Tickets to go on sale in Jan. 2010
BOISE — Idahoans may soon get the chance to play another multi-million dollar jackpot game.
The Idaho State Lottery Commission announced Tuesday that Mega Millions, the nation's other big jackpot, multi-state draw game could start selling tickets in Idaho early as Jan. 31, 2010.
The five-member Lottery Commission unanimously approved offering Mega Millions with Megaplier tickets in Idaho.
Powerball with PowerPlay, Idaho's other big jackpot game, will also continue to be sold in Idaho.
Pending final agreements and approval between the Mega Millions consortium and the Multi-State Lottery Association (the group that operates Powerball), Idaho could begin selling both games by the end of January.
"Adding Mega Millions with Megaplier to our product lineup means our players will now have the chance to play for two, "always big" multi-million jackpots, four times a week," said Idaho Lottery Director Jeff Anderson.
Mega Millions with Megaplier, with Tuesday and Friday night draws, will join the Wednesday and Saturday night draw games of Powerball with PowerPlay, Hot Lotto Sizzler, and Wild Card in the Idaho Lottery line-up. The Idaho Lottery will also continue to offer daily games Idaho Pick3 and Double Play Daily.
"This game addition is a win for Idaho," added Anderson. "It's a win for our players who enjoy big jackpot games; it's a win for Idaho businesses who offer Lottery products; and it's a win for the Idaho Lottery's primary beneficiaries — public schools and the permanent building fund. Both will realize an increase in dividends from the game."
Idaho is one of 33 U.S. jurisdictions that participates in Powerball.
Mega Millions is the other large, multi-state multi-million dollar game that is currently played in 12 jurisdictions in the U.S.
Tickets cost $1 and players select five white balls from 1 to 56 and one "Mega Ball" from 1 to 46.
Mega Millions jackpots begin at $12 million and grow until the jackpot is won.
The Idaho version of Mega Millions will feature a "Megaplier" which will multiply non-jackpot winnings by 2, 3, or 4 times for $1 more per play at the time of purchase.
This is wonderful news! I didn't think we would be getting Mega Millions for a long time, if at all.
Now, I will have, two ball-drawn games to choose from. I'm very excited about this!
I hope to hear that Washington State has appoved Powerball soon, but was happy to hear that Idaho had appoved Mega Millions. Good luck you in any of the games you play.
And they're getting the Megaplier too. With Texas, and soon Kansas, we'll have three states with Megapliers.
I'd like to see Tennessee get that megaplier thingamabob too when we get Mega next year but I doubt it because Satan is probably involved in it somehow.
He screws everything up for us down here. I hate that guy.
I have to drive 35 miles for a bottle of Jack on account of him.
That ain't right.
Awesome! Now, the jackpot will climb faster.
I'm still waiting for Indiana to join!
I know, that is great news! I am excited that the game has been added to my state and will offer the MP. However, the end of January seems so far away.
I'm wondering how many more MM states will decide to add the Megaplier feature? I'm sure the people who play Mega Millions at the moment and who don't live in Texas, would like the option to play the Megaplier as well.
I don't know why everyone is so "excited" about getting Mega Millions in their state. The odds of winning the regular lotto are already bad enough. The odds of winning the Mega Millions are 176 Million to 1 against you!
I wish California had never joined the Mega Millions game. All it does is cut down on the California SuperLotto Plus game. In fact, I wish California had left the California Lotto a 6/49 game instead of adding a "mega" number set.
I rarely ever play Mega Millions because the odds are so bad. It's a real downer. I only play MM when the jackpot is over $200 Million.
Every single game has its critics. There are people who think Pick 3 and Pick 4 are bad, that Pick 5 is bad, that Pick 6 is bad, and yes, that Mega Millions and Powerball are bad.
But that's OK, and that's the reason there are so many game options to choose from.
The only reason they added Mega Millions, and the only way they will add Powerball, is if it has a positive impact on sales. Why would they add a game that loses money? So obviously a lot of people must like it.
