Public Gaming International November/December 2021

18 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 A fter expanding Powerball’s draw lineup for the first time in nearly 30 years, the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) has some early insights on the performance of Monday Powerball® drawings and the new add-on feature, Double Play®. Powerball debuted its third weekly drawing on Aug. 23, 2021, along with Double Play in select jurisdictions. The launch occurred during a jackpot cycle that culminated with a $699.8 million jackpot in the October 4 drawing. The jackpot, won by a single ticket in California, was the 5th largest in Powerball history, and the game’s first jackpot won on a Monday night. So, what have the first few weeks of sales shown us? 1. There has been no evidence that Double Play is cannibalizing Powerball or Power Play® sales. In fact, participating lotteries have collectively seen a 7.4% incremental increase on top of base Powerball and Power Play sales since introducing the feature. 2. Year-to-date comparisons of Fiscal Year 2021 and 2022 show Powerball and Power Play® sales are up 101%. 3. While it may be too early to determine whether the addition of a third weekly Powerball drawing will continue to drive incremental revenue, the jackpot cycle immediately following the $699.8 million win is showing promising signs. Double Play has hit several high notes since launching in 13 U.S. lottery jurisdictions: Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Washington. Powerball tickets that include Double Play for an additional $1 per play are eligible to win prizes in both the Powerball drawing and a separate Double Play drawing, which also offers 9 ways to win. Instead of a rolling jackpot, Double Play has a $10 million top cash prize. Just five weeks into sales, the Maryland Lottery sold the first Double Play ticket to win the $10 million prize. “The jackpot was rolling along at almost $550 million when the $10 million Double Play ticket was sold, so it was already an exciting time," said Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director John Martin. "But this took it to a whole different level. We also had a $50,000 third-tier Double Play winner on Oct. 23, so the fact that people are winning substantial prizes means it's getting a lot more attention. We're very happy with the results of Double Play so far." Player participation for Double Play varies by jurisdiction, but multiple lotteries are recording participation percentages in the double digits. Puerto Rico is one of those lotteries. Unlike other Double Play lotteries, the Puerto Rico Lottery is requiring a qualifying MUSL NEWS MULTI -STATE LOTTERY ASSOCIATION EARLY INSIGHTS: MONDAY DRAWS AND DOUBLE PLAY ®