The jackpot increase can be attributed to an increase in ticket sales. Ten additional states, including Michigan, began selling POWERBALL tickets on Sunday, January 31.

Wednesday's POWERBALL drawing will be the first in which Michigan players are participating. Players can purchase POWERBALL tickets up to 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday for the drawing. Tickets purchased after that time will be eligible for the Saturday drawing.

For just $1 per wager, POWERBALL offers players a new chance to win millions of dollars. In addition to the jackpot prize, there are eight different ways to win cash prizes and with the Power Play option, players could see their non-jackpot winnings multiplied. Jackpots will start at a guaranteed $20 million and increase as sales increase. Drawings will be conducted at 10:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.

To play, players will pick five numbers from 1 to 59, and 1 red POWERBALL number from 1 to 39. Like other Michigan Lottery games, players have the option to choose their own numbers or request the computer generate "easy pick" numbers. Players will be able to purchase Powerball tickets for up to 60 consecutive drawings and play up to 10 panels per wager.

For an additional $1 per play, players will also be able to select a multiplier, Power Play, which could increase their winnings on non-jackpot prizes, up to 5 times the original amount. A Power Play number of 2, 3, 4 or 5 will be drawn for each POWERBALL drawing. If a player purchases the Power Play option and 5 is drawn as the Power Play number, a $3 win in Powerball would be multiplied to a $15 win.

POWERBALL features nine different ways to win. Matching just the red Powerball wins $3; one white ball plus the red Powerball wins $4; two white balls plus the red Powerball wins $7; three white balls wins $7; three white balls plus the red Powerball wins $100; four white balls wins $100; four white balls plus the red Powerball wins $10,000; five white balls wins $200,000; and five white balls plus the red Powerball wins the jackpot prize.

Following the Wednesday and Saturday drawings, POWERBALL winning numbers will be posted on the Lottery's Web site, www.michigan.gov/lottery. Players can also view the drawings on broadcast stations across the state: Lansing (WLAJ-TV), Marquette/Escanaba (WJMN-TV) on tape delay, and Muskegon (WMXG-TV).

Since POWERBALL's inception on February 10, 1988, and Mega Millions' inception on August 31, 1996, the games have generated an astonishing $17.6 billion for good causes, such as education, senior programs, local towns and the environment. With two large multi-state games, participating jurisdictions are expected to generate substantially more money for these good causes; in Michigan's case, the state School Aid Fund.

Over 98.5 cents of every dollar spent on Michigan Lottery tickets is returned to the state in the form of contributions to the state School Aid Fund, prizes to players and commissions to retailers. In fiscal year 2009, the contribution to schools was $724.5 million. Since its inception in 1972, the Lottery has contributed more than $15 billion to education in Michigan.

For additional information on POWERBALL and other games, please visit the Lottery's Web site at www.michigan.gov/lottery.

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