Lottery Players Seek Bigger Jackpots Than Ever

Whether it has been caused by the recent spate of record Powerball jackpots or by the current generation's search for instant gratification, the evidence shows that lottery players are increasingly interested in only the largest jackpots.

Greater Expectations

It was only a few years ago that a $100 million jackpot was enough to get people out of their homes and into a long line for lottery tickets, Powerball Group chairman and New Mexico Lottery CEO Tony Romero recently told The Washington Post. Later the threshold rose to $200 million, he said, and is now approaching $300 million.

This phenomenon could be termed "jackpot fatigue," according to another industry expert interviewed by the Post, Multi-State Lottery director Chuck Strutt. He recalled a time when a $10 million jackpot in Illinois attracted long lines, but pointed out that increased jackpot sizes have put an end to those days.

Powerball Revamp

This interesting trend could partly be a result of the Powerball revamp in January 2012, in which ticket prices rose from $1 to $2 - causing an increase in the size of major jackpots. There was an immediate loss in the number of players, but a 52% increase in overall sales - which reached $5.9 billion in the 12 months ending June.

As you would expect, Powerball has been paying off record jackpots lately. At least three players in two states (two in New Jersey and one in Minnesota) hit the winning numbers (05, 25, 30, 58, 59 and Powerball 32) in last week's $448 million draw.

This was the third largest-ever Powerball jackpot and came only months after the all-time record of $590 million won by a lucky woman from Florida.

Purchase Tickets Online

Online lottery ticket agents have also fuelled increased interest in larger jackpots. Now that websites such as Lotterymaster and The Lotter provide access to US lotteries, it means that anybody can purchase a ticket no matter where they are in the world.

Lotterymaster sells tickets to the twice-weekly US Powerball, plus US Mega Millions, Euro Millions and dozens of other lotteries from a range of countries with jackpots that often reach eight and even nine figures.