For Immediate Release: Sept. 30, 2015
Contact: Kelly Thompson, 605-773-5770 or kelly.thompson@state.sd.us

New Powerball game to launch Oct. 4

(Pierre) – Beginning this Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015, Powerball players in South Dakota will have better overall odds of winning and a chance to multiply most of their winnings by up to 10 times in certain situations when changes to the lotto game officially go into effect.

The changes, proposed by the Multi-State Lottery Association which oversees the game for the lotteries that offer it and approved by the South Dakota Lottery Commission and the Legislative Rules Review Committee this summer, are designed to deliver bigger jackpots and give players a chance to win other substantial prizes.

Under the revised game, the overall odds of winning a prize will go from 1:31.8 to 1:24.9 while the odds of winning the jackpot increase from 1:175 million to 1:292 million. Powerball’s $10,000 third prize is being boosted to $50,000 and the Power Play option will be expanded to multiply most prizes (except the jackpot and the Match 5 prize) by up to 10 times whenever Powerball’s annuitized jackpot is at $150 million or less. The starting jackpot will remain at $40 million.

South Dakota Lottery executive director Norm Lingle says the game’s matrix will also change, which will affect those players who pick their own numbers for the twice weekly drawings.

“The pool of white ball numbers to choose from is going from 59 to 69 and the field of Powerball numbers is decreasing from 35 to 26. Players who choose their own numbers will need new Powerball play slips starting this Sunday. All of our lottery retailers and validation centers have the new slips available; players just need to ask for one so they’re ready to play the new game,” Lingle said.

The final drawing under the current game is Sat., Oct. 3 with the first drawing for the revised game on Wed., Oct. 7. Powerball will still cost $2 per play with an additional $1 for the Power Play option.

The South Dakota Lottery began offering Powerball in 1992. The game is played in 44 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For game information, visit http://lottery.sd.gov/

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