New game to focus on experiential prizes over jackpots
By Kate Northrop
A new multi-state lottery game coming later this year will take two of America's favorite things — Powerball and football — and smash them together.
The Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) has announced a new multi-state Powerball game in partnership with the National Football League (NFL) called "X's and O's."
Players can expect to see the new game coming later this year, which will focus on awarding players with experiential prizes related to the NFL instead of big jackpots.
Spearheaded by Oklahoma Lottery Executive Director Jay Finks, MUSL is collaborating with the NFL on development for a "much-anticipated" game that aims to further connect the lottery with fans of one of the most globally known sports brands.
It "isn't sports betting... but it's going to be able to live in that environment, thrive in that environment without being sports betting," Finks described of the new game at the La Fleur's Lottery World conference in October. "I think it's going to be the best of both worlds."
The product group at MUSL is confident that the game has been thoughtfully fleshed out, with an approved set of rules, logo, and playslip layout ready to go for a launch in August.
It's going to be a game different than most jackpot-oriented games, focusing on experiential prizes related to the NFL instead of emphasizing a growing jackpot. There will be a modest rolling jackpot to keep the game self-funded, Finks elaborated, but it won't be the true selling point.
"We talked earlier about experiential prizing: reaching some of those players that are less interested in — I mean, everyone wants cash — but they're interested in some of those experiences that you can't buy," MUSL Executive Director Bret Toyne said at a PGRI panel in November. "By aligning ourselves with the NFL, we can put together those types of experiences."
Rather than picking numbers, players will pick 8 out of 32 NFL teams. Although a definitive prize structure is unknown at these stages in the game's development, lottery executives are teasing possibilities that land football fans in coveted scenarios.
"When you think about the experiential prizing that is built into the prize structure of this game, we're not talking about just tickets to go see your local team play," Iowa Lottery President and CEO and Powerball Group Chair Matt Strawn said. "Of course, we're going to have your $50 in Fan Cash, things of that nature. We're putting you in a suite at the Super Bowl, we're putting you on the podium on draft night, potentially making a pick for your favorite team — these are the types of prizing elements that we're building into the structure of this game."
A large motivator for the NFL-focused game was the prospect of expanding Powerball's audience and reaching a whole new potential player base that is predominantly accustomed to sports betting, one of the lottery's biggest competitors. According to Minnesota Lottery Director Adam Prock, lottery officials are estimating that, with at least 31 states committed to offering the game, it could reach a massive population of 150 million.
"Powerball is a huge, global legacy brand," Prock explained. "I think for us to be successful, we've got to find those other acculturated, relevant places that we can partner [with], and I don't know how you can get much bigger than the NFL. MUSL's proven with NASCAR and other things that we can take those experiential prizes and find that new next generation player."
Research conducted by MUSL found that the Powerball brand has an 85% awareness among adults ages 35-54 "and beyond," Pennsylvania Lottery and MUSL President Drew Svitko said.
"The NFL is probably one of few brands that are much bigger than Powerball, so it's easy to see the value in that partnership," he added.
The Powerball Group underwent a massive, nationwide research study in preparation for X's and O's, which revealed that adults aged 18-34 would be more interested in playing Powerball if the brand aligned with the NFL, according to Finks. Since attracting younger players is always at the forefront of state lotteries' minds, it posed a serious opportunity.
It also took a year and a half of conducting focus groups and studies to figure out the sweet spot for ticket cost, with "lighter" lottery players and "core" NFL fans reacting receptively to a $5 price point. Researchers were able to push the ticket cost to $12 before response even began to fade, Finks recalled.
The NFL's own independent research also showed that MUSL had the ability to climb higher on the price point ladder than the $5 cost that the Powerball Group ultimately decided on, Prock said.
The debut of X's and O's will simultaneously mark the launch of a new Powerball mobile app as well, which will not only allow players across all states to check their Powerball tickets, but will power functionality for the non-jackpot game and give users the ability to accumulate points, which can be allocated to different prize buckets for chances at winning prizes in a potential variety of weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual drawings.
While checking Powerball tickets can be done natively on any local state lottery's app, having one centralized Powerball app protects against a longtime "threat" to the brand: inauthentic or fraudulent products.
"About a year ago, data was shared with us during one of the large $1 billion Powerball jackpot runs that eight of the top ten downloaded Powerball apps were not Powerball apps," Strawn revealed. "They were imposters. There were [only] two individual lotteries who saw their apps in the top ten list."
