Part II
POWERBALL GAME RULES
Section 2.0 Definitions
The following definitions apply unless the context requires a
different meaning or is otherwise inconsistent with the intention of the rules
adopted by the Product Group.
2.1
"Advertised Grand Prize" shall mean the estimated annuitized Grand Prize amount
as determined by the MUSL Central Office by use of the MUSL Annuity Factor and
communicated through the Selling Lotteries prior to the Grand Prize Drawing.
The "Advertised Grand Prize" is not a guaranteed prize amount and the actual
Grand Prize amount may vary from the advertised amount, except in circumstances
where there is a guaranteed Grand Prize amount as described in Rule 6.
5
2.2 "Agent" or "retailer" means a
person or entity licensed by the Lottery to sell lottery plays.
2.3 A "Drawing" refers collectively to the
formal draw event for randomly selecting the winning indicia which determine
the number of winners for each prize level of the Powerball game and the Power
Play multiplier. Winning indicia include the Winning Numbers for the Powerball
game, and the Power Play multiplier.
2.4 "Computer pick" means the random
selection of indicia by the computer that appear on a ticket or ticketless
transaction and are played by a player in the game. Computer pick has the same
meaning as "easy pick", which is used in the Tri-State game rules.
2.5 "Game board" or "boards" means that area
of the Play Slip, also known as a "panel" which contains sets of numbered
squares to be marked by the player. Game board has the same meaning as "panel"
as used in other Lottery materials.
2.6 "Game ticket" or "ticket" means an
acceptable evidence of play, which is a ticket produced in a manner that meets
the specifications defined in the rules of the Lottery and Section 7.0 (Ticket
Validation) and is a physical representation of the play or plays sold to the
player or is a properly and validly registered ticketless transaction
play.
2.7 "Grand Prize" shall refer
to the top prize in the Powerball game.
2.8 "Licensee Lottery" shall mean a state
lottery or lottery of a governmental unit, political subdivision, or entity
thereof that is not a Party Lottery but has agreed to comply with all
applicable MUSL and Product Group requirements and has been authorized by the
MUSL and by the Powerball Product Group to sell the Powerball game.
2.9 "MUSL" means the Multi-State Lottery
Association, a government-benefit association wholly owned and operated by the
Party Lotteries.
2.10 "MUSL
Annuity Factor" shall mean the annuity factor as determined by the MUSL central
office through a method approved by the MUSL Finance and Audit Committee and
which is used as described in these Rules.
2.11 "MUSL Board" means the governing body of
the MUSL which is comprised of the chief executive officer of each Party
Lottery.
2.12 "MUSL Finance and
Audit Committee" shall mean the committee of that name established by the MUSL
Board.
2.13 "On-Line Lottery Game"
means a lottery game wherein a player selects numbers out of a larger
predetermined set or sets of numbers.
2.14 "Party Lottery" or "Member Lottery"
means a state lottery or lottery of a political subdivision or entity that has
joined the MUSL and, in the context of the Product Group Rules, which has
joined in selling the Powerball game. Unless otherwise indicated, "Party
Lottery" or "Member Lottery" does not include "Licensee Lotteries".
2.15 "Play" or "Bet" means the six (6)
numbers, the first five (5) from a field of sixty-nine (69) numbers and the
last one (1) from a field of twenty-six (26) numbers, that appear on a ticket
or communicated in a ticketless transaction as a single lettered selection and
are to be played by a player in the Powerball game.
2.16 "Product Group" means a group of
lotteries which has joined together to offer a product pursuant to the terms of
the Multi-State Lottery Agreement and the Product Group's own rules.
2.17 "Play Slip" or "Bet Slip" means a card
used in marking a player's game plays and containing one or more
boards.
2.18 "Selling Lottery" or
"Participating Lottery" shall mean a lottery authorized by the Product Group to
sell Powerball plays, including Party Lotteries and Licensee
Lotteries.
2.19 "Set Prize" means
all other prizes except the Grand Prize and, except in instances outlined in
these rules, will be equal to the prize amount established by the Product Group
for the prize level.
2.20
"Terminal" means a device authorized by the Lottery to function in an on-line,
interactive mode with the gaming computer system for the purpose of issuing
lottery tickets and entering, receiving, and processing lottery transactions,
including making purchases, validating tickets, and transmitting
reports.
2.21 "Ticketless
Transaction" shall include plays sold through subscription, internet, or
non-standard terminals.
2.22
"Winning Numbers" means the, indicia randomly selected, during a Drawing event
which shall be used to determine winning plays for the Powerball game contained
on a game ticket or ticketless transaction.
2.23 "Lottery", or "the Lottery" means the
Vermont State Lottery.
2.24
"Executive Director" means the Executive Director of the Vermont State Lottery
appointed by the Vermont Lottery Commission.
2.25 "Subscription" means a Powerball bet
recorded on the Lottery's central computer system, under the name and address
of a subscriber, for a specified range of draw dates.
2.26 Reserved
Section 3.0 Powerball Game Description
3.1 Powerball is a five (5) out of sixty-nine
(69) plus one (1) out of twenty-six (26) on-line lottery game, drawn every
Wednesday and Saturday as part of the Powerball drawing event, which pays the
Grand Prize, at the election of the player made in accordance with these rules
or by a default election made in accordance with these rules, either on an
annuitized pari-mutuel basis or as a cash lump sum payment of the total cash
held for this prize pool on a pari-mutuel basis. Except as provided in these
rules, all other prizes are paid on a set cash basis. Powerball Winning Numbers
applicable to determine Powerball prizes will be determined in the Powerball
Drawing event. To play Powerball, a player shall select (or computer pick) five
(5) different numbers, from one (1) through sixty-nine (69) and one (1)
additional number from one (1) through twenty-six (26). The additional number
may be the same as one of the first five numbers selected by the player.
