KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- A week after Powerball ticket prices increased across the nation, East Tennessee convenience stores are feeling the effect of the change in different ways, according to a report by WBIT-TV.
Some businesses have told the news outlet that they have experienced a decrease in Powerball ticket sales ever since they went on sale for $2 instead of $1. Officials at a c-store in Halls said they have witnessed ticket sales drop by 30%.
Executives at a South Knoxville c-store, however, said the change has not really had much of an effect on their business. The KenJo BP said customers are still coming to the store for Powerball tickets on a regular basis.
"Some people don't like the idea because it [the cost] went up, but they still play it because they've always played it," KenJo BP employee Kelly Berkley told WBIT.
Powerball player Jonathon Trotter said the price change does not worry him. He said he will continue to play.
"Playing the Powerball, the money goes to a good cause," Trotter told the news outlet. "So therefore, that's why I play.
The price increase for Powerball went into effect on January 15, 2012. The Multi-State Lottery Association said key changes include:
- Starting jackpot doubles from $20 million to $40 million.
- Jackpots increase by a minimum of $10 million with each roll.
- Odds of winning the jackpot will improve from 1 in 195.2 million
- to 1 in 175.2 million.
- Overall odds of winning will improve from 1 in 35 to 1 in 32.
- Match-5 prize will increase from $200,000 to $1 million.
- The Powerball-only prize will increase from $3 to $4.
- The basic play style is the same; however, the number of red Powerball numbers is being reduced by four. The number of white ball numbers remains the same. So, players will select five white ball numbers from a field of 59 and one red Powerball number from a field of 35.
- Power Play will still be available, but prizes become set prizes and are no longer dependent on a multiplier. These set prizes are at least double the original Powerball prize and range from $12 for matching just the Powerball number to $2 million for matching all five white ball numbers. The cost is still an additional $1 per play.
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