Powerball jackpot up faster because of California?
Powerball's jackpot is on a faster trajectory, and California could be the cause.
Powerball's jackpot is on a faster trajectory, and California could be the cause.
Two weeks ago, the most populous state in the union joined Powerball, and immediately set a record, selling $8,408,180 million worth of tickets in its first three days.
That's "an all-time record for any new Powerball member," according to a California Lottery news release.
More sales mean faster growing jackpots.
A week ago, the grand prize was $80 million, and the last six times that happened, five times it rose by the minimal increment, first to $90 million, then to $100 million. In February, the result was basically the same: $90 million, then $103 million.
This time, though, it went up to $95 million and then to $116 million for Wednesday drawing - even though rival Mega Millions had almost as big a jackpot for $1 a ticket instead of $2. (Mega Millions stands at $92 million for Tuesday's drawing.)
True, California is just one of 43 Powerball states now (including Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware), but it has about 12 percent of the U.S. population.
The impact is in line with a prediction by Chuck Strutt, who oversees Powerball as executive director of the Multi-State Lottery Association.
"The average jackpot hit will stay the same ... but long-term, the jackpots will grow faster," he emailed early this month. "With California the number of jackpots won per year will go up by 1.5 jackpots."
Over the past three years, Powerball has averaged about 15 jackpots a year.
Then again, imagine California being involved the next time jackpot goes wild, as happened in November, when it rose from $225 million to $587 million in just a few days.
Add another 12 percent and you've got $640 million.
On the other hand, by boosting previous drawings, it's possible some California player would have won some previous week, before the jackpot had a chance to skyrocket.
With chance involved, nothing is certain, of course.
"There are always some unknowns and any math projection depends on all other things being equal or staying the same, which, of course, they won't," Strutt said.
For more on lotteries, including the latest numbers, go to www.philly.com/philly/news/lottery, www.powerball.com or www.megamillions.com.