Plays can be purchased for two dollars (U.S. $ 2.00), including
any specific statutorily-mandated tax of a Selling Lottery to be included in
the price of a play. Playscan be purchased from a Selling Lottery's approved
sales outlet in a manner as approved by the Selling Lottery and in accordance
with MUSL Rules. The Drawing Procedures shall include procedures for randomly
selecting the Powerball game Winning Numbers and the Power Play
multiplier.
3.2 Claims. A
ticket (subject to the validation requirements set forth in Section 7.0 (Ticket
Validation)) or properly registered ticketless transaction shall be the only
proof of a game Play or Plays and the submission of a winning ticket to the
issuing Selling Lottery or its authorized agent shall be the sole method of
claiming a prize or prizes. A Play Slip has no pecuniary or prize value and
shall not constitute evidence of play purchase or of numbers selected. A
terminal-produced paper receipt has no pecuniary or prize value and shall not
constitute evidence of play purchase or numbers selected.
3.3 Cancellations Prohibited. A play may not
be voided or canceled by returning the ticket or ticketless transaction to the
selling agent or to the lottery, including tickets that are printed in error. A
Selling Lottery may develop an approved method of compensating retailers for
plays that are not transferred to a player for a reason acceptable to the
Selling Lottery. No play that is eligible for a prize can be returned to the
lottery for credit. Plays accepted by retailers as returned plays and that
cannot be re-sold shall be deemed owned by the bearer thereof.
3.4 Player Responsibility. It shall be the
sole responsibility of the player to verify the accuracy of the game Play or
Plays and other data printed on the ticket or contained in a ticketless
transaction. The placing of Plays is done at the player's own risk through the
on-line agent who is acting on behalf of the player in entering the Play or
Plays. The purchaser of a Play or Plays through a ticketless transaction has
the sole responsibility for verifying the accuracy and condition of the data at
the time of purchase.
3.5 Entry of
Plays. Plays may only be entered manually using the lottery terminal keypad or
touch screen or by means of a Play Slip provided by the Selling Lottery and
hand-marked by the player or by such other means approved by the Selling
Lottery. Retailers shall not permit the use of facsimiles of Play Slips, copies
of Play Slips, or other materials that are inserted into the terminal's Play
Slip reader that are not printed or approved by the Selling Lottery. Retailers
shall not permit any device to be connected to a lottery terminal to enter
plays, except as approved by the Selling Lottery.
3.6 Registration of Plays. Ticketless
transaction plays may be registered by the Selling Lottery at a lottery
processing site which meets the requirements established by the Product Group
and the MUSL Board.
Section
4.0 Powerball Prize Pool
4.1
Powerball Prize Pool. The prize pool for all prize categories shall consist of
fifty percent (50%) of each drawing period's sales, inclusive of any specific
statutorily-mandated tax of a Selling Lottery to be included in the price of a
play, after the prize pool accounts and prize reserve accounts are funded to
the amounts set by the Product Group. Any amount remaining in the prize pool at
the end of this game shall be returned to all lotteries participating in the
prize pool after the end of all claim periods of all Selling Lotteries, carried
forward to a replacement game or expended in a manner as directed by the
Members of the Product Group in accordance with jurisdiction statute.
4.2
(a)
Powerball Prize Pool Accounts and Prize Reserve Accounts. An amount equal to up
to five percent (5%) of a Party Lottery's sales, including any specific
statutorily-mandated tax of a Party Lottery to be included in the price of a
play, shall be deducted from a Party Lottery's Grand Prize Pool and placed in
trust in one or more Powerball prize pool accounts and prize reserve accounts
until the prize pool accounts and Party Lottery's share of the prize reserve
account(s) reaches the amounts designated by the Product Group.
The Product Group has established the following prize reserve
accounts for the Powerball game: The Powerball Prize Reserve Account (PRA),
which is used to guarantee the payment of valid, but unanticipated, Grand Prize
claims that may result from a system error or other reason; and the Powerball
Set Prize Reserve Account (SPRA), which is used to fund deficiencies in
low-tier Powerball prize payments (subject to the limitations of these
rules).
The Product Group has established the following prize pool
accounts for the Powerball game: the Grand Prize pool, which is used to fund
the immediate Grand Prize; the Powerball Set-Aside Account, which is used to
guarantee payment of the minimum or starting Grand Prize. Power Play Prize Pool
and Power Play Pool Account are described in Part III of these rules. The Set
Prize Pool holds the temporary balances that may result from having fewer than
expected winners in the Powerball set prize (aka low-tier prize) categories and
the source of the Set Prize Pool is the Party Lottery's weekly prize
contributions less actual Powerball Set Prize liability.
Once the Powerball prize pool accounts and the Party Lottery's
share of the Powerball prize reserve accounts exceed the designated amounts,
the excess shall become part of the Grand Prize Pool. The Product Group, with
approval of the Finance & Audit Committee may establish a maximum balance
for the Powerball prize pool accounts and prize reserve accounts.
