Code of Maine Rules
18 - DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES
553 - BUREAU OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LOTTERY OPERATIONS (BABLO)
Chapter 20 - POWERBALL RULES
Part II - Powerball Game Rules
Section 553-20-II-3.0 - Powerball Game Description

Universal Citation: 18 ME Code Rules ยง 553-20-II-3.0

Current through 2024-38, September 18, 2024

3.1 Powerball is a five (5) out of sixty-nine (69) plus one (1) out of twenty-six (26) numbers lottery game drawn every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday as part of the Powerball Drawing, which pays the Grand Prize, at the election of the player made in accordance with these rules or by a default election made in accordance with these rules, either on an annuitized pari-mutuel basis or as a single cash lump sum payment of the total funding held in the Grand Prize Pool (GPP) for the winning Drawing on a pari-mutuel basis. Except as provided in these rules, all other prizes are paid on a single payment basis. Powerball Winning Numbers applicable to determine Powerball prizes will be determined in the Powerball Drawing event.

To play Powerball, a player shall select (or computer pick) five (5) different numbers, from one (1) through sixty-nine (69) and one (1) additional number from one (1) through twenty-six (26). The additional number may be the same as one of the first five numbers selected by the player.

Powerball Winning Numbers applicable to determine Powerball prizes will be determined in the Powerball Drawing. During the Drawing, five (5) numbers shall be drawn from the first set of sixty-nine (69) numbers, and one (1) number shall be drawn for the second set of twenty-six (26) numbers, which shall constitute the Winning Numbers.

Powerball Plays can be purchased for two dollars (U.S. $2.00), including any specific statutorily mandated tax of a Selling Lottery to be included in the price of a Play. Powerball Plays may be purchased from a Selling Lottery approved sales outlet in a manner approved by the Selling Lottery and in accordance with MUSL Rules.

The Drawing Procedures shall include procedures for randomly selecting the Powerball game Winning Numbers and the Power Play multiplier

3.2 Claims. Unless otherwise permitted by a selling lottery, a ticket (subject to the validation requirements set forth in Section 7.0 of these Rules (Ticket Validation)) or properly registered ticketless transaction shall be the only proof of a game Play or Plays and the submission of a winning ticket to the issuing Selling Lottery or its authorized agent shall be the sole method of claiming a prize or prizes. A play slip has no pecuniary or prize value and shall not constitute evidence of play purchase or of numbers selected. A terminal produced paper receipt has no pecuniary or prize value and shall not constitute evidence of play purchase or of numbers selected.

3.3 Cancellations Prohibited; Request for Plays, Returned Plays, Incomplete Transaction Plays, Stolen Plays and Refunds for Game Cancellations.

3.3.1 Plays Non-Cancellable. In all instances, a Play recorded on the CGS ("Computer Gaming System") may not be voided or cancelled by returning the ticket or ticketless transaction to the Retailer or to the Selling Lottery, including tickets that are misprinted, illegible, print in error, or for any reason not successfully transferred to an authorized selling entity or Player.

3.3.2 Request for Plays. A lottery may conduct future sales through a subscription or other system that does not immediately record such sales on the CGS. A "Request for Play" is a sale that is not immediately recorded on the CGS, but is instead recorded onto the CGS at some future time prior to a draw event. At the sole discretion of the lottery, authorized sales through a subscription or other system which have not been recorded on the CGS (instead recorded as "Request for Plays"), may be cancelled at any time prior to the time the Request for Play is recorded as a Play on the CGS. If a Request for Play is cancelled, it shall not be recorded on the CGS.

Per 3.3, once a Play is recorded on the CGS, it may not be cancelled at any time. Any cancelled "Request for Play" shall not be included in sales data reports to MUSL.

3.3.3 Returned Plays. To promote good Player or Retailer relations, a Selling Lottery, at its sole discretion, may develop a method of compensating Players or Retailers for Plays accepted by the Selling Lottery as returned to the Selling Lottery ("Returned Plays") that are misprinted, illegible, printed in error, future Plays affected by changes in game features by the Selling Lottery or due to game cancellations.
3.3.3.1 Returned Plays may not be cancelled or voided. Returned Plays are not reported to MUSL.

3.3.3.2 The Selling Lottery must remit its required prize pool contributions on all Plays accepted as returned Plays by the Selling Lottery.

3.3.3.3 Returned Plays may not be claimed for a prize by any person or entity, including the Selling Lottery. Any prizes which would have been won on a Returned Play shall become an unclaimed prize at the end of the prize claim period.

