SA PowerBall: expected value – what is a ticket really worth?

How much money do you get back on average for one ticket? The calculation combines the exact probability of each prize tier with the average payouts of past draws – and, for the jackpot, with the number of players you would have to share it with.

Estimate: average payouts of the lower tiers since the current tiers were introduced; participation derived from the number of winners in the most common tier over the last 30 draws. A big jackpot attracts more players – adjust the number of tickets. On average the lottery remains a losing game; play only for fun.