KANSAS CITY, KS -- Although the jackpots are smaller, the odds of winning are higher for the multistate Hot Lotto game.

On Sunday, March 12, the Kansas Lottery began selling Hot Lotto tickets for tonight’s first biweekly drawing, reports the Kansas City Star.
 
The newspaper notes that the “mini Powerball” Hot Lotto jackpots are smaller than those offered by Powerball, ranging from $2 to $2 million, but players have a better chance of winning. The odds of winning any Hot Lotto prize are 1 in 16, compared to 1 and 36 for the Powerball.

Kansas Lottery Director Ed Van Petten told the newspaper the state had resisted adding Hot Lotto for years out of fear that the game would “cannibalize its Powerball and in-state Kansas Super Cash numbers game.”

“Market analysis showed that wasn’t the case,” said Van Petten, adding that sales for Powerball and Kansas Super Cash are forecast to decline around 10 percent, but should be “way offset” by Hot Lotto ticket sales.

The newspaper notes that Kansas is the ninth state to offer Hot Lotto, run by the Multistate Lottery Association, and tickets for the game are available at all 1,900 Kansas Lottery outlets.