The Powerball jackpot has just been accelerated by the potential addition of 53 million eligible new players. After years of negotiations, the Multistate Lottery Commission and its UK counterpart Allywn have opened up Powerball lottery sales to residents of England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Northern Ireland starting sometime this summer. The international expansion, the first time a non-U.S. lottery will contribute to a U.S.-based jackpot, is expected to increase the prize money significantly, reaching the $1 billion grand-prize mark in two months rather than the typical three without a winner. The ticket price remains $2 for U.S. residents (£2 or $2.70 across the pond) and the odds of winning remain exactly the same. American winners can take a lump sum, while UK winners must take their prize as an annuity. The lower-tier prize structure will remain unique to each group and more than half the ticket cost will stay in the local jurisdictions to fund public programs.
Source: Las Vegas News