LOTTO GAMES FAQ

On March 25, 2020, the Powerball Product Group, a national association made up of lottery directors from across the country including Minnesota, announced changes to Powerball. The group determined that additional measures were necessary and on April 2, the group announced additional measures.

Due to these changes the Minnesota Lottery will offer refunds to players holding multi-draw Powerball tickets that will be impacted by the changes (see below).

Thank you for your understanding and your support. Stay safe, stay healthy, and #StayHomeMN.

FAQ

What is changing?

Changes have been made to the minimum starting jackpot and minimum jackpot increases. Some players will be eligible for a refund (see below).

Following the April 8 drawing, Powerball’s starting jackpot and the rate at which the advertised jackpot grows will be determined by game sales and interest rates. Guaranteed starting jackpot amounts and minimum jackpot increases will be eliminated. Previously, Powerball jackpots started at $40 million (annuity) and increased by a minimum of $10 million (annuity) between drawings.

Click here for official Powerball rules.

Why are these changes being made to Powerball?

Game sales and interest rates are the two main factors in the determination of Powerball’s advertised jackpot. Since last week, more states and cities have asked their residents to stay at home, which has affected consumer behaviors and Powerball game sales. In response to the public health crisis, interest rates have declined. As a result, more game sales are necessary to fund comparable jackpot amounts. The Powerball Product Group elected to enact the changes following the April 8 drawing to ensure that ticket sales can support future Powerball jackpots and other cash prizes.

When does this new change go into effect?

This change will go into effect immediately following the Wednesday, April 8 drawing. As normal protocol, MUSL’s Director of Finance will continue to distribute the Grand Prize Estimate, which announces the advertised jackpot annuity and cash value for that evening’s drawing and the next drawing.

The advertised Powerball jackpot for Saturday’s drawing is a guaranteed $180 million. If the jackpot rolls, it will grow to a guaranteed $190 million for the April 8 drawing. If the jackpot is won on Saturday night, it will reset to a guaranteed $20 million for the April 8 drawing and continue to grow based off sales and interest rates.

Weren’t there going to be changes enacted after the jackpot was won?

Yes. The Powerball Product Group, decided last week to reduce starting jackpots to $20 million (annuity) and minimum jackpot increases to $2 million (annuity) between drawings. Those changes were scheduled to go into effect after the current jackpot was won.

However, due to the evolving public health crisis, the Powerball Product Group revisited the topic and decided Powerball’s starting jackpot and subsequent advertised jackpots should be determined by games sales and interest rates effective following next Wednesday’s drawing.

What if I purchased a multi-draw ticket?

The Minnesota Lottery is committed to our customers and values your participation in the purchase of our products as we raise revenue for good causes in our state. Due to recent changes to the Powerball Annuity Jackpot and minimum rolling amounts, the Minnesota Lottery will reimburse players who meet the following requirement:

Any player who purchased a “multi-draw” Powerball Ticket from the Minnesota Lottery on or before 5:00 p.m. on April 2, 2020, may claim a refund for the price of all remaining drawings after April 8, 2020 through the expiration of your multi-draw ticket. You can keep your original ticket for free and it will remain eligible to claim any advertised prize associated with your ticket based upon the new game rules. The Minnesota Lottery must receive your refund claim form and copies of qualifying tickets on or before December 31, 2020 for reimbursement.

What is a multi-draw ticket?

Minnesota Lottery players have the option of purchasing “multi-draw” Powerball tickets. Instead of just being valid for the next drawing, multi-draw tickets can be purchased for up to 14 consecutive drawings.

How do I request a refund?

To claim a refund, please click here and follow all instructions on the reimbursement claim form.

How long will these changes remain in place?

At this point, we don’t know how long the changes will last.  The Powerball Product Group constantly reviews the Powerball program and will continue to do so in light of sales, interest rates and other impacts with the best interest of players and participating Lotteries in mind. 

Where is Powerball played?

Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Prizes up to and including $50,000 should be claimed by mail. We recommend keeping a copy of the front and back of your ticket for your records and that you use registered mail. For additional information, click here.

If you need to claim a prize of over $50,000. Call the Minnesota Lottery at 1-888-568-8379 or 651-635-8273 to discuss your options.

NOTE: In Minnesota, lotto game players have one year from the date of the drawing to claim prizes. For scratch games, players have one year from the date that a scratch game ends to claim any prizes. Consider waiting to claim prizes that are not approaching an expiration date. Here's a list of scratch game end dates.

A: Minnesota state law provides that your name, city of residence and the prize amount won is public information. Your street address, phone number and social security number are private information and will not be released by the Lottery.

A: Powerball and Mega Millions are both $2 multi-million dollar jackpot games, but that's where the similarities end. The games have different starting jackpot amounts, different prize structures, and different drawing days. You can find more information about Powerball and Mega Millions on their respective game pages.

A: Guaranteed government-backed securities are purchased to fund the 30-year liability after a player elects to receive the Powerball jackpot prize in 30 payments. The first payment will be paid after the prize is claimed; the next 29 payments will be paid yearly.

A: You are taxed on the dollar amount that you are paid, at the time it is paid to you. If you choose the cash option, since you are paid one lump sum all at once, you would pay taxes at that time on the total lump sum. However, if you choose the annuity option, you would pay taxes each year on the amount you receive that year.

A: It makes absolutely no difference how many tickets are sold or how many states play the game. You are always playing against the numbers we draw. In Powerball, we always draw the white numbers from a field of 69 and the Powerball from a field of 26. The only impact increased sales would have on your odds is that the more tickets that are sold, the better the odds you might have to share the jackpot with another player (assuming you won).

A: The percentage of quick pick plays varies a great deal from game to game and with the size of the jackpot. For Powerball, the quick-pick percentage normally runs about 70 percent, and about 70 percent of the winners are from quick-pick tickets. How you pick your numbers has absolutely nothing to do with being a winner. The numbers 1-2-3-4-5 and 6 have exactly the same chance of winning as any other set of six numbers. The only thing is, if you pick your own numbers, and you base them on something logical, artificial or limiting (like dates), you are more likely to have to split the pari-mutuel jackpot prize because others may be using the same numbers.

A: Check out our drawing schedule page for a complete breakdown of drawing times for each game.