What is Powerball?
A: Powerball is an American lottery game offered by 45 states, the District
of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
It is coordinated by whom?
A: The State Lottery Association (MUSL), a nonprofit organization formed by
an agreement with lobbyists and US corporations.
When was its inaugural drawing?
A: On April 19, 1992.
From its inaugural drawing on April 19, 1992, until
August 21, 2021, Powerball drawings were held how often?
A: Twice a week (Wednesday and Saturday).
A third weekly drawing (held Mondays) was added when?
A: On August 23, 2021.
Where are drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and
Saturday evening at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time?
A: At Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee.
Since October 7, 2015, the game has used a 5/69 (white
balls) + 1/26 (Powerballs) matrix from which winning numbers are chosen,
resulting in odds of what?
A: 1 in 292,201,338 of winning a jackpot per play.
Each play costs how much?
A: $2 or $3 with the Power Play option.
When is the official cutoff for ticket sales?
A: 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time; some lotteries cut off sales earlier.
Where are the drawings held?
A: At the Florida Lottery's studio in Tallahassee.
Powerball's minimum advertised jackpot is how much?
A: $20 million (annuity).
Powerball's annuity is paid in 30 graduated
installments or winners may choose what?
A: A lump sum payment instead.
One lump sum payment will be less than the total of the
30 annual payments because of what?
A: The time value of money and also because one check for a much larger sum
will be taxed at a greater rate than 30 checks each at a much lower sum will
be taxed.
On January 13, 2016, Powerball produced what?
A: The largest lottery jackpot in history.
How much was the jackpot?
A: $1.586 billion.
The jackpot was split by three tickets sold where?
A: In Chino Hills, California; in Munford,
Tennessee; and in Melbourne
Beach, Florida.
The numbers were originally drawn where?
A: In West Des Moines, Iowa before moving to Universal Studios Florida in
Orlando.
Drawings moved to their current home in Tallahassee in
what year?
A: 2012.
Powerball's predecessor began in 1988 and the
multi-state game was known as what?
A: Lotto America.
The game, and name, were changed to what on April 19,
1992?
A: Powerball.
When was its first drawing held?
A: On April 22.
When it was launched in 1992, Powerball became the
first game to use what?
A: Two drums.
The two-drum concept was suggested by whom?
A: Steve Caputo of the Oregon Lottery.
The two-drum concept has since been used by whom?
A: The Big Game (now Mega Millions) in the US,
Australia's Powerball,
Thunderball in the UK, Eurojackpot and EuroMillions.