Aussies buy 6000 Powerball tickets a minute chasing $80m prize
A buying frenzy just hours before Thursday night’s $80million Powerball draw, led to a huge surge in tickets as Australians took their chance at winning the massive prize.
Ticket sales were up 60 per cent on the previous week the Lott said, but would not reveal the revenue earned from Powerball ticket sales or the number of tickets sold.
Lott spokesman Matt Hart said about one in three Australian adults had an entry in Thursday’s multi-million dollar jackpot, but there was no first division winner and the prize jackpots to $100m for next week.
During the peak time for sales on Thursday morning about 2000 tickets were being sold each minute, but it seems more people decided later in the day to throw their hat in the ring, with more than 6000 entries a minute bought at about 5.37pm AEDT.
Some Powerball users voiced their frustration over the delay in the draw on Thursday, which the Lott says was because the volume of entries was larger than usual.
The Lott explains that every entry must be validated before a draw can take place and with the sales closing at 8.30pm AEDT it is only after that time that each entry can be accounted for.
“It’s not unusual to have a draw delay, particularly in large draws,” Mr Hart said.
“We aim to conduct the draw and have the results after 8.30pm AEST (9.30pm AEDT), however it’s more important the processes and regulations are followed.”
On this occasion Thursday’s draw wasn’t until after 10.30pm AEDT time – a delay of approximately one hour.
And ahead of next week’s record $100 million jackpot, punters are being urged to buy their tickets early.
It is the second time in less than six months that the jackpot has soared to $100 million.
“If one single entry takes home the entire $100 million jackpot next week it would be the biggest Australian lottery prize ever won by a single entry,” Mr Hart explained.
