01-002 Code Vt. R. 01-130-002-X
These rules establish the procedures and requirements for operating and playing Powerball, a lotto game run by the Multi-State Lottery Association (hereinafter referred to as "MUSL"), of which the Vermont State Lottery is a member. Generally, the Powerball game shall be operated in accordance with any agreement between the State of Vermont and MUSL, the Constitution, the By-Laws of the Multi-State Lottery Association, the Multi-State Lottery Association Rules and applicable Vermont law.
The following definitions apply unless the context requires a different meaning or is otherwise inconsistent with the intention of the rules adopted by the Product Group.
Plays can be purchased for two dollars (U.S. $ 2.00), including any specific statutorily-mandated tax of a Selling Lottery to be included in the price of a play. Playscan be purchased from a Selling Lottery's approved sales outlet in a manner as approved by the Selling Lottery and in accordance with MUSL Rules. The Drawing Procedures shall include procedures for randomly selecting the Powerball game Winning Numbers and the Power Play multiplier.
The Product Group has established the following prize reserve accounts for the Powerball game: The Powerball Prize Reserve Account (PRA), which is used to guarantee the payment of valid, but unanticipated, Grand Prize claims that may result from a system error or other reason; and the Powerball Set Prize Reserve Account (SPRA), which is used to fund deficiencies in low-tier Powerball prize payments (subject to the limitations of these rules).
The Product Group has established the following prize pool accounts for the Powerball game: the Grand Prize pool, which is used to fund the immediate Grand Prize; the Powerball Set-Aside Account, which is used to guarantee payment of the minimum or starting Grand Prize. Power Play Prize Pool and Power Play Pool Account are described in Part III of these rules. The Set Prize Pool holds the temporary balances that may result from having fewer than expected winners in the Powerball set prize (aka low-tier prize) categories and the source of the Set Prize Pool is the Party Lottery's weekly prize contributions less actual Powerball Set Prize liability.
Once the Powerball prize pool accounts and the Party Lottery's share of the Powerball prize reserve accounts exceed the designated amounts, the excess shall become part of the Grand Prize Pool. The Product Group, with approval of the Finance & Audit Committee may establish a maximum balance for the Powerball prize pool accounts and prize reserve accounts.
The Product Group may determine to expend all or a portion of the funds in the Powerball prize pool accounts (except the Grand Prize pool account) and the prize reserve accounts, (1) for the purpose of indemnifying the Party Lotteries and Licensee Lotteries in the payment of prizes to be made by the Selling Lotteries, subject to the approval of the Board; and (2) for the payment of prizes or special prizes in the game, subject to the approval of the Finance and Audit Committee. The prize reserve shares of a Party Lottery may be adjusted with refunds to the Party Lottery from the prize reserve account(s) as may be needed to maintain the approved maximum balance and shares of the Party Lotteries.
A Party Lottery may contribute to its share of prize reserve accounts over time, but in the event of a draw down from a prize reserve account, a Party Lottery is responsible for its full percentage share of the prize reserve account, whether or not it has been paid in full.
Any amount remaining in the Powerball prize pool accounts or prize reserve accounts at the end of this game shall be returned to all lotteries participating in the accounts after the end of all claim periods of all Selling Lotteries, carried forward to a replacement prize reserve account or expended in a manner as directed by the Members of the Product Group in accordance with jurisdiction statute.
Prize Pool Percentage | ||
Number of Matches Per Play | Prize Payment | Allocated to Prize |
All five (5) of first set plus one (1) of second set. | Grand Prize | 68.0131% |
All five (5) of first set and none of second set. | $ 1,000,000 | 8.5558% |
Any four (4) of first set plus one (1) of second set . | $ 50,000 | 5.4757% |
Any four (4) of first set and none of second set. | $ 100 | 0.2738% |
Any three (3) of first set plus one (1) of second set. | $ 100 | 0.6899% |
Any three (3) of first set and none of second set. | $ 7 | 1.2074% |
Any two (2) of first set plus one (1) of second set. | $ 7 | 0.9981% |
Any one (1) of first set plus one (1) of second set. | $ 4 | 4.3489% |
None of first set plus one (1) of second set. | $ 4 | 10.4373% |
The following table sets forth the probability of winning and the probable distribution of winners in and among each prize category, based upon the total number of possible combinations in Powerball. The Set Prize Amount shall be the prizes set for all Selling Lotteries unless prohibited or limited by a jurisdiction's statute or judicial requirements.
