Lottery behemoths Powerball and Mega Millions are discussing a possible arrangement to sell tickets for both games in the 42 states where they now operate alone.
The talks, however, do not appear aimed at combining the two lotteries into one super game.
Powerball is played in 30 states, including Pennsylvania and Delaware; Mega Millions is offered in New Jersey and 11 other states.
"We are aware of the discussions between Powerball and Mega Millions, but at this point those discussions are only preliminary," said Stephanie Weyant, spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Lottery. "So it's premature to comment."
New Jersey Lottery director William Jourdain also has acknowledged that preliminary discussions took place, although nothing has been determined, according to spokeswoman Mary Ann Rivell.
The talks were hinted at by a line in Gov. Corzine's new budget estimating that Powerball could bring in $10 million for the state.
But that won't happen without an agreement between Powerball and Mega Millions.
"As of right now, states sell one or the other, or neither," Weyant said.
Offering both could boost revenues, because players would see more of the huge jackpots that make sales soar.
On Feb. 28, a Powerball jackpot worth $174 million was hit by two tickets, one sold at the Plymouth Meeting Mall, and the other at a Dover, Del., liquor store.
Three days later, a single ticket bought in Toms River, N.J., won a Mega Millions jackpot worth $216 million.
This will be fascinating to follow to say the least. The politics of this are very interesting.
It would be better to combine them and make three or four draws per week. Otherwise, people would rush to the one with a higher jackpot, and this jackpot would grow much faster. Then after a winner appears, people would rush to the other one. So people would switch between the two. The only benefit is that there would be four chances per week for a grand prize, so that people would spend more money (that is what they want). But are most people going to buy four tickets per week, or just buy two for the one with a higher jackpot?
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I think it would be a great Idea,to combine the two,or have mega millions in the same states that play power ball.
I think combining the games would be a very bad thing for players, because it reduces the number of choices, and would make the odds of winning way too remote.
However, allowing states to sell both games would be awesome for players. Giving players four chances per week to win a big multi-state jackpot would be fantastic.
These talks are very encouraging, I hope they are successful.
If they combined the two games they would have to change the matrix and that would make the odds astronomical against winning.I do like the idea of states being able to play both games,though.It would allow more people to play both games and cause both jackpots to rise faster.I live in a Powerball state and just a couple of miles from a Mega Millions state,so I already play both games twice a week each,Tuesday & Friday for MM and Wednesday & Saturday for PB.I wish they could figure out a way to have a mega jackpot game on the other three nights,too.
Combining MM and PB would create a monopoly, any time you get a monopoly everyone loses, especially the players. Competition keeps everyone on their toes.
Hope this proposal goes through so we can play the game of our choice. I personally regretted the day Powerball was no longer available in Georgia.
What's next, MegaPlier?
I think it would be kind of cool to have access to both games. I wonder though, how this would effect sales of both the games.
This is awesome...
This will increase the number of lotto wanna be crackers...
This is trully an awesome idea...
SWORDFISH....from movie swordfish...
LOL
Wow that would be interested...I won't have to drive across town to buy powerball ....
IMO, I think it was be fabulous to have MM and PB in the same states and no, I don't think they should combine them for all the reasons already mentioned by others here.
We want both!!!!!
I like your thinking!
I want to Megaply the Power Play! (QuadUp?) 