for the most part, the winners were quick picks, but some do win with hand-chosen numbers.

Quote: Originally posted by hitchaser on March 17, 2005

---

the goal of the people who run these games is to generate higher sales through more people playing for a higher jackpot. the goal of real lottery players is to win enough money to get out of the rat race. these
two goals have nothing to do with one another.

hitchaser...

---

State lottery directors are paid very well to look out for the