Aug. 24, 2005 Powerball's starting jackpot will jump $5 million, from $10 million to $15 million, on Aug. 28, announced the V.I. Lottery Tuesday. The jackpot will jump by at least $5 million for each drawing until somebody wins.
"Lottery games are changed from time to time to respond to player demands and population changes," V.I. Lottery Director Paul Flemming said in a news release received Tuesday.
The Virgin Islands is one of 29 states and territories that participate in the Powerball lottery.
Fleming said that at least eight people in the territory have won big Powerball prizes of more than $100,000.
"The biggest one was $500,000," he said Wednesday.
Fleming said the changes will create larger jackpots and add more $1 million winners.
The second prize for matching five white ball numbers will double from $100,000 to $200,000 in cash. If participants purchase the Power Play option for another $1, they can increase their winnings by up to five times the amount.
The Power Play multiplier number is drawn before the lotto numbers each Wednesday and Saturday.
To increase the average jackpot size, two white ball numbers will be added, changing the jackpot odds to one in 146.1 million from 1 in 120.5 million. The overall odds of winning a cash prize will remain nearly the same at 1 in 36.6. This is up slightly from 1 in 36.06.
"These enhancements bigger and faster-growing jackpots and a chance to win up to $1 million by selecting the Power Play option are important steps to keep Powerball as the USVI's number one lotto game," Flemming said.
This is the fourth redesign for the well-known multistate jackpot games since its inception in 1992. The last change was in October 2002.
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