The Product Group may determine to expend all or a portion of
the funds in the Powerball prize pool accounts (except the Grand Prize pool
account) and the prize reserve accounts, (1) for the purpose of indemnifying
the Party Lotteries and Licensee Lotteries in the payment of prizes to be made
by the Selling Lotteries, subject to the approval of the Board; and (2) for the
payment of prizes or special prizes in the game, subject to the approval of the
Finance and Audit Committee. The prize reserve shares of a Party Lottery may be
adjusted with refunds to the Party Lottery from the prize reserve account(s) as
may be needed to maintain the approved maximum balance and shares of the Party
Lotteries.
A Party Lottery may contribute to its share of prize reserve
accounts over time, but in the event of a draw down from a prize reserve
account, a Party Lottery is responsible for its full percentage share of the
prize reserve account, whether or not it has been paid in full.
Any amount remaining in the Powerball prize pool accounts or
prize reserve accounts at the end of this game shall be returned to all
lotteries participating in the accounts after the end of all claim periods of
all Selling Lotteries, carried forward to a replacement prize reserve account
or expended in a manner as directed by the Members of the Product Group in
accordance with jurisdiction statute.
(b) Licensee Lotteries. Licensee Lotteries
shall adhere to PB Rule 4.2(a) unless a different process is approved by the
Product Group.
4.3
Expected Powerball Prize Payout Percentages.
(1) The Grand Prize payout shall be
determined on a pari-mutuel basis. Except as otherwise mandated by jurisdiction
statute or judicial requirements, or provided for in these rules, all other
prizes awarded shall be paid as set cash prizes with the following expected
prize payout percentages:
|
|
Prize Pool Percentage
|
|
Number of Matches Per Play
|
Prize Payment
|
Allocated to Prize
|
|
All five (5) of first set plus one (1) of second
set.
|
Grand Prize
|
68.0131%
|
|
All five (5) of first set and none of second
set.
|
$ 1,000,000
|
8.5558%
|
|
Any four (4) of first set plus one (1) of second set
.
|
$ 50,000
|
5.4757%
|
|
Any four (4) of first set and none of second
set.
|
$ 100
|
0.2738%
|
|
Any three (3) of first set plus one (1) of second
set.
|
$ 100
|
0.6899%
|
|
Any three (3) of first set and none of second
set.
|
$ 7
|
1.2074%
|
|
Any two (2) of first set plus one (1) of second
set.
|
$ 7
|
0.9981%
|
|
Any one (1) of first set plus one (1) of second
set.
|
$ 4
|
4.3489%
|
|
None of first set plus one (1) of second set.
|
$ 4
|
10.4373%
|
(a) The prize
money allocated to the Grand Prize category shall be divided equally by the
number of plays winning the Grand Prize.
(b) Powerball Set Prize Pool Carried Forward.
For Party Lotteries, the Powerball Set Prize pool (for cash prizes of one
million dollars ($ 1,000,000) or less) shall be carried forward to subsequent
draws if all or a portion of it is not needed to pay the Powerball Set Prizes
awarded in the current draw.
(c)
Pari-Mutuel Powerball Prize Determinations. Except as provided for in
4.3(1)(c)(1)(c), for Party Lotteries:
(1)
(a) If the total of the Powerball Set Prizes
(as multiplied by the respective Power Play multiplier if applicable) awarded
in a drawing exceeds the percentage of the prize pool allocated to the
Powerball Set Prizes, then the amount needed to fund the Powerball Set Prizes,
including Power Play prizes, awarded shall be drawn from the following sources,
in the following order:
(i) the amount
available in the SPP and the Power Play Prize Pool, if any;
(ii) an amount from the SPRA, if available,
not to exceed forty million dollars ($ 40,000,000) per drawing; and
(iii) other amounts as agreed to by the
Product Group in their sole discretion
(1)
(b) If,
after these sources are depleted, there are not sufficient funds to pay the Set
Prizes awarded, including Power Play prizes, then the highest Set Prize shall
become a pari-mutuel prize. If the amount of the highest Set Prize, when paid
on a pari-mutuel basis, drops to or below the next highest Set Prize and there
are still not sufficient funds to pay the remaining Set Prizes awarded, then
the next highest Set Prize, including Power Play prizes, shall become a
pari-mutuel prize. This procedure shall continue down through all Set Prize
levels, if necessary, until all Set Prize levels become pari-mutuel prize
levels.
(1)
(c) By agreement with the Licensee Lotteries,
the Licensee Lotteries shall independently calculate their Set Prize
pari-mutuel prize amounts. The Party Lotteries and the Licensee Lotteries shall
then agree to set the pari-mutuel prize amounts for all lotteries selling the
game at the lesser of the independently-calculated prize amounts.
(2) Licensee Lotteries. Licensee
Lotteries shall adhere to PB Rule 4.3(1)(c)(1)(a) and (b) unless a different
process is approved by the Product Group.
