Why did the Powerball change drawing days?

The Powerball lottery is one of the most popular and well-known lottery games in the United States. For years, the Powerball drawings were held twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. However, in August 2021, the Powerball organizers announced that the drawing schedule would change to Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday nights starting in August 2021.

When did the Powerball change to 3 days a week?

The switch from two drawings a week to three drawings a week happened on Monday, August 23, 2021. The first Monday night drawing under the new schedule was held on August 23, 2021. Since then, Powerball drawings have been held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday evening.

What were the Powerball drawing days before?

Prior to August 2021, the Powerball drawing schedule had been in place since the game’s inception in 1992. Under the previous drawing schedule, Powerball drawings were held twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Here’s a look at the Powerball drawing schedule before the change:

  • Wednesday drawings were held since 1992
  • Saturday drawings were added in 1997
  • Drawings were held at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time

This twice weekly drawing schedule for Powerball remained unchanged for nearly 30 years until the switch to three nights a week in August 2021.

Why did Powerball add the Monday drawing?

There were a few key reasons behind Powerball’s decision to expand to three drawings per week:

  • Increase ticket sales and jackpots: Additional drawings could potentially help drive up ticket sales, which would in turn lead to larger jackpot amounts.
  • Stay competitive: Powerball was motivated to keep pace with Mega Millions, its main rival lottery game, which had been holding drawings three nights a week for some time.
  • Player demand: Many players had expressed a desire for more chances to play and win per week.

Powerball organizers hoped that adding a third weekly drawing would make the game more appealing to players and ultimately result in bigger, faster-growing jackpots.

How did Powerball announce the drawing change?

Powerball announced the expansion to three draw nights per week in May 2021, giving a few months of advance notice before the change took effect. The announcement was made through national and local press releases as well as updates on the official Powerball website and social media accounts. Retailers selling Powerball tickets were also notified in advance about the upcoming change to the drawing schedule.

What other lottery games hold 3 drawings per week?

Currently, Powerball and Mega Millions are the only two nationwide lottery games in the United States that hold drawings three nights a week. Here is a look at their schedules:

  • Powerball: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday
  • Mega Millions: Tuesday, Friday, Saturday

Some state-specific lottery games also hold three drawings per week. For example, Cash4Life is drawn on Monday, Thursday, and Sunday in the states where it is available.

What states participate in Powerball?

Currently, 45 U.S. states plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands offer Powerball. The participating jurisdictions are:

Arizona Delaware Idaho
Arkansas Florida Indiana
California Georgia Iowa
Colorado Hawaii Kansas
Connecticut Idaho Kentucky
D.C. Illinois Louisiana
Delaware Indiana Maine
Florida Iowa Maryland
Georgia Kansas Massachusetts
Hawaii Kentucky Michigan
Idaho Louisiana Minnesota
Illinois Maine Mississippi
Indiana Maryland Missouri
Iowa Massachusetts Montana
Kansas Michigan Nebraska
Kentucky Minnesota New Hampshire
Louisiana Mississippi New Jersey
Maine Missouri New Mexico
Maryland Montana New York
Massachusetts Nebraska North Carolina
Michigan New Hampshire North Dakota
Minnesota New Jersey Ohio
Mississippi New Mexico Oklahoma
Missouri New York Oregon
Montana North Carolina Pennsylvania
Nebraska North Dakota Puerto Rico
New Hampshire Ohio Rhode Island
New Jersey Oklahoma South Carolina
New Mexico Oregon South Dakota
New York Pennsylvania Tennessee
North Carolina Puerto Rico Texas
North Dakota Rhode Island U.S. Virgin Islands
Ohio South Carolina Vermont
Oklahoma South Dakota Virginia
Oregon Tennessee Washington
Pennsylvania Texas West Virginia
Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands Wisconsin
Rhode Island Vermont Wyoming

The only states that do not currently participate in Powerball are Alabama, Alaska, Nevada, and Utah. However, Powerball tickets are sold in Washington D.C. as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Has the Powerball jackpot increased since the change?

