Powerball tickets go on sale at 10:15 p.m. Saturday across Arkansas. Folks who play will be eligible to win in next Wednesday night's drawing. If no one wins between now and then the jackpot could be upwards of $60 million.
Right now lottery officials are spending a lot of time publicizing Powerball, lighting up the side of the Bank of America Building in downtown Little Rock with a big, red powerball. On top of that, play slips are already showing up in stores. A play slip isn't a ticket but it's the way you pick out your powerball numbers.
Since Kim Tinner started selling scratch-offs at her convenience store downtown, "Traffic has increased exponentially. It's fantabulous," she said. And with Powerball she expects more people like Zach Jackson.
"People in my office, we're all planning on pooling together," he said. Jackson and his friends have their eyes on the multi-million dollar jackpot. "A bigger payout, that's the idea," Johnson said.
But like many Arkansans, Jackson isn't quite sure how it will work. "With Powerball it's not just picking out your numbers. You can have multiple draws, you can have the Powerplays, you can play so many sets of numbers of just one ticket so it can get a little overwhelming," Tinner explained. That's why she set up a chart outside her store explaining the rules.
Lottery Director Ernie Passailaigue knows once people catch on this will be a big money-maker. Passailaigue said, "The reason we're excited is it gives us another product offering but it broadens our player base."
He says some people who won't play the scratch-off games will play a game like Powerball. Passailaigue expects Powerball to generate $58 million over the next year. That will end up being a big chunk of the $400 million total anticipated by September 27, 2010.
The new game of Powerball amounts to a lot of new winners. Right now the only claim center for the lottery is located in downtown Little Rock. But the lottery is opening more starting with Springdale in November.
"This creates an environment where we generate additional money for scholarships for Arkansans next year," Passailaigue said.
Lottery officials are also starting a promotion with radio stations across the state. If you see a large, red Powerball in your city 8 feet by 14 feet, call in to the radio station where you heard the promotion and you can win a prize. That's happening in cities across the state Thursday and Friday.
Powerball tickets will cost $1 each unless you buy the Powerplay option for $1 more. Powerball drawings happen every Saturday and Wednesday in Orlando, Florida. Lottery officials are holding a huge kickoff party in the River Market Pavillion at 9:00 Saturday night. Everyone is invited.