Section 5.0 Probability
of Winning Powerball Prizes
The following table sets forth the probability of winning and
the probable distribution of winners in and among each prize category, based
upon the total number of possible combinations in Powerball. The Set Prize
Amount shall be the prizes set for all Selling Lotteries unless prohibited or
limited by a jurisdiction's statute or judicial requirements.
|
Number of Matches Per Ticket
Winners
|
Probability
|
|
Distribution Probability
|
Probable/ Set Prize Amount
|
|
All five (5) of first set plus one(1) of second
set
|
1
|
1:
|
292,201,338.000
|
Grand Prize
|
|
All five (5) of first set and none of second set
|
25
|
1:
|
11,688,053.5200
|
$ 1,000,000
|
|
Any four (4) of first set plus one (1) of second
set
|
320
|
1:
|
913,129.1813
|
$ 50,000
|
|
Any four (4) of first set and none of second set
|
8000
|
1:
|
36,525.1673
|
$ 100
|
|
Any three (3) of first set plus one (1) of second
set
|
20,160
|
1:
|
14,494.1140
|
$ 100
|
|
Any three (3) of first set and none of second
set
|
504,000
|
1:
|
579.7646
|
$ 7
|
|
Any two (2) of first set plus one(1) of second
set
|
416,640
|
1:
|
701.3281
|
$ 7
|
|
Any one (1) of first set plus one(1) of second
set
|
3,176,880
|
1:
|
91.9775
|
$ 4
|
|
None of first set plus one (1) of second set
|
7,624,512
|
1:
|
38.3239
|
$ 4
|
|
Overall
|
11,750,538
|
1:
|
24.8671
|
|
Section
6.0 Powerball Prize Payment
6.1
Grand Prizes. Grand Prizes shall be paid, at the election of the player made no
later than sixty (60) days after the player becomes entitled to the prize, with
either a per winner annuity or cash payment. If the payment election is not
made at the time of purchase and is not made by the player within sixty (60)
days after the player becomes entitled to the prize, then the prize shall be
paid as an annuity prize. An election for an annuity payment made by a player
before ticket purchase or by system default or design may be changed to a cash
payment at the election of the player until the expiration of sixty (60) days
after the player becomes entitled to the prize. The election to take the cash
payment may be made at the time of the prize claim or within sixty (60) days
after the player becomes entitled to the prize. An election made after the
winner becomes entitled to the prize is final and cannot be revoked, withdrawn
or otherwise changed.
Shares of the Grand Prize shall be determined by dividing the
cash available in the Grand Prize pool equally among all winning plays of the
Grand Prize. Winner(s) who elect a cash payment shall be paid their share(s) in
a single cash payment. The annuitized option prize shall be determined by
multiplying a winner's share of the Grand Prize pool by a process as approved
by the MUSL Board.. Neither MUSL nor the Selling Lotteries shall be responsible
or liable for changes in the advertised or estimated annuity prize amount and
the actual amount purchased after the prize payment method is actually known to
MUSL.
In certain instances, announced by the Product Group, the Grand
Prize shall be a guaranteed amount and shall be determined pursuant to Section
6.5.
If individual shares of the cash held to fund an annuity is
less than $ 250,000, the Product Group, in its sole discretion, may elect to
pay the winners their share of the cash held in the Grand Prize pool.
All annuitized prizes shall be paid annually in thirty (30)
payments with the initial payment being made in cash, to be followed by
twenty-nine (29) payments funded by the annuity. Except as may be controlled by
a Selling Lottery's governing statute, all annuitized prizes shall be paid
annually in thirty (30) graduated payments (increasing each year) by a rate as
determined by the Product Group. Prize payments may be rounded down to the
nearest one thousand dollars ($ 1,000). Annual payments after the initial
payment shall be made by the lottery on the anniversary date or if such date
falls on a non-business day, then the first business day following the
anniversary date of the selection of the Grand Prize Winning Numbers.
Funds for the initial payment of an annuitized prize or the
lump sum cash prize shall be made available by MUSL for payment by the Selling
Lottery no earlier than the fifteenth calendar day (or the next banking day if
the fifteenth day is a holiday) following the drawing. If necessary, when the
due date for the payment of a prize occurs before the receipt of funds in the
prize pool trust sufficient to pay the prize, the transfer of funds for the
payment of the full lump sum cash amount may be delayed pending receipt of
funds from the Selling Lotteries. A paying lottery may elect to make the
initial payment from its own funds after validation, with notice to
MUSL.
If a Party Lottery purchases or holds the prize payment annuity
for a prize won in that jurisdiction, that Party Lottery's game rules, and any
prize payment agreement with the prize winner, shall indicate that the prize
winner has no recourse on the MUSL or any other Party Lottery for payment of
that prize.
In the event of the death of a lottery winner during the
annuity payment period, unless prohibited by jurisdictional law, the MUSL
Finance & Audit Committee, in its sole discretion excepting a discretionary
review by the Product Group, upon the petition of the estate of the lottery
winner (the "Estate") to the lottery of the jurisdiction in which the deceased
lottery winner purchased the winning play, and subject to federal, state, or
district, or territorial applicable laws, may accelerate the payment of all of
the remaining lottery proceeds to the Estate. If such a determination is made,
then securities and/or cash held to fund the deceased lottery winner's
annuitized prize may be distributed to the Estate. The identification of the
securities to fund the annuitized prize shall be at the sole discretion of the
Finance & Audit Committee or the Product Group.
6.2 Powerball Low-Tier Cash Prize Payments.
All low-tier cash prizes (all prizes except the Grand Prize) shall be paid in
cash or warrants through the Selling Lottery that sold the winning play(s). A
Selling Lottery may begin paying low-tier cash prizes after receiving
authorization to pay from the MUSL central office. If a Selling Lottery, due to
jurisdictional law requirements, separately determines its low-tier cash prize
amounts, it shall be solely responsible for its low-tier cash prize liability,
and may begin paying low-tier cash prizes after a drawing when it determines
appropriate to do so.
