DENVER -- As reported by TheDenverChannel Wednesday, Powerball will debut in Colorado on Aug. 4, nearly a month earlier than expected.
Colorado Lottery Executive Director Mark Zamarripa announced Thursday that ticket sales would begin ahead of schedule for a Powerball drawing Aug. 4.
"It has been our No. 1 priority," Zamarripa said. "The past several months my staff and the Lottery Commission have been working very hard for the implementation of Powerball."
Colorado voters approved a referendum last November that authorized the state to participate in a multistate lottery. Colorado officials decided on Powerball, which has a $10 million minimum jackpot. The Colorado Lotto has a minimum jackpot of $1.5 million.
Colorado will be the 21st state to join Powerball.
Tickets for Powerball will be available at the same retail locations as other Colorado Lottery games.
The game has a $10 million minimum jackpot for matching five numbers plus the "Powerball" number. Players choose five white balls from a pool of 49 and a red ball from a pool of 42. The odds of winning the jackpot by matching all five white balls and the red Powerball are 1 in 80.1 million.
Players can choose between getting all their money, after taxes, spread over 25 years or in one check. The lump-sum payment would come out to about half the jackpot. After the jackpot is won, it drops back to $10 million.
Last June, Sen. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs, filed a lawsuit to block the multistate lottery, claiming Powerball violates a provision in the state Constitution specifying that all lottery games must be supervised by the state.
He asked a judge for a temporary injunction to block Powerball until the lawsuit is resolved.
Lottery officials said that they will continue to move forward with Powerball unless they are told by a judge to stop.
Proceeds from the sale of Colorado Powerball tickets will go to the Lottery's current proceeds recipients: the Conservation Trust Fund, State Parks, and Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund.
If the GOCO fund exceeds its cap of about $44 million, spillover will be directed to public schools to address health and safety.
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