The 30 states that participate in the Powerball – the multi-state lottery – are raising the odds, making it harder to win the top prize, but improving odds at the lower prize levels starting October 7th. You’ll now have to choose your first set of numbers between 1 to 69 (up from 59), and your second set from 1-26 (down from 35).
This shifts the money collected slightly down from the top prize from 68% to 64%, while increasing the distribution to the lower prizes. The odds of winning $4 will improve to 1:92. These changes have a positive side, increasing the possible jackpots to what could be the first $1 billion prize.
However, the odds of hitting the jackpot are astronomical, now up to 292,201,338 (up from 175,223, 510).
How big are those odds? Well, let’s just say be careful on your trip to buy a ticket from your local lottery store, the odds of being killed on the way are much bigger than winning the top prize.