6.3 Powerball
Prizes Rounded. Annuitized payments of the Grand Prize or a share of the Grand
Prize may be rounded to facilitate the purchase of an appropriate funding
mechanism. Breakage on an annuitized Grand Prize win shall be added to the
first cash payment to the winner or winners. Prizes other than the Grand Prize,
which, under these rules, may become single-payment, pari-mutuel prizes, may be
rounded down so that prizes can be paid in multiples of whole dollars. Except
with regards to low-tier cash prizes paid by a Selling Lottery which separately
determines its low-tier cash prize amounts pursuant to Rule 6.2, breakage
resulting from rounding these prizes shall be carried forward to the prize pool
for the next drawing.
6.4 Powerball
Prize Rollover. If the Grand Prize is not won in a drawing, the prize money
allocated for the Grand Prize shall roll over and be added to the Grand Prize
pool for the following drawing.
6.5
Funding of Guaranteed Powerball Prizes. The Product Group may offer guaranteed
minimum Grand Prize amounts or minimum increases in the Grand Prize amount
between drawings or make other changes in the allocation of prize money where
the Product Group finds that it would be in the best interest of the game. If a
minimum Grand Prize amount or a minimum increase in the Grand Prize amount
between drawings is offered by the Product Group, then the Grand Prize shares
shall be determined as follows: If there are multiple Grand Prize winners
during a single drawing, each selecting the annuitized option prize, then a
winner's share of the guaranteed annuitized Grand Prize shall be determined by
dividing the guaranteed annuitized Grand Prize by the number of winning plays.
If there are multiple Grand Prize winners during a single drawing and at least
one (1) of the Grand Prize winners has elected the annuitized option prize,
then the MUSL Annuity Factor shall be utilized to determine the cash pool. The
cost of the annuitized prize(s) will be determined at the time the annuity is
purchased through a process as approved by the MUSL Board; If no winner of the
Grand Prize during a single drawing has elected the annuitized option prize,
then the amount of cash in the Grand Prize pool shall be an amount equal to the
guaranteed annuitized amount divided by the MUSL Annuity Factor. Minimum
guaranteed prizes or increases may be waived if the alternate funding mechanism
set out in Section 4.3(b) becomes necessary. Approval of the Group is required
to change the guaranteed minimum Grand Prize amounts or minimum increases in
the Grand Prize amount. Any reduction in the guaranteed minimum Grand Prize
amount or reduction in the minimum increases to the Grand Prize amount shall
not become effective until after a Grand Prize win following the action taken
by the Group.
6.6 Limited to
Highest Powerball Prize Won. The holder of a winning play may win only one (1)
prize per play in connection with the Winning Numbers drawn, and shall be
entitled only to the prize won by those numbers in the highest matching prize
category. All liabilities for a Powerball prize are discharged upon payment of
a prize claim.
6.7 Powerball Prize
Claim Period. Prize claims shall be submitted within the period set by the
Selling Lottery selling the play, which in Vermont is one year from the prize
eligibility date. The prize eligibility date is the date of the winning
draw.
6.9 Prize Assignment. Payment
of a prize may be made to a person other than the winner pursuant to Vermont
Statutes Annotated, Title 31, Section 658(c), which adopts the payment
provisions of Title 31, Section 674L.1.1A-I.
Section 7.0 Ticket Validation
7.1 General Requirements for Validation. To
be a valid play and eligible to receive a prize, a play's ticket or ticketless
transaction shall satisfy all the requirements established by a Selling Lottery
for validation of winning plays sold through its on-line system and any other
validation requirements adopted by the Product Group, the MUSL Board, and
published as the Confidential MUSL Minimum Game Security Standards. The MUSL
and the Selling Lotteries shall not be responsible for tickets or ticketless
transactions that are altered in any manner.
7.2 Specific Requirements for Validation of
Tickets Sold in Vermont
(a) To be a valid
ticket and eligible to receive a prize, all the following requirements must be
satisfied:
(1) The ticket must have been
issued by the Lottery through a licensed agent, via a terminal, in an
authorized manner. The ticket must be intact and must not be mutilated,
altered, reconstructed, or tampered with in any manner.
(2) The ticket date must have been recorded
in the Lottery's central computer system at least sixty (60) minutes prior to
the drawing; even if it appears that a bet is accepted (by virtue of a printed
ticket), any bet placed other than at least sixty (60) minutes prior to the
drawing (regardless of when the drawing is held) is void.
(3) The information appearing on the ticket
must correspond precisely with the Selling Lottery's computer record.
(4) The system assigned validation number
must appear in its entirety, and correspond, using a computer validation file,
to the winning game play or plays printed on the ticket. The ticket stock
sequential number on the back of the ticket must correspond to the Lottery's
inventory records.
(5) The ticket
must not be defectively printed, fuzzy, produced in error, counterfeit in whole
or in part, altered, unreadable, reconstructed, tampered with in any manner,
stolen, blank or partially blank, misregistered, or defective.
(6) All information appearing on an apparent
winning ticket must correspond to the Lottery's records of winning tickets, and
another ticket with identical data shall not have been paid.
(7) The ticket must be intact, fully legible,
complete and not miscut, correspond to the data on file at the Lottery in every
respect.
