Iowa Lottery plans to shake things up this summer — literally — when numbered balls rattle around in the lotto drums more often during the week.
Two well-known games will have additional drawings starting this summer, according to Iowa Lottery officials:
- Lucky for Life‘s current drawings are Mondays and Thursdays. It will move to daily drawings beginning Monday, July 19.
- Players can buy tickets for Powerball drawings Wednesday and Saturday nights. Starting Aug. 23, Powerball will add a third drawing on Mondays.
Lottery officials say the changes are “designed to produce more winners and in the case of Powerball, generate larger, faster-growing jackpots.”
In April, Mary Neubauer, the Iowa Lottery vice president for external relations, told PlayIA to watch for changes in the lotto programs.
“Long-term, there just remain challenges for the lotto category. And it’s something that not only the Iowa Lottery is talking about and working on, but other lotteries around the country also are working together, just to try to figure out what the long term strategy is going to be for games like Powerball and Mega Millions.”
Lucky for Life drawings at the Iowa Lottery
The Lucky for Life update announced Thursday means players will get a daily shot at winning the top prize of $1,000 per day for the rest of their lives.
Here’s how Iowa Lottery officials explain the game:
- Lucky for Life is a $2 game. The top two prize levels “last as long as you do,” meaning they are truly for life. The game has been played in Iowa since 2016.
- Players choose their first five numbers from a pool of 48 and another number – called the Lucky Ball – from a separate pool of 18.
- They can win the game’s top prize of $1,000 a day for life by matching all six numbers selected in one of its drawings. The game’s second prize – for matching the first five numbers but missing the Lucky Ball – is $25,000 a year for life. Other prize levels in the game range from $4 up to $5,000.
Powerball drawings to be three times a week
The Iowa Lottery calls Powerball one of the “world’s biggest and most recognizable lottery games.”
The announced frequency of drawings won’t change the game’s prize levels. The odds of winning and the ticket price will remain the same. Again, players will have to wait for August to see Monday drawings.
From Iowa Lottery:
- Players in $2 Powerball will continue to choose their first five numbers from a pool of 69. Another number – called the Powerball – comes from a separate pool of 26. The Power Play option is available for an extra $1 per play.
- Players can win the Powerball jackpot by matching all six numbers selected in one of its drawings. Other prize levels in the game range from $4 up to $2 million.
Forty-eight lotteries in the US carry Powerball as an option. Saturday’s jackpot is an estimated $253 million.