Number of Matches Per Ticket Winners | Probability | Distribution Probability | Probable/ Set Prize Amount | |
All five (5) of first set plus one(1) of second set | 1 | 1: | 292,201,338.000 | Grand Prize |
All five (5) of first set and none of second set | 25 | 1: | 11,688,053.5200 | $ 1,000,000 |
Any four (4) of first set plus one (1) of second set | 320 | 1: | 913,129.1813 | $ 50,000 |
Any four (4) of first set and none of second set | 8000 | 1: | 36,525.1673 | $ 100 |
Any three (3) of first set plus one (1) of second set | 20,160 | 1: | 14,494.1140 | $ 100 |
Any three (3) of first set and none of second set | 504,000 | 1: | 579.7646 | $ 7 |
Any two (2) of first set plus one(1) of second set | 416,640 | 1: | 701.3281 | $ 7 |
Any one (1) of first set plus one(1) of second set | 3,176,880 | 1: | 91.9775 | $ 4 |
None of first set plus one (1) of second set | 7,624,512 | 1: | 38.3239 | $ 4 |
Overall | 11,750,538 | 1: | 24.8671 |
Shares of the Grand Prize shall be determined by dividing the cash available in the Grand Prize pool equally among all winning plays of the Grand Prize. Winner(s) who elect a cash payment shall be paid their share(s) in a single cash payment. The annuitized option prize shall be determined by multiplying a winner's share of the Grand Prize pool by a process as approved by the MUSL Board.. Neither MUSL nor the Selling Lotteries shall be responsible or liable for changes in the advertised or estimated annuity prize amount and the actual amount purchased after the prize payment method is actually known to MUSL.
In certain instances, announced by the Product Group, the Grand Prize shall be a guaranteed amount and shall be determined pursuant to Section 6.5.
If individual shares of the cash held to fund an annuity is less than $ 250,000, the Product Group, in its sole discretion, may elect to pay the winners their share of the cash held in the Grand Prize pool.
All annuitized prizes shall be paid annually in thirty (30) payments with the initial payment being made in cash, to be followed by twenty-nine (29) payments funded by the annuity. Except as may be controlled by a Selling Lottery's governing statute, all annuitized prizes shall be paid annually in thirty (30) graduated payments (increasing each year) by a rate as determined by the Product Group. Prize payments may be rounded down to the nearest one thousand dollars ($ 1,000). Annual payments after the initial payment shall be made by the lottery on the anniversary date or if such date falls on a non-business day, then the first business day following the anniversary date of the selection of the Grand Prize Winning Numbers.
Funds for the initial payment of an annuitized prize or the lump sum cash prize shall be made available by MUSL for payment by the Selling Lottery no earlier than the fifteenth calendar day (or the next banking day if the fifteenth day is a holiday) following the drawing. If necessary, when the due date for the payment of a prize occurs before the receipt of funds in the prize pool trust sufficient to pay the prize, the transfer of funds for the payment of the full lump sum cash amount may be delayed pending receipt of funds from the Selling Lotteries. A paying lottery may elect to make the initial payment from its own funds after validation, with notice to MUSL.
If a Party Lottery purchases or holds the prize payment annuity for a prize won in that jurisdiction, that Party Lottery's game rules, and any prize payment agreement with the prize winner, shall indicate that the prize winner has no recourse on the MUSL or any other Party Lottery for payment of that prize.
In the event of the death of a lottery winner during the annuity payment period, unless prohibited by jurisdictional law, the MUSL Finance & Audit Committee, in its sole discretion excepting a discretionary review by the Product Group, upon the petition of the estate of the lottery winner (the "Estate") to the lottery of the jurisdiction in which the deceased lottery winner purchased the winning play, and subject to federal, state, or district, or territorial applicable laws, may accelerate the payment of all of the remaining lottery proceeds to the Estate. If such a determination is made, then securities and/or cash held to fund the deceased lottery winner's annuitized prize may be distributed to the Estate. The identification of the securities to fund the annuitized prize shall be at the sole discretion of the Finance & Audit Committee or the Product Group.
In purchasing a play in Vermont, or attempting to claim a prize, purchasers and prize claimants agrees to comply with and abide by all applicable Vermont laws, rules, regulations, procedures, and decisions of the Lottery, and by directives and determinations of the director of that Party Lottery.
A prize claimant agrees, as its sole and exclusive remedy that claims arising out of a Powerball Play can only be pursued against the Selling Lottery which issued the Play. Litigation, if any, shall only be maintained within the jurisdiction in which the Powerball Play was purchased and only against the Selling Lottery that issued the play. No claim shall be made against any other Participating Lottery or against MUSL.
Nothing in these Rules shall be constructed as a waiver of any defense or claim the Selling Lottery which issued the Play, any other Participating Lottery or MUSL may have in any litigation, including in the event a player or prize claimant pursues litigation against the Selling Lottery, any other Participating Lottery or MUSL, or their respective officers, directors or employees.
All decisions made by a Selling Lottery, including the declaration of prizes and the payment thereof and the interpretation of Powerball Rules, shall be final and binding on all Play purchasers and on every person making a prize claim in respect thereof, but only in the jurisdiction where the Powerball Play was issued.
Unless the laws, rules, regulations, procedures, and decisions of the Lottery which issued the Play provide otherwise, no prize shall be paid upon a Play purchased, claimed or sold in violation of these Rules or the laws, rules, regulations, procedures, and decisions of that Selling Lottery; any such prize claimed but unpaid shall constitute an unclaimed prize under these Rules and the laws, rules, regulations, procedures, and decisions of that Selling Lottery.