"There are bad actors that use all of our brands and certainly take advantage of our Powerball brand," Svitko added. "Folks that are using it and treating it as their own outside the U.S., and it has been really challenging for us to defend that brand in markets in which we were not doing business."
The app is planned for launch right alongside the projected release of X's and O's, slated for August, but possibly early September. Drawings are estimated to take place every Sunday.
"Researchers were able to push the ticket cost to $12 before response even began to fade, Finks recalled"
Oh well, glad am not a football fan 🤣
Good luck to all that will give it a shot.
“The Powerball Group underwent a massive, nationwide research study in preparation for X's and O's, which revealed that adults aged 18-34 would be more interested in playing Powerball if the brand aligned with the NFL, according to Finks”
For $12 I'm not interested and I am not into sports or the NFL personally. Why do they need an app, just check numbers? I was hoping ALL state lotteries in America would allow ticket buying through an app or online as they do in the UK, Australia, Europe, and Canada instead of these archaic laws. It's 2026!
I can't even buy a lottery ticket in my state with a debit card because despite the law change in my state, no retailer lets you do it.
Not everyone carries cash all the time or wants to go to a grocery store or gas station. My state doesn't even have a lottery machine. This prevents people from purchasing. It will help reach a younger audience not trying to imitate sports betting. Also, they must consider the current economy.
"About a year ago, data was shared with us during one of the large $1 billion Powerball jackpot runs that eight of the top ten downloaded Powerball apps were not Powerball apps," Strawn revealed. "They were imposters. There were [only] two individual lotteries who saw their apps in the top ten list."
I don’t understand the point of the Powerball app to check numbers. That is not needed. If other countries can figure it out so can America. They need to hire better people with MUSL, They truly don't understand their market or their players. But this is my personal opinion.
I might give it a try if Wisconsin is one of the states that offers this game. As far as the app, I don't think I'll download it unless there's some feature that's not offered on Wisconsin's app.
In the UK and Australia, they have a game called The Pools in which the winning results are based on football. This might be something similar.
Hmmm if one of the prizes was to let you call some plays I might consider it.
It's 4th down on their own 17 and they are going for a field goal
.. Wait!!! What??? What @sshole called that play😂
And if I never called it you would have never seen a 100 yard field goal 😎🏈
The Colorado Lottery has an app. It can scan any Colorado lottery ticket, including Powerball.
I don't see the point of a Powerball only app. While Powerball is a "multi-state" game, the tickets are sold by individual state lotteries.
There is no chance of me playing an NFL lottery game.
And then you had this.
https://youtu.be/byoopY_VcXE?si=mutsm4_-WOCvM_zI
So the NFL did research and said interest would fade after a $12 ticket price.
Am I correct that the cost will be $5 each? Sounds familiar doesn't it (MM(?
Count me out, zero interest in this or the legal sports betting here...
Cash for Life retiring on the 22nd of February...
* Hmm, so your short answer is..
That's a big NO for me!
Kind of vague so far, just hope this doesn't turn into something like trying to hit an eight team parlay.
Yes, the facts of the proposed game are *very* slim right now, but this thought just popped in for me...
Would this maybe relate to the very old discussion/argument of: "What if the balls had symbols (animals, plants, cartoon characters or team logos) instead of numbers on them?"
Of course, anyone could assign numbers (alphabetically or any other way) to continue the time honored practice of tracking/spreadsheet use for all of the usual methods of Hi/Lo, Even/Odd, Hits/Skips, and all of the other methods currently used.
And, of course, will the game be drawn by balls or RNG? And, what about the non-football season?
I am now anxiously awaiting more info on the game, but from the info that has been released I am *NOT* getting my hopes up.
Best wishes to all.
Imagine winning a prize in May for a seat at next April's NFL draft. No team is going to allow you to pick a player in any round because you won a lottery somehow. Imagine the anticipation you would have knowing that in 11 months you can sit in on the NFL draft in person. You spend the entire summer and fall going over college rosters trying to get your pick focused and clarified and at the last minute the team pulls the plug on your pick or he got drafted before it. Do you complain to the lottery that they didn't allow you to draft a player for them like the prize promised. Or you win a smaller prize. 4 tickets to the Tennessee Titans at home vs Las Vegas Raiders game. You have to pay your own transportation and lodging though for 4. You live in Seattle.