NOTICES
DEPARTMENT
OF REVENUE
Powerball
[38 Pa.B. 6571]
[Saturday, November 29, 2008]In accordance with 61 Pa. Code § 871.21 (relating to future changes to Powerball), the Secretary of Revenue (Secretary) announces the following changes to the Powerball regulations.
The Secretary, having determined that it is impractical and contrary to the public interest to defer notice to the public of changes to the Powerball game, has given actual knowledge of the document to the persons whom the document is primarily directed in accordance with 1 Pa. Code § 13.74 (relating to effectiveness prior to publication) by press release dated on or before December 4, 2008, of the following changes to the Powerball regulations.
These changes will affect ticket sales beginning on Sunday, January 4, 2009, for the Powerball drawing on Wednesday, January 7, 2009. The changes to the regulation will be codified as paragraph (3) in 61 Pa. Code § 871.22 (relating to changes to Powerball):
(3) Changes effective for Powerball tickets sold on or after January 4, 2009:
(i) Section 871.2(a) (relating to game description and purpose). Powerball is a five out of 59 plus one out of 39 on-line lottery game which pays the grand prize on an annuitized, parimutuel basis. Except as provided in this chapter, all other prizes are paid on a set cash basis.
(ii) Section 871.2(b) The purpose of the Powerball game is to determine winners from ticket holders matching five numbers from 1 through 59, and matching the separately drawn Powerball number, or a designated combination thereof, within a single play, with the five winning numbers and the Powerball number to be randomly drawn. Drawings will be conducted twice a week or as publicly announced by the Secretary.
(iii) Section 871.3 (relating to definitions).
Basic play--Each set of six numbers consisting of five numbers from 1 through 59 and the Powerball number on a ticket purchased without the selection of any promotion, representing a single entry for a Powerball drawing and designated by a letter from A to E on a Powerball ticket.
First set numbers--The first group of numbers, from 1 through 59, appearing in the top grid of a Powerball game panel.
Grand prize winnings pool--An amount constituting 32.5288% of gross sales from all participating States for a particular Powerball game drawing for the purpose of paying winning grand prizes in that drawing. The grand prize winnings pool includes prize money allocated to the grand prize category from prior Powerball game drawings in which there were no winning grand prize tickets. A portion of this pool is used to fund prize reserve accounts until those accounts achieve maximum balances.
Panel or game panel--One of five areas of the Powerball bet slip that contains two number grids. The upper grids (first set numbers) contain 59 squares, each numbered 1 through 59 and the lower grids (second set numbers) contain 39 squares, each numbered 1 through 39. Each panel is lettered either A, B, C, D or E, and when used to purchase a ticket, corresponds to the numbers selected and printed on the ticket adjacent to that letter.
Powerball number or second set number--The number selected from the second group of numbers, from 1 through 39, appearing in the lower grid of a Powerball game panel.
Quick pick--The random selection by the Lottery's computer system of five numbers from 1 through 59 and a Powerball number from 1 through 39 that appear on a ticket in the Powerball game.
Second set numbers--The second group of numbers, from 1 through 39, appearing in the lower grid of a Powerball game panel.
Set prize winnings pool--An amount constituting 17.4712% of gross sales for the current drawing and any moneys carried forward from previous draws.
Ticket--A Powerball ticket, produced by an on-line terminal from a licensed on-line retailer in an authorized manner, containing a letter prefix followed by five selected numbers from 1 through 59 and a single selected Powerball number from 1 through 39 for each basic play, ticket validation number data, drawing date, amount bet and any applicable promotion exercised by the player. Each set of five numbers and the Powerball number constitutes a basic play of which there may be one or more, up to five on a ticket.
Winning numbers--Six numbers, the first five numbers from 1 through 59, and the Powerball number from 1 through 39, selected at a Powerball drawing and subsequently validated by the MUSL, which shall be used to determine the winning Powerball plays.
Editor's note: This is a partial listing of the definitions applicable to Powerball. See § 871.3 (relating to definitions) for additional definitions.
(iv) Section 871.7(c) (relating to time, place and manner of conducting drawing). Manner of conducting drawing. The MUSL will draw at random five numbers from a set of balls numbered 1 through 59 and one Powerball number from a set of balls numbered 1 through 39 with the aid of mechanical drawing equipment. The drawings will be observed by security personnel and independent auditors and the validity of a drawing will be solely determined by the MUSL.
