National jackpot game expanding to three nights a week, adding Double Play drawings
Powerball will be getting bigger and better in August! The national jackpot game will expand to three nights a week and launch a new add-on option called Double Play, providing additional chances to win.
Beginning Aug. 23, Powerball drawings will be held Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights Aug. 23 also marks the debut of Double Play drawings. For an additional $1, your Powerball ticket will be eligible for a second drawing where the top prize is $10 million and the remaining prize tiers offer larger payouts than Powerball.
Double Play drawings will occur Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights approximately 30 minutes after the Powerball drawings. Double Play is an optional feature for Powerball, so players must purchase a Powerball ticket or subscription in order to add it. It will not be possible to purchase Double Play tickets or subscription independently from the Powerball game. For additional information about Double Play, click here.
The $1 Power Play option will remain available, allowing players to multiply all Powerball prizes except for the jackpot. However, the Power Play multiplier will apply only to the Powerball drawings, not to Double Play drawings.
Maryland Lottery players who currently have Powerball subscriptions will continue to be automatically entered in every Powerball drawing. If your current subscription was scheduled to run past Aug. 23, your subscription will have a new end date, which can be viewed here. Your current subscription is not eligible to win prizes in the Double Play drawings, and it is not possible to add the Double Play option to an existing subscription.
Beginning Aug. 22, you’ll be able to purchase new Powerball subscriptions that include three drawings a week and provide the option to add Double Play.
For Powerball players who buy their tickets at retailers, the change to three drawings per week will require a temporary drawdown in the availability of advance-play tickets. Beginning July 4, it will not be possible to purchase Powerball tickets that cover drawing dates after Aug. 21. Advance-play purchases for up to 15 Powerball drawings will be available again beginning Aug. 22.
Powerball tickets are sold in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets are $2, and prizes range from $4 up to the jackpot. Double Play prizes will range from $7 up to $10 million. Powerball drawings are conducted in Tallahassee, Florida and are broadcast at 11:22 p.m. on WBAL-TV in Baltimore.