(8) The ticket must pass
all other security criteria determined by the Commission and MUSL.
(9) The ticket must be validated in
accordance with the provisions of these rules relating to the procedures for
claiming prizes and for the payment thereof.
(10) An apparent winning ticket shall be void
unless the ticpaper stock roll which was in use at the time of the bet by, and
validly issued to, the agent from whom the ticket was purchased.
(b) In the event that a ticket
fails to pass all the criteria set forth in subpart (a) of this rule, the
ticket shall be deemed void and ineligible for any prize and shall not be paid.
In the event of a dispute or other instance of doubt, the decision of the
executive director shall be final and binding. If the executive director
determines that the ticket is not eligible to receive a prize, then the
executive director may, at the executive director's option, replace an invalid,
defective or otherwise erroneous ticket with a ticket of equivalent sales price
from any current lottery game. Replacement of the ticket shall be the bearer or
claimant's sole and exclusive remedy.
Section 8.0 Ticket Responsibility
8.1 Signature. Until such time as a
subscription play is properly and validly registered with the lottery, or until
such time as a signature, or printed name is placed upon a ticket in the area
designated for signature, or name, a ticket shall be owned by the bearer of the
ticket. When a subscription play is validly and properly registered with the
lottery, or when a signature, or name is placed on the ticket in the place
designated, the person who has registered the ticket, or if not registered,
whose signature, or name appears in such area shall be the owner of the ticket
and shall be entitled (subject to the validation requirements in Section 7.0
(Ticket Validation) and state or district law) to any prize attributable
thereto.
8.2 Multiple Signatures.
The manner of payment of prizes for valid winning tickets bearing multiple
signatures, or names shall be determined by the Law of the State of
Vermont.
8.3 Stolen Tickets. The
Product Group, the MUSL and the Party Lotteries shall not be responsible for
lost or stolen tickets.
8.4
Ticketless Transactions. A receipt for a ticketless transaction play has no
value and is not evidence of a play. A ticketless transaction play is valid
when registered with the Lottery in accordance with these rules and the person
or persons registering the play shall be the owner of the ticketless
transaction play.
Section
9.0 Ineligible Players
9.1 A play
or share for a MUSL game issued by the MUSL or any of its Party Lotteries shall
not be purchased by, and a prize won by any such play or share shall not be
paid to:
(a) a MUSL employee, officer, or
director,
(b) a contractor or
consultant under agreement with the MUSL to review the MUSL audit and security
procedures,
(c) an employee of an
independent accounting firm under contract with MUSL to observe drawings or
site operations and actually assigned to the MUSL account and all partners,
shareholders, or owners in the local office of the firm, or
(d) an immediate family member (parent,
stepparent, child, stepchild, spouse, or sibling) of an individual described in
subsections (a), (b), and (c) and residing in the same household.
9.2 No tickets or ticketless
transactions may be sold to, or purchased by, individuals who have not attained
the age of majority. However, tickets or subscriptions may be given as gifts to
minors or any other individuals except as prohibited by Vermont law.
9.3 No member of the commission or employee
of the commission, or members of their immediate household, may claim or
receive prize money in any lottery operated by the Vermont Lottery Commission,
including but not limited to Powerball.
Section 10.0 Applicable Law
In purchasing a play in Vermont, or attempting to claim a
prize, purchasers and prize claimants agrees to comply with and abide by all
applicable Vermont laws, rules, regulations, procedures, and decisions of the
Lottery, and by directives and determinations of the director of that Party
Lottery.
A prize claimant agrees, as its sole and exclusive remedy that
claims arising out of a Powerball Play can only be pursued against the Selling
Lottery which issued the Play. Litigation, if any, shall only be maintained
within the jurisdiction in which the Powerball Play was purchased and only
against the Selling Lottery that issued the play. No claim shall be made
against any other Participating Lottery or against MUSL.
Nothing in these Rules shall be constructed as a waiver of any
defense or claim the Selling Lottery which issued the Play, any other
Participating Lottery or MUSL may have in any litigation, including in the
event a player or prize claimant pursues litigation against the Selling
Lottery, any other Participating Lottery or MUSL, or their respective officers,
directors or employees.
All decisions made by a Selling Lottery, including the
declaration of prizes and the payment thereof and the interpretation of
Powerball Rules, shall be final and binding on all Play purchasers and on every
person making a prize claim in respect thereof, but only in the jurisdiction
where the Powerball Play was issued.
Unless the laws, rules, regulations, procedures, and decisions
of the Lottery which issued the Play provide otherwise, no prize shall be paid
upon a Play purchased, claimed or sold in violation of these Rules or the laws,
rules, regulations, procedures, and decisions of that Selling Lottery; any such
prize claimed but unpaid shall constitute an unclaimed prize under these Rules
and the laws, rules, regulations, procedures, and decisions of that Selling
Lottery.
Part III
SPECIAL GAME RULES: POWERBALL POWER PLAY
Section
11.0 Power Play Description
The Powerball Power Play promotion is a limited extension of
the Powerball game and is conducted in accordance with the Powerball game rules
and other lottery rules applicable to the Powerball game except as may be
amended herein. The Powerball Power Play promotion will run concurrently with
Powerball and will continue until discontinued by the lottery. The promotion
will offer to the owners of a qualifying play a chance to increase the amount
of any of the eight (8) lump sum Set Prizes (the lump sum prizes normally
paying $ 4 to $ 1,000,000) won in a drawing held during the promotion. The
Grand Prize is not a Set Prize and will not be increased.
