Powerball Sales Remain Strong Despite Higher Ticket Prices

RIVERSIDE, Mo. -- Powerball officials' prediction that consumers would continue to purchase the lottery tickets despite a price increase from $1 to $2 each seems to be coming true. A $325-million jackpot has resulted in long lines of people looking to buy tickets and win big in Missouri, according to a Fox 4 News report.

When the price increase was announced, some wondered if the 100-percent increase would lead to slumping sales in a troubled economy, but representatives of the multi-state lottery bet on the idea of larger payouts providing bigger incentives to play. Employees of Red X in Riverside, Mo., told Fox 4 News that they have experienced this outcome personally, seeing regular gamblers along with newcomers lured by the latest jackpot.

Early calculations indicate that while consumers may be purchasing fewer tickets, they are spending more money on Powerball than ever, according to area lottery sellers.

A Rhode Island citizen won the weekend drawing, the odds of which were approximately one in 175 million.