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Powerball to offer better odds, bigger jackpots

MIDDLETOWN — >To celebrate the state Powerball’s 20th anniversary, the game is being redesigned beginning Sunday to offer bigger starting jackpots and feature better odds of winning.

Powerball’s starting jackpot will double from $20 million to $40 million. Powerball also will increase the second, match-five prize from $200,000 to $1 million, and the lowest prize for matching only the red Powerball will increase from $3 to $4.

Players in the newly designed game will still choose their first five numbers from a pool of 59, but the group of numbers in the Powerball pool will shrink from 39 to 35, producing better overall odds of winning a prize in the game.

Players today have a 1-in-35 overall chance of winning a prize, which will improve to 1-in-31.8, beginning Sunday. Odds of winning a jackpot prize will improve from 1-in-195 million to 1-in-175 million.

Powerball tickets will cost $2 each beginning Sunday. The cost to add the Power Play multiplier feature will remain an extra $1 per play.

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