(v) Section 871.8(a) (relating to expected prize payout percentages). Determination of expected prize payout percentages is as follows:
Tickets Containing The Following
in One Single Lettered Game SectionPrize Category Prize Payment Approximate Percentage
of Winnings Pool Allocated
to Prize Category**
Five first set numbers and
the Powerball numberGrand Prize Grand Prize 65.0576% Five first set numbers Second Prize* $200,000 7.7850% Four first set numbers and
the Powerball numberThird Prize* $10,000 2.7656% Four first set numbers Fourth Prize* $100 1.0510% Three first set numbers and
the Powerball numberFifth Prize* $100 1.4658% Three first set numbers Sixth Prize* $7 3.8990% Two first set numbers and
the Powerball numberSeventh Prize* $7 1.7786% One first set number and
the Powerball numberEighth Prize* $4 6.4790% The Powerball number Ninth Prize* $3 9.7184% * Indicates a set prize.
** Fifty percent of Powerball gross sales are allocated to the winnings pool for the payment of prizes.
(vi) Section 871.8(c)(1) (relating to expected prize payout percentages). If the total of the set prizes awarded in a Powerball drawing exceeds the set prize pool which is 17.4712% of gross sales, the amount needed to fund the set prizes shall be drawn from the following sources in the following order:
(i) The amount allocated to the set prize tiers and carried forward from previous draws, if any.
(ii) An amount from the MUSL set prize reserve account, it available, not to exceed $25,000,000 per Powerball drawing.
(vii) Section 871.19 (relating to probability of winning). The probability of winning is as follows:
Tickets Containing The Following
in One Single Lettered Game SectionPrize Category Probability of
Winning per Play
Five first set numbers and the
Powerball numberGrand Prize 1:195,249,054 Five first set numbers Second Prize 1:5,138,133 Four first set numbers and the
Powerball numberThird Prize 1:723,144.6444 Four first set numbers Fourth Prize 1:19,030.1222 Three first set numbers and the
Powerball numberFifth Prize 1:13,644.2386 Three first set numbers Sixth Prize 1:359.0589 Two first set numbers and the
Powerball numberSeventh Prize 1:787.1676 One first set number and the
Powerball numberEighth Prize 1:123.4773 The Powerball number Ninth Prize 1:61.7386 (viii) Section 871.20(a) (relating to power play promotion). The power play promotion shall be available in association with the Powerball game and will continue until the Secretary publicly announces a suspension or termination thereof. The power play promotion will be conducted in accordance with the Powerball rules except that players may purchase the power play option for the chance to multiply set prizes won as a result of a Powerball drawing by a number ranging from 2 to 5. The Powerball grand prize will not be eligible for multiplication under the power play promotion. The Secretary will on occasion announce, as a special promotion, a multiplier of 10.
(ix) Section 871.20(c). At the time of each Powerball drawing, the MUSL shall conduct a power play drawing, with the aid of mechanical drawing equipment or any other selection methodology as authorized by the Secretary, under the supervision of security and an independent auditor which shall result in the selection of the power play number from among the following series of numbers: 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5 and 5.
(x) Section 871.20(d). Powerball tickets that contain the power play option and one or more plays eligible for Powerball set prizes (but not the grand prize) identified in § 871.8(a) (relating to expected prize payout percentages) shall be entitled to a total set prize calculated by multiplying each Powerball set prize by the power play number. The second prize category power play multiplier will be fixed at a minimum of 5.
(xi) Section 871.20(j). Except as otherwise provided, all power play set prizes shall be paid in single, lump-sum payments determined by multiplying the Powerball set prize by the number selected in the power play drawing as follows:
Prize Level Powerball Power Play Multiplier and Set Prize Amount
Set Prize Amount 5 4 3 2 Second Prize $200,000 $1,000,000 $1,000,000 $1,000,000 $1,000,000 Third Prize $10,000 $50,000 $40,000 $30,000 $20,000 Fourth Prize $100 $500 $400 $300 $200 Fifth Prize $100 $500 $400 $300 $200 Sixth Prize $7 $35 $28 $21 $14 Seventh Prize $7 $35 $28 $21 $14 Eighth Prize $4 $20 $16 $12 $8 Ninth Prize $3 $15 $12 $9 $6 THOMAS W. WOLF,
Secretary
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 08-2163. Filed for public inspection November 28, 2008, 9:00 a.m.]
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