I have to say that I am not a fan of those who win the jackpot after only playing for the first time or buying a ticket once every blue moon. I like the players who consistently purchase tickets regardless of the jackpot amount (as the jackpot amount has no bearing on your chances of winning). My philosophy is to have a ticket for EVERY drawing. In this way, I am practicing the principle that you have to have a ticket in order to win (and often it is only 1 set of numbers...this makes it financially feasible to do that). I am also being a team player in that I am actively contributing to the jackpot rollover amount that is eventually won by some lucky person/group that bought the ticket(s) that matched all 6 numbers. And I like those who say they will continue to play even after winning (I don't seriously think they will win again, but at least they are being team players in contributing to the underlying jackpot amount as well as to the profitability of the game).
At a minimum per year, I spend about $500 on a combination of jackpot games to include Mega Millions, Powerball, Florida Lotto, Texas Lotto, California SuperLotto, and the occasional Illinois Lotto (also maybe $5 toward Hot Lotto when the jackpot amount makes it worth my while to buy a ticket...the drive to redeem a small dollar winner is considerable (Chicago to Iowa) so that is the only reason the jackpot amount matters in that instance). So this is how my habit of having a ticket for every drawing for the mega jackpot games and the occasional buyin to some state lotto games stack up against the habits/hobbies some other people have (those I can quantify):
ME Playing the Lottery - $500 per year minimum but no more than $1,000
Pack a day cigarette smoker (pack at avg. price of $5 or max I have seen at $7) - $1,825 or $2,555 (I'm a non-smoker)
Daily happy hour drinker (avg. spend of $10 per day for 5 days) - $2,500
Nevada Bunny Rancher Goers - $300 - $1,500 per visit (gathered from other sources...have never visited myself)
Weekly Golf Players (greens fees $15 - $50) - $750 - $2,500; I also practice this hobby but not even to the low end amount The way I see it, my hobby has the potential of returning my expenditures back to me whereas I know of no one who has profited from being a cigarette smoker, daily alcohol drinker, or escort client...golfing is another matter in that there is an immediate return on expenditure by just being out in a picturesque outdoor setting...and if one becomes good enough, can make a decent living from just becoming a journeyman on the PGA tour (just ask Doug Barron...yeah the guy who is getting the raw deal from the PGA tours PED Policy...he has only had 12 top 25 finishes out of 237 starts, missed about 140 cuts but has made over $3 million in earnings from playing on the PGA and Nationwide tours). And think about the odds of a person making it onto the PGA tour! So I will continue to take my chance every PB/MM draw to win...and I will continue to applaud the players who consistently play and happen to win the jackpot. And when I win, I will issue a statement that expresses my joy in winning and offer encouragement to all others to play the games. Still debating whether I will donate any of my winnings to any church because many churches rail against those who play the lottery...IMHO you can't have it both ways...preach against a thing but openly welcome any proceeds that come from winning that thing! BTW: My brother lives in Texas and occasionally gets through Florida as do I whereas we don't get to Iowa much. I don't pattern my play based on the odds (if I did, I would probably only play pick 3, pick 4 and maybe pick 5 games). I play for the possibility of a life altering experience...something pick 5 and below games cannot offer. And it allows me to dream life altering imaginations...so I win even when I don't win (note my choice of words).One of the reasons, that I am "excited" about Mega Millions being added to my state, is because, it will be another ball-drawn game for us. Our pick 3, pick 5, Wild Card 2 and Hot Lotto are all computerized and I dislike it very much. Powerball is the only game at the moment, that is ball drawn. It's the only game, that I feel is fair to play. Even if the odds are huge. So now, that MM's is coming to our state, I will have two games to choose from that are ball-drawn and not computerized.
You may think it's a bad idea, which of course, is your right. But for me, I think it's a great move because of how most of the games in my state are run.
Computer draws= FRAUD!!