Overview

• Powerball ticket sales spiked to 162 million for the Sept. 3 drawing, a 189% jump from the prior week, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association.
• Americans spent an average of $320 per person on lottery tickets in 2023, LendingTree’s analysis shows.
• Massachusetts leads per-capita spending at roughly $915 while North Dakota is lowest at about $50, and Connecticut ranks sixth at $469 with 66.2% paid out as winnings.
• Researchers say people across income levels buy tickets, yet lower-income households devote a larger share of their budgets and bear greater harms, with scratch-off play concentrated among habitual buyers.
• The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are about 1 in 292 million, and participation is particularly strong in Northeastern states such as Massachusetts and Rhode Island.