Section 12.0 Qualifying Play
A qualifying play is any single Powerball play for which the
player pays an extra dollar ($ 1.00) for the Power Play option play and that is
recorded at the Selling Lottery's central computer as a qualifying
play.
Section 13.0 Prizes to
be Increased
Except as provided in these rules, a qualifying play which wins
one of the seven lowest lump sum Set Prizes (excluding the Match 5+0 prize)
will be multiplied by the number selected, either two, three, four, five or 10
(2, 3, 4, 5, or 10), in a separate random Power Play drawing announced during
the official Powerball drawing show; The Group may announce prior to a drawing
that the "ten" multiplier will be available for drawings in which the
advertised Grand Prize amount is above a specified amount, but the "ten"
multiplier shall at a minimum be available for all drawings in which the
advertised annuitized Grand Prize amount is one hundred fifty million dollars
($ 150,000,000.00) or less. The announced Match 5+0 prize, for players
selecting the Power Play option, shall be two million dollars ($ 2,000,000.00)
unless a higher limited promotional dollar amount is announced by the
Group.
Section 14.0 Power
Play Draws
MUSL will conduct a separate random "Power Play" drawing and
announce results during each of the regular Powerball drawings held during the
promotion. During each Powerball drawing a single number (2, 3, 4, 5 or 10)
shall be drawn; The Group may announce prior to a drawing that the "ten"
multiplier will not be available for drawings in which the advertised Grand
Prize amount is above a specified amount, but the "ten" multiplier shall at a
minimum be available for all drawings in which the advertised Grand Prize
amount is one hundred fifty million dollars. ($ 150,000,000.00) or less. The
Powerball Group may modify the multiplier features for special promotions from
time to time.
Section 15.0
Prize Pool
15.1 Power Play Prize Pool.
(a) The Power Play Prize Pool (PPP) is hereby
created, which is used to fund Power Play prizes. The PPP shall hold temporary
balances that may result from having fewer than expected winners in the Power
Play. The source of the PPP is the Party Lottery's weekly prize contributions
less actual Power Play Prize liability.
(b) As per Rule E(2), fifty percent (50%) of
each draw's sales shall be collected and placed in the PPP for the payment of
prizes.
(1) In drawings where the "ten" (10)
multiplier is available, the expected payout for all prize categories shall
consist of up to forty-nine and nine hundred sixty-nine thousandths percent
(49.969%) of each drawing period's sales, including any specific
statutorily-mandated tax of a Selling Lottery to be included in the price of a
lottery ticket. In drawings where the "10" (10)" multiplier is not available,
the expected payout for all prize categories shall consist of up to forty-five
and nine hundred thirty-four thousandths percent (45.934%).
(2) In drawings where the ten (10X)
multiplier is available, an additional thirty-one thousandths percent (0.031%)
of each drawing period's sales, including any specific statutorily mandated tax
of a Selling Lottery to be included in the price of a lottery ticket, may be
collected and placed in trust in the PPP, for the purpose of paying Power Play
prizes. In drawings where the ten (10X) multiplier is not available, an
additional four and sixty-six thousandths percent (4.066%) of each drawing
period's sales, including any specific statutorily mandated tax of a Selling
Lottery to be included in the price of a lottery ticket, may be collected and
placed in trust in the PPP, for the purpose of paying Power Play
prizes.
(c) The prize
payout percentage per draw may vary. The PPP shall be carried forward to
subsequent draws if all or a portion of it is not needed to pay the Power Play
prizes awarded in the current draw and held in the PPP.
15.2 Power Play Pool Account. In drawings
where the "ten (10)" multiplier is available, an additional thirty-one
thousandths percent (0.031%) of sales, including any specific
statutorily-mandated tax of a Selling Lottery to be included in the price of a
lottery ticket, may be collected and placed in trust in the Power Play Pool
account, for the purpose of paying Power Play Prizes. In drawings where the
"ten (10)" multiplier is not available, four and sixty-six thousandths percent
(4.066%) of sales, including any specific statutorily mandated tax of a Selling
Lottery to be included in the price of a lottery ticket, may be collected and
placed in trust in the Power Play pool account, for the purpose of paying Power
Play prizes. Any amount remaining in the Power Play pool account at the end of
this game shall be returned to all lotteries participating in the account after
the end of all claim periods of all Selling Lotteries, carried forward to a
replacement game, or expended in a manner as directed by the Members of the
Product Group in accordance with jurisdictional statute.
15.3 Licensee Lotteries. Licensee Lotteries
shall adhere to PB Rule 15.2 unless a different process is approved by the
Product Group.
