpot will be reduced from 1 in 195 million to 1 in 176 million.

Tickets for the redesigned game will cost $2 a wager. The Power Play option will remain the same at an extra $1 per wager.

Powerball drawings are conducted Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. and broadcast on stations across Michigan, including; WLAJ-TV 53 Lansing, WJMN-TV Marquette, and WMKG-TV 40 Muskegon.

Over 95 cents of every dollar spent on Lottery tickets is returned to the state in the form of contributions to the state School Aid Fund, prizes to players and commissions to retailers. In fiscal year 2011, the contribution to schools was over $727.3 million. Since its inception in 1972, the Lottery has contributed over $16 billion to education in Michigan.

For information on all Lottery games, please visit the Lottery’s Web site at www.michiganlottery.com.

“The Michigan Lottery. All across the state good things happen.”

Contact:  Andi Brancato, PR Director  517-335-5648
Agency:  Michigan Lottery Public Relations