Lotto NZ has revealed fresh details of its Powerball overhaul, including information on the new prizes that will be up for grabs and confirmation of a launch on Sunday 13 September.
The lottery announced in March that it would be increasing the number of Powerballs from 10 to 14, enabling a range of enhancements to the game, including the introduction of a new Powerball Division 8.
The starting Powerball jackpot will also increase from $4 million to $5 million and the maximum jackpot threshold will go from $50 million to $60 million.
Lotto NZ Chief Executive Jason Delamore says the changes have been designed to keep Powerball exciting for customers.
“These changes will create thousands of extra winners through the introduction of the extra prize division, and prize amounts will increase across all divisions.
“However, the extra four balls will mean the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot will lengthen from 1 in 38.4 million per line to 1 in 53.7 million.
“That means on a Powerball ticket with 10 lines the chance of winning the big one will be 1 in 5.37 million.”
Lotto NZ today unveiled details of the updated prize structure, including information about the new Powerball Division 8.
“Our Powerball Division 8 completely changes the game. It offers a fixed cash prize of $12, and will be won by any player who matches two Lotto numbers, the Bonus Ball and the Powerball on a line,” says Delamore.
“The introduction of this division is expected to increase the total number of Powerball winners in an average week by around 30%, up from about 47,000 to 62,000.”
Lotto NZ has also revealed it will be increasing the existing fixed prize in Powerball Division 7 from $15 to $20, and lifting the average prize amounts across Powerball Divisions 2 to 6 by about 45%.
“We know many players will wonder how often the jackpot will be struck,” says Delamore.
“Our modelling suggests it will be won about once every three-and-a-half weeks, compared with about once every three weeks currently.
“When it is won, the average prize will be higher than it is now.”
The latest change is the fifth evolution of Powerball since the game was launched in 2001 with just eight Powerballs and a starting jackpot of $1 million.
“Lotteries around the world regularly enhance their games to ensure they remain fresh and appealing to customers,” says Delamore.
“These latest updates will help ensure Powerball continues to deliver the excitement our players love, while supporting sustainable returns to communities via the Lottery Grants Board.”
Lotto NZ Chief Innovation & Product Officer Ben Coney says the Government-owned lottery has considered player wellbeing when designing and introducing the changes.
“We have engaged with gambling-harm experts, treatment providers and people with lived experience to understand how the changes may affect different groups of players.
“From 13 September, every new MyLotto player will be required to actively choose a weekly spending limit instead of automatically being assigned the maximum $150 limit.
“We have also strengthened our player-wellbeing messages for high jackpots and are working with treatment providers on the placement of gambling-harm information in stores.”
Coney says customers don’t need to increase their spending on Powerball.
“Powerball may be changing but our players don’t have to. They can keep spending the same amount as they do now, with no changes to the price of a Powerball line.”
The final draw under the current 10-Powerball format will be a Must Be Won draw on Saturday 12 September. The jackpot amount will be confirmed prior to the draw.
This means if there are no winners in Powerball Division 1, the jackpot will be shared in the next division down where there are winners.
Tickets for the refreshed game will go on sale from Sunday 13 September, ahead of the first draw under the new format on Wednesday 16 September.