3.3.4 Incomplete Transaction Plays. Incomplete Transaction plays occur when a Retailer begins a Play transaction as requested by a Player, and the Play is registered on the CGS, but the transaction is terminated prior to transferring Play confirmation to the Player, there is no attempt to print the Play on a ticket, and the Player has not paid for the Play. Transaction terminations may be due to time sensitivities, communications loss or other issues as accepted by the Selling Lottery.
3.3.4.1 A Selling Lottery, at its sole discretion, may develop an approved method of managing Incomplete Transaction Plays, subject to these provisions.

3.3.4.2 Incomplete Transaction plays may not be cancelled or voided.

3.3.4.3 The Selling Lottery must remit its required prize pool contributions on any Incomplete Transaction Plays. At its sole discretion, the Selling Lottery may develop a method of compensation Retailers for Incomplete Transaction Plays if Retailers are required to reimburse Selling Lotteries for prize pool contributions.

3.3.4.4 Incomplete Transaction Plays may not be claimed for a prize by any person or entity including the Retailer. Any prize which cannot be claimed as a prize under this Rule but would otherwise have been won on an Incomplete Transaction play shall become an unclaimed prize at the end of the prize claim period of the drawing for which the Incomplete Transaction Play was recorded. Incomplete Transaction Plays are not reported to MUSL.

3.3.5 Stolen Plays. Plays reported as stolen from a Retailer that have been recovered cannot be accepted by the Selling Lottery as Returned Plays.
3.3.5.1 Selling lotteries may compensate a Retailer for the loss from theft if a Selling Lottery, solely at its discretion, determines assume such a loss, but Stolen Plays cannot be cancelled or voided.

3.3.5.2 Ownership of Stolen Plays, and whether any party has a right to claim prizes on Stolen Plays, shall be determined by the rules of the Selling Lottery.

3.3.6 Game Cancellation. In the event of cancellation of the Game by the Product Group prior to the occurrence of all drawings for which Plays have been sold and recorded on the CGS, the Selling Lottery may provide a refund mechanism for such Plays to the Players, and the Selling Lottery shall not be required to remit its prize pool contributions for any such refunded Plays.

3.3.7 Selling Lotteries Prohibited from Claiming Prizes. Selling Lotteries and lottery officials are prohibited from claiming any prizes on Plays that are owned by the Selling Lottery through "Returned Plays" or otherwise acquired and held by the Selling Lottery. Any prizes that would otherwise be won on Plays owned or acquired by Selling Lotteries shall become unclaimed prizes at the end of the prize claim period.

3.4 Player Responsibility. It shall be the sole responsibility of the player to verify the accuracy of the game Play or Plays and other data printed on the ticket or contained in a ticketless transaction. The placing of Plays is done at the player's own risk through the agent that is acting on behalf of the player in entering the Play or Plays. The purchaser of a Play or Plays through a ticketless transaction has the sole responsibility for verifying the accuracy and condition of the data at the time of purchase.

3.5 Entry of Plays. Plays may only be entered manually using the lottery terminal keypad or touch screen or by means of a Play Slip as approved by the Selling Lottery or by such other means approved by the Selling Lottery. Retailers shall not permit the use of Play Slips that are not approved by the Selling Lottery. Retailers shall not permit any device to be physically or wirelessly connected to a lottery terminal to enter Plays, except as approved by the Selling Lottery.

3.6 Registration of Plays. Ticketless transaction Plays may be registered by the Selling Lottery at a lottery processing site that meets the requirements established by the Product Group and the MUSL Board.

3.7 Maximum Purchase. Except for a ticketless transaction Play purchase, when the lottery has a process to allow Players to make changes to their Play purchases in the event of a game change, the maximum number of consecutive Drawings on a single Play purchase is thirty-nine (39). The maximum number of consecutive Drawings encompassed by a ticketless Play purchase when the lottery has a process in place to allow players to make changes to their Play purchases in the event of a game change is one hundred fifty-six (156). The maximum number of Drawing purchases may be further limited by the Selling Lottery Director.

3.8 Matrix Changes. In the event of a matrix change, the Selling Lottery that issued the ticketless transaction will determine the option(s) available to ticketless transaction purchasers for that Selling Lottery for the balance of Plays remaining on their ticketless transactions effective as of the date of the matrix change.

3.9 Emergency Rule-making Authority. Pursuant to the Product Group's fiduciary duties, it may become necessary for the Product Group to adopt rule changes or modifications to protect the integrity of the game in response to an imminent crisis or emergency. Such rule changes or modifications shall take into effect immediately, or otherwise as indicated by the Product Group, without prior notification to Players or the public.

A rule change or modification adopted pursuant to the Section is effective upon the affirmative vote of three-fourths (3/4) or more of the Members casting votes, and shall continue in effect until otherwise determined by the Product Group.

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