January’s Record Powerball Jackpot Attracts 10 Million New Players

Wednesday March 16th 2016

Earlier this year, Powerball absolutely obliterated the world record for the largest jackpot ever offered by a lottery when the top prize reached an incredible $1.58 billion. The news of this colossal sum of money grabbed the attention of citizens across the U.S., generating approximately 10 million new players according to research company Leger, who drew on responses from 1,001 people from across the country.

The Powerball draw on Wednesday, January 13th will be remembered for some time, especially for the winners from California, Florida and Tennessee, but it will no doubt be the increase in interest that will provide lottery officials with the most comfort. Leger calculated that as many as seven out of every eight American adults were aware of the mammoth jackpot, with the media playing a key part in spreading the news. However, it is reported that 48 percent of those who knew about the gigantic top prize found out through simple word-of-mouth, something of a shock in a world where social media plays a massive part in day-to-day life.

In a press release, Simon Jaworski, Senior Vice President at Leger, described how lottery fever swept the nation: “During the dizzying heights of early January, news of the astronomical Powerball jackpot ruled the news media, and the buzz created was the talk of most homes and workplaces, not only in terms of the size of the prize, but also the dreams and wishes of what a lottery win of this size could do for ordinary members of the American public. The lottery industry has never seen such an explosion of completely new players in its history.”

It is not just lucky Powerball jackpot winners that benefit from the vast amounts of money on offer. An increase in ticket sales generates more public funding and the money is used in many different ways from state to state. For example, in Maryland, lottery profits are used to support public health, education and the environment, while in Pennsylvania the revenue is used to support older residents. State lotteries also benefit hugely from Powerball funds, with the Hoosier state lottery in Indiana reporting strong ticket sales when they doubled their monthly profits following the jackpot madness.

Research conducted by Leger recently revealed that one in ten Americans plan to participate in Powerball ‘more often’, news that will come as music to the ears of lottery officials and should ensure a bright future for the game. If you would like to be in with a chance of winning the Powerball jackpot, which is currently worth a guaranteed $70 million ahead of this evening’s draw, tickets can be purchased online or from authorised retailers in participating states. Good luck!