15.4 Expected Prize
Payout. Except as provided in these rules, all prizes awarded shall be paid as
lump sum set prizes. Instead of the Powerball set prize amounts, qualifying
Power Play plays will pay the amounts shown in PB Rule 13.
|
|
Prize Amount
|
Regardless of Power Play number selected:
|
|
|
|
Match 5+0
|
$ 1,000,000
|
$ 2,000,000
|
$ 2,000,000
|
$ 2,000,000
|
$ 2,000,000
|
$ 2,000,000
|
|
Set Prize Amount
|
10x
|
5X
|
4X
|
3X
|
2X
|
|
Match 4+1
|
$ 50,000
|
$ 500,000.00
|
$ 250,000.00
|
$ 200,000.00
|
$ 150,000.00
|
$ 100,000.00
|
|
Match 4+0
|
$ 100.00
|
$ 1000.00
|
$ 500.00
|
$ 400.00
|
$ 300.00
|
$ 200.00
|
|
Match 3+1
|
$ 100.00
|
$ 1000.00
|
$ 500.00
|
$ 400.00
|
$ 300.00
|
$ 200.00
|
|
Match 3+0
|
$ 7.00
|
$ 70.00
|
$ 35.00
|
$ 28.00
|
$ 21.00
|
$ 14.00
|
|
Match 2+1
|
$ 7.00
|
$ 70.00
|
$ 35.00
|
$ 28.00
|
$ 21.00
|
$ 14.00
|
|
Match 1+1
|
$ 4.00
|
$ 40.00
|
$ 20.00
|
$ 16.00
|
$ 12.00
|
$ 8.00
|
|
Match 0+1
|
$ 4.00
|
$ 40.00
|
$ 20.00
|
$ 16.00
|
$ 12.00
|
$ 8.00
|
In certain rare instances, the Powerball set prize amount may
be less than the amount shown. In such case, the eight (8) lowest Power Play
prizes will be changed to an amount, announced after the draw. For example, if
the Match 4+1 Powerball set prize amount of $ 50,000 becomes $ 25,000 under the
rules of the Powerball game and a 5x Power Play multiplier is selected, then a,
then a Power Play player winning that prize amount would win $
125,000.
Section
16.0 Probability of Winning
The following table sets forth the probability of the various
Power Play numbers being drawn during a single Powerball drawing, except that
the Power Play amount for the Match 5+0 prize will be two million dollars ($
2,000,000.00). The Group may elect to run limited promotions that may modify
the multiplier features.
|
When the 10x multiplier is
available:
|
|
Power Play Probability of Prize Increase
|
|
10X
|
-
|
Prize Won Times 10
|
1 in 43
|
2.3255%
|
|
5X
|
-
|
Prize Won Times 5
|
2 in 43
|
4.6512%
|
|
4X
|
-
|
Prize Won Times 4
|
3 in 43
|
6.9767%
|
|
3X
|
-
|
Prize Won Times 3
|
13 in 43
|
30.2326%
|
|
2X
|
-
|
Prize Won Times 2
|
24 in 43
|
55.8140%
|
|
Power Play does not apply to the Grand Prize. Except as
provided in Rule 15. 3, a Power Play Match 5 prize is set at two million
dollars ($ 2 million), regardless of the multiplier selected.
|
Section
17.0 Limitations On Payment Of Power Play Prizes
17. 1 Prize Pool Carried Forward. For Party
Lotteries, the prize pool percentage allocated to the Power Play set prizes
shall be carried forward to subsequent draws if all or a portion of it is not
needed to pay the set prizes awarded in the current draw.
17.2 Pari-Mutuel Prizes--All Prize Amounts.
Except as provided for in Rule 17.2(c), for Party Lotteries:
(a)
(1) If
the total of the original Powerball set prizes and the Power Play prizes
awarded in a drawing exceeds the percentage of the prize pools allocated to the
set prizes, then the amount needed to fund the set prizes (including the Power
Play prize amounts) awarded shall be drawn from the following sources, in the
following order:
(i) the amount available in
the SPP and PPP, if any;
(ii) an
amount from the Powerball Set-Prize Reserve Account, if available in the
account, not to exceed forty million dollars ($ 40,000,000) per
drawing.
(iii) other amounts agreed
to by the Product Group in their sole discretion.
(a)
(2) If, after these sources are depleted,
there are not sufficient funds to pay the set prizes awarded (including Power
Play prize amounts), then the highest set prize (including the Power Play prize
amounts) shall become a pari-mutuel prize. If the amount of the highest set
prize, when paid on a pari-mutuel basis, drops to or below the next highest set
prize and there are still not sufficient funds to pay the remaining set prizes
awarded, then the next highest set prize, including the Power Play prize
amount, shall become a pari-mutuel prize. This procedure shall continue down
through all set prizes levels, if necessary, until all set prize levels become
pari-mutuel prize levels. In that instance, the money available from the
funding sources listed in this rule shall be divided among the winning plays in
proportion to their respective prize percentages. Powerball and Power Play
prizes will be reduced by the same percentage.
(b) Licensee Lotteries. Licensee Lotteries
shall adhere to PB Rule 17.2(a) unless a different process is approved by the
Product Group.
(c) By agreement
with the Licensee Lotteries, the Licensee Lotteries shall independently
calculate their set pari-mutuel prize amounts, including the Power Play prize
amounts. The Party Lotteries and the Licensee Lotteries shall then agree to set
the pari-mutuel prize amounts for all lotteries selling the game at the lesser
of the independently-calculated prize amounts.
Section 18.0 Prize Payment
18.1 Prize Payments. All Power Play prizes
shall be paid in one lump sum through the Selling Lottery that sold the winning
ticket(s). A Selling Lottery may begin paying Power Play prizes after receiving
authorization to pay from the MUSL central office.
18.2 Prizes Rounded. Prizes, that, under
these rules, may become pari-mutuel prizes, may be rounded down so that prizes
can be paid in whole dollars. Breakage resulting from rounding these prizes
shall be carried forward to the prize pool for the next drawing.
