PowerHit & System Entry Breakdown
Compare the expected value of standard, PowerHit, and System entries for Powerball AU. Spoiler: all of them have negative expected value — but this shows which loses the least.
| Entry type | Games | Cost | Div 1 odds | EV per $ | vs Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Standard 7 main numbers + 1 Powerball | 1 | $1.35 | 1 in 134.5M | 296.30¢ | Baseline |
PowerHit 7 main numbers + all 20 Powerballs | 20 | $27.00 | 1 in 6.7M | 296.30¢ | Same |
System 8 8 main numbers + 1 Powerball | 8 | $10.80 | 1 in 16.8M | 296.30¢ | Same |
System 9 9 main numbers + 1 Powerball | 36 | $48.60 | 1 in 3.7M | 296.29¢ | Same |
System 10 10 main numbers + 1 Powerball | 120 | $162.00 | 1 in 1.1M | 296.29¢ | Same |
PowerHit System 8 8 main numbers + all 20 Powerballs | 160 | $216.00 | 1 in 841K | 296.29¢ | Same |
What this means
PowerHit improves Div 1 odds by 20×
By covering all 20 Powerballs, your Division 1 odds drop from 1 in 134.5M to 1 in 6.7M. The cost scales exactly 20× too ($27 vs $1.35), so your EV per dollar is unchanged.
System entries add coverage, not value
A System 8 picks 8 main numbers and covers all C(8,7) = 8 combinations. If your 8 numbers include the 7 winners, you win. But the cost scales with the number of games, keeping EV per dollar flat. The appeal is guaranteed coverage of your chosen numbers.
All entries have negative EV
At a $20M jackpot with 5M entries, every dollar spent returns roughly 30-35 cents in expected value. The jackpot would need to be astronomically large, with no other entrants, for EV to turn positive. Lottery tickets are entertainment, not investment.
EV calculations are based on Division 1 prize only and assume the jackpot is split proportionally among winners. Lower divisions add real value (~20-30% of total return) not shown here. Ticket prices are approximate. Play responsibly. 18+ only. Gambling Help Online: 1800 858 858.