Powerball X’s and O’s brings the NFL to the lottery

The NFL is the most popular professional sports league in North America. Powerball is America’s favorite lottery game. So why not combine the two into an exciting new multi-state lottery game that features the logos of all 32 NFL teams and a million-dollar jackpot?

Powerball X’s and O’s is a new multi-state lottery game slated for release on September 8, 2026, with weekly drawings that coincide with NFL Sunday games.

While creating a game like this may seem like an easy touchdown, it’s no simple thing to coordinate rules, gameplay, prizes, and pricing among the dozens of states needed to support the game.

We spoke with South Dakota State Lottery Director Norm Lingle to learn more about how the new game will work and what players can expect.

Who is Norm Lingle?

Norm Lingle was appointed Executive Director of the South Dakota State Lottery in 2005, making him one of the longest-tenured directors in the country with over 21 years of experience.

He was inducted into the Lottery Hall of Fame in 2016, and his accomplishments include overseeing the introduction of the video lottery, the state’s most popular form of gaming, which is South Dakota’s biggest source of revenue after its sales tax.

He is a national leader in the lottery industry, having also served as President of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) and as Chair of Powerball.

Powerball X’s and O’s

It’s a boom time for multi-state lottery games. For years, Mega Millions and Powerball were the primary options for players seeking massive prizes, but a slew of new games are hitting the market, giving people even more ways to win million-dollar jackpots.

First up was Millionaire for Life, which offers players across the country the opportunity to win one million dollars a year for the rest of their lives. In September, MUSL will introduce Powerball Xs & Os, an NFL-themed lottery game with a weekly Sunday drawing and a cumulative jackpot starting at $1,000,000.

We asked Director Lingle to explain the rules behind the new game. He told us:

Powerball Xs & Os is a $5 draw game with a rolling jackpot. The initial jackpot will be $1 million. Drawings will take place every Sunday night beginning Sept. 13, 2026. It is an 8-of-32 game that uses (NFL) team logos. Players can win by matching some or all of the eight teams drawn. Prizes range from the jackpot to $7. Overall odds are 1:12.15.

The Sunday drawings allow players to watch their favorite NFL team and potentially win a big prize with their logo on the same day.

Powerball X the NFL

Adding a new multi-state game is no simple matter. It requires intense cooperation, development, and discussion between several states through the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL).

Director Lingle explained that creating X’s and O’s was driven by the state lotteries' desire to combine and leverage the popularity of Powerball and the NFL.

Research has shown that there is tremendous crossover potential between the Powerball and NFL brands. The NFL brand also resonates with South Dakotans. This game will give us the opportunity to reach new players while also offering existing players a new and exciting option. We now offer draw games at the $5, $2, and $1 price points with a wide variety of play styles, prizes, add-ons, and second chance opportunities.

He added that players will enjoy the new game because it features all 32 NFL teams.

The Powerball Xs & Os game will blend two iconic entertainment brands, Powerball and the NFL, to create a new and appealing play style. The new game will incorporate players’ favorite NFL teams into their winning experience by using team logos instead of numbers.

In addition to traditional cash prizes, Powerball X’s and O’s players will also have the option to win prizes that will bring them closer to NFL action.

The fun will go beyond the initial purchase with a wide variety of ways to win. Both winning and non-winning tickets will be able to be entered online for a chance to win exclusive NFL prizes that even include a trip to the Super Bowl.

Millionaire for Life

While Powerball X’s and O’s won’t be available to players until September, Millionaire for Life was just launched in July. We asked Director Lingle if the new game was meeting players’ expectations.

Our players have been receptive to the new Millionaire for Life game since its launch. Sales for the new game have exceeded our expectations, and we are hoping for continued momentum in Fiscal Year 2027.

We asked whether he thought there would be any other major new games after X’s and O’s launched, but it sounds like players will need to be satisfied with their current options.

We do not have any plans on the horizon, but we are always monitoring our players’ preferences to give them the best draw game portfolio possible.

South Dakota style

One thing we’ve learned from interviewing several different lottery directors is that each state has its own preferred play style. For example, number games are always on top in the District of Columbia, but players in Arkansas favor instant-win tickets.

We wanted to know what types of games are most popular with South Dakota players.

“Many of our players are still motivated by high jackpots, particularly Powerball and Mega Millions,” Director Lingle told us.

While jackpots still drive sales, we have a wide range of games to reach all of our players. We believe the Powerball Xs & Os game will only enhance our already diverse draw game portfolio.

Benefitting the state

The lottery doesn’t just deliver big for players; it's made the state a big winner as well. In its 29-year history, it’s returned $3.9 billion in revenue.

Since its creation in 1987, the South Dakota Lottery has returned more than $3.9 billion to the state. Its proceeds help support education, Medicaid, and other public services through the General Fund.

’Good Fun’ is more than just a tagline for the South Dakota Lottery. Our revenues help support important causes such as education, natural resources, and roads. The state’s General Fund, which supports K-12 schools, state universities, and technical institutes, receives 70 percent of net revenue from lotto games such as Powerball Xs & Os. The state’s Capital Construction Fund receives the remaining 30 percent. This supports the Water and Environment Fund, the Ethanol Fuel Fund, and the State Highway Fund.

We thank Director Lingle for taking the time to speak with us.