Yes, in the months since Powerball expanded to three drawings per week, jackpots have increased substantially. Here is a comparison of Powerball jackpot sizes before and after the Monday drawing was added:

  • Largest jackpot in 2021 before change: $286 million
  • Largest jackpot since change (through October 2022): $1.9 billion
  • Average jackpot in 2021 before change: $119 million
  • Average jackpot since change: $384 million

As you can see, both the average and largest Powerball jackpots have grown considerably over the past year with the third weekly drawing. Multiple jackpots have crossed the $500 million mark, including the record $1.9 billion jackpot hit in November 2022.

How often does the Powerball jackpot reset?

The Powerball jackpot resets to the minimum amount of $20 million after there is a grand prize winner. If no players match all six numbers during a drawing, the jackpot rolls over and continues increasing for subsequent drawings until it is won.

With Powerball now held three times a week, jackpots may reset more frequently than in the past. However, the jackpots are also able to grow larger between resets due to having more drawings.

Has the Powerball odds changed?

The odds of winning any Powerball prizes have remained the same following the drawing schedule change. They are as follows:

  • Jackpot: 1 in 292,201,338
  • $1 million prize: 1 in 11,688,053.52
  • $50,000 prize: 1 in 913,129.18
  • $100 prize: 1 in 36,525.17

The overall odds are still quite high because players need to correctly match five white balls (out of 69) plus the red Powerball (out of 26). Adding a third weekly drawing did not impact the underlying math or probability behind winning Powerball prizes.

Is there still a Powerplay option?

Yes, the Powerplay feature that multiplies non-jackpot prizes is still available with the same 2x-10x multipliers. The Powerplay costs an extra $1 per ticket. When players purchase the Powerplay and win a non-grand prize, the amount is multiplied by a randomly selected factor of 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 10x.

How to play Powerball with the new schedule

Playing Powerball is essentially the same as before, with just more opportunities each week thanks to the added Monday drawing. To play:

  1. Select 5 different white ball numbers from 1-69.
  2. Select 1 red Powerball number from 1-26.
  3. Purchase ticket for $2, or $3 with Powerplay option.
  4. Check drawings on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday nights.
  5. Match all 6 numbers to win jackpot.

Players now have the flexibility to purchase tickets and check results for drawings on whichever days are most convenient with the new Monday, Wednesday, Saturday schedule.

Where to buy Powerball tickets

Powerball tickets can be purchased in person at over 47,000 retail locations across the 45 participating states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets can generally be bought at convenience stores, gas stations, grocery stores, and pharmacies. Many lottery jurisdictions also allow Powerball ticket purchases online through official lottery websites and apps.

Can you buy tickets on the day of the drawing?

Yes, Powerball tickets can be purchased on the day of a drawing. Sales cut-off times vary by one to two hours before the scheduled drawing depending on the selling jurisdiction. Check with your local lottery for specific cut-off times on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

Buying tickets on the day of the drawing allows players to see that night’s advertised jackpot amount before deciding whether to play. Syndicates and pools may especially want to coordinate ticket purchases on drawing days to ensure entry into that specific drawing.

Do tickets cost more on drawing days?

No, Powerball tickets cost the same amount regardless of when you buy them. Tickets are $2 each, or $3 with the Powerplay add-on. On drawing days, tickets for that night’s drawing remain $2/$3 just like any other day of the week.

Even on days when the jackpot is very large, Powerball organizers do not change ticket pricing. The set $2 base price and $1 Powerplay option provides consistency for players.

Conclusion

In summary, Powerball expanded from two drawings per week to three drawings per week starting in August 2021. Drawings now take place every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday night. The addition of a Monday drawing was designed to increase jackpot sizes and ticket sales. So far, it appears to be working as Powerball jackpots have climbed much higher over the past year. With three nights to choose from each week, players have more flexibility but still the same Powerball odds and prizes. The game is played the same way but now with bigger average jackpots. Powerball’s drawing change ushered in a new era with bigger jackpots and more chances to take home the win.

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