Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Thursday, November 17, 2011
(UNDATED) - Powerball is getting a makeover that will double its price, but also increase your odds of winning.
Starting January 15, the ticket price will increase from $1 to $2.
Currently, players have a 1 in 35 overall chance of winning, which will improve to 1 in 31.8 in the revamped game. Hoosier Lotto spokesman Al Larsen says the changes come as Powerball marks its 20th anniversary.
The game was created for 15 states in April 1992. It's now played in 44 jurisdictions throughout the U.S. Larson says players in the newly designed game will still choose their first five numbers from a pool of 59. But the group of numbers in the Powerball pool will shrink from 39 to 35, producing better overall odds of winning a prize in the game.
The jackpot odds increase from 1 in 195 million to 1 in 175 million. The Powerball jackpots will start at $40 million - double the current starting prize of $20 million.
The biggest jackpot so far was a $365 million prize split by eight co-workers at a Nebraska meat-packing plant in February 2006. Indiana boasts the most jackpot winners at 38.
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