BLIMEY! Powerball goes global with expansion into UK

The Powerball lottery is officially expanding into new territory this week.

For the first time in history, a winner of the gigantic Powerball pot could be from outside the United States.

'More excitement and even greater impact.'

Odds and sods

Powerball announced earlier this month that it will welcome non-U.S. lottery contributions to its jackpot — something it has never done before — and has joined forces with a lottery organization in the United Kingdom.

Tickets for Wednesday's draw are being sold both in the U.S. and the U.K., meaning the Powerball jackpot could have a winner from across the pond.

As it stands, overall odds for winning a prize are one in 24.9, while odds at winning the jackpot are a whopping one in 292.2 million.

Widening its consumer base will not alter the game's $2 ticket price, the Multi-State Lottery Association said, nor will the jackpot odds decrease. The MUSL is partnering with Allwyn U.K., the national lottery operators in its jurisdiction.

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'Dream bigger'

The addition of the U.K. customer base will not change the time of Powerball drawings either, which will still take place every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. from the Powerball draw studio in Florida.

The gaming commissions praised their new partnership as a "thrilling milestone" that means the sum of the jackpots will grow bigger and faster.

This brings "more excitement and even greater impact for the communities we serve," said Rebecca Paul, CEO of the Tennessee Lottery and former president of the World Lottery Association.

Allwyn CEO Andria Vidler said her organization was excited to give U.K. players "the chance to dream bigger, while supporting thousands of Good Cause projects across the U.K. every week."

Some of the listed projects from the U.K. lottery have included reopening a cinema and providing animals for trips to senior living homes.

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Charity at home

At the same time, however, Paul added that the expansion into the United Kingdom does not change where the money goes for American players, and "every Powerball ticket sold in the U.S. will continue to support programs and services right here at home."

Powerball tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and now the United Kingdom. This includes England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

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