The Powerball Power Play promotion is a limited extension of the Powerball game and is conducted in accordance with the Powerball game rules and other lottery rules applicable to the Powerball game except as may be amended herein. The Powerball Power Play promotion will run concurrently with Powerball and will continue until discontinued by the lottery. The promotion will offer to the owners of a qualifying play a chance to increase the amount of any of the eight (8) lump sum Set Prizes (the lump sum prizes normally paying $ 4 to $ 1,000,000) won in a drawing held during the promotion. The Grand Prize is not a Set Prize and will not be increased.
A qualifying play is any single Powerball play for which the player pays an extra dollar ($ 1.00) for the Power Play option play and that is recorded at the Selling Lottery's central computer as a qualifying play.
Except as provided in these rules, a qualifying play which wins one of the seven lowest lump sum Set Prizes (excluding the Match 5+0 prize) will be multiplied by the number selected, either two, three, four, five or 10 (2, 3, 4, 5, or 10), in a separate random Power Play drawing announced during the official Powerball drawing show; The Group may announce prior to a drawing that the "ten" multiplier will be available for drawings in which the advertised Grand Prize amount is above a specified amount, but the "ten" multiplier shall at a minimum be available for all drawings in which the advertised annuitized Grand Prize amount is one hundred fifty million dollars ($ 150,000,000.00) or less. The announced Match 5+0 prize, for players selecting the Power Play option, shall be two million dollars ($ 2,000,000.00) unless a higher limited promotional dollar amount is announced by the Group.
MUSL will conduct a separate random "Power Play" drawing and announce results during each of the regular Powerball drawings held during the promotion. During each Powerball drawing a single number (2, 3, 4, 5 or 10) shall be drawn; The Group may announce prior to a drawing that the "ten" multiplier will not be available for drawings in which the advertised Grand Prize amount is above a specified amount, but the "ten" multiplier shall at a minimum be available for all drawings in which the advertised Grand Prize amount is one hundred fifty million dollars. ($ 150,000,000.00) or less. The Powerball Group may modify the multiplier features for special promotions from time to time.
Prize Amount | Regardless of Power Play number selected: | |||||
Match 5+0 | $ 1,000,000 | $ 2,000,000 | $ 2,000,000 | $ 2,000,000 | $ 2,000,000 | $ 2,000,000 |
Set Prize Amount | 10x | 5X | 4X | 3X | 2X | |
Match 4+1 | $ 50,000 | $ 500,000.00 | $ 250,000.00 | $ 200,000.00 | $ 150,000.00 | $ 100,000.00 |
Match 4+0 | $ 100.00 | $ 1000.00 | $ 500.00 | $ 400.00 | $ 300.00 | $ 200.00 |
Match 3+1 | $ 100.00 | $ 1000.00 | $ 500.00 | $ 400.00 | $ 300.00 | $ 200.00 |
Match 3+0 | $ 7.00 | $ 70.00 | $ 35.00 | $ 28.00 | $ 21.00 | $ 14.00 |
Match 2+1 | $ 7.00 | $ 70.00 | $ 35.00 | $ 28.00 | $ 21.00 | $ 14.00 |
Match 1+1 | $ 4.00 | $ 40.00 | $ 20.00 | $ 16.00 | $ 12.00 | $ 8.00 |
Match 0+1 | $ 4.00 | $ 40.00 | $ 20.00 | $ 16.00 | $ 12.00 | $ 8.00 |
In certain rare instances, the Powerball set prize amount may be less than the amount shown. In such case, the eight (8) lowest Power Play prizes will be changed to an amount, announced after the draw. For example, if the Match 4+1 Powerball set prize amount of $ 50,000 becomes $ 25,000 under the rules of the Powerball game and a 5x Power Play multiplier is selected, then a, then a Power Play player winning that prize amount would win $ 125,000.
The following table sets forth the probability of the various Power Play numbers being drawn during a single Powerball drawing, except that the Power Play amount for the Match 5+0 prize will be two million dollars ($ 2,000,000.00). The Group may elect to run limited promotions that may modify the multiplier features.
When the 10x multiplier is available: | ||||
Power Play Probability of Prize Increase | ||||
10X | - | Prize Won Times 10 | 1 in 43 | 2.3255% |
5X | - | Prize Won Times 5 | 2 in 43 | 4.6512% |
4X | - | Prize Won Times 4 | 3 in 43 | 6.9767% |
3X | - | Prize Won Times 3 | 13 in 43 | 30.2326% |
2X | - | Prize Won Times 2 | 24 in 43 | 55.8140% |
Power Play does not apply to the Grand Prize. Except as provided in Rule 15. 3, a Power Play Match 5 prize is set at two million dollars ($ 2 million), regardless of the multiplier selected. | ||||
(r) Prizes shall be paid, by check or by expiration date extensions, as determined by MUSL.
01-002 Code Vt. R. 01-130-002-X
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 23, 2003 Secretary of State Rule Log #03-41
AMENDED: August 28, 2005 Secretary of State Rule Log #05-25; January 4, 2009 Secretary of State Rule Log #08-052; January 15, 2012 Secretary of State Rule Log #11-053; January 22, 2014 Secretary of State Rule Log #13-045; October 28, 2015 Secretary of State Rule Log #15-046; November 29, 2016 Secretary of State Rule Log #16-050