CALIFORNIA JOINS MEGA MILLIONSPrevious TopicNext Topic

Hosni... thanks for the thread on the article. Interesting....  Kind of sounds like it will be awhile until we actually get started playing. And thanks for the warm welcome for all of us in California.

Now that California is on board, time to get Florida in on the national action.  Hopefully the Powerball people will go and try to win them over.  I live in Maryland but visit Florida often enough to be able to play a season ticket there in their Lotto.  There is a lot of money wagered in Florida that would be a nice boost to Powerball.

Quote: Originally posted by DoctorEw220 on February 9, 2005

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also, i like the idea of CA making their lower pries pari-mutuel.   that way, the prizes across the game don't become pari-mutuel and players in other states don't get screwed because a bunch of CA players also matched 5 white balls. it can work in their favor, or against them though. they could be getting higher than normal prizes, or they could be getting lower than normal prizes.

any word on a matrix change and what it may be to?

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All the lower-tier prizes in MM are paid by the state in which they were won.  They are not shared between the states.  So if people in CA won 10,000 2nd prizes, all of those would be paid strictly from CA.

I don't believe a matrix change is necessary at all.  They are already predicting many more $100 million+ jackpots than we have now, without any kind of change.  (Which I also previously predicted.)

Quote: Originally posted by kcman777 on February 9, 2005

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Just a thought ... With California joining the Mega-Millions... there will more winning combinations played ... Do you really think jackpots will really get as hight as 100+ Million ?   With the inclusion of California .. I think it would be a rare case if the jackpot now got as high as 70 Million.

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Diva:

More players = faster growing jackpots = bigger rollovers = more rollover cycles.

Actually it hasn't been to bad with the inclusion on Texas.  I mean they have only had 1 jackpot winner.  And the rate of the jackpots do get higher quicker.  So it will be interesting.  Yet with California's population we will finally have more people in the 12 states that play the game than combinations that are available for the game.  They will change it.  They need to change it.

Brad

Your right about Texas and I'm pretty sure the average jackpot win went from 76 to 80+ million in the last year......This is pretty much the same conversations and concerns we discussed when Texas joined yet they only have 1 jackpot (101 million) and 91 second tier winners in 16 months seems pretty average to me

I'm surprised MM is not more popular in TX, Megaplier or not.

This is getting weird.  There is reality and there is make-believe.  In the case of Texas, they joined Mega Millions, and suddenly jackpots started increasing their rollover size by 50% or so, and the jackpots started going over $100 million with greater frequency than ever.

Dvdiva, I have no idea where you're coming up with this stuff.  You're an awesome member here, and I always love your input, but this one has me shaking my head.  Everyone should be saying a big thank you to Texas (and now California) for joining MM!

Now with CA joining, it's going to get even better.  The minimum jackpot will be raised, jackpots will rollover faster and quicker, and we'll have even more frequent $100+ million jackpots than when Texas joined!

I am hoping they don't increase the odds of winning by making some crazy matrix.  I fear they might.  I think they may increase the number of 0+1 prizes awarded by shrinking the Mega Ball pool.  But then they'll decrease the number of other prizes by increasing the primary number pool.  I'd rather have a more reasonable chance to get 3+0 prizes than to have a better chance at a 0+1 prize.  But that's just me.

I compare it to powerball. Mega goes upto 100 but just can't break past the 300 mark. Their sales are also below powerball. And sales have been falling for jackpots at the 100 million mark. I also hope the new game doesn't break the 200 million to one mark. I think those odds would be too intimidating. I think most would handle a 1:160 - 1:185 million mark ok if the smaller prizes had better payouts.

Thanks Todd for the compliment.

My idea new matrix would be 5/60 plus 1/33. Odds would be 1:5.4 million for the pick five and 1:180 million over all. I think most players could handle that change. 200 million to one just seems like a mental barrier. Its like something priced at $1.99 versus $2. Even though its just a penny there is a reason why its a penny less.

I assume people on here actually want to win a lottery. Why would anyone who hasn't won a jackpot say Mega Millions (or any lottery) should increase already astronomical odds? Do you just want to donate money to the state or 1 or 2 $300 million winners a year? What about your self-interest in actually winning something? At the very least you should demand no changes for 2 years to see how it works out in reality.

I dont think we can continue at the same matrix.  It all depends on the number of people in California that acutally do play.  I mean for having so many people and so few dollars in lotter ticket sales California might not be a threat just like Texas pretty much wasn't.  But if Mega Millions is a hit in California we need to switch the matrices.  I mean there are too many more people than combos now.  We need to find a way to increase odds to a point where people will play but it will be still harder to win.  I guess we will just have to wait and see what they decide when California starts selling tickets.  Any word yet on when that might be?

Brad

I would like to see a 300+ million jackpot before 05' is over and I think mega millions is going to be the to get to it first this year.

I expect a matrix change _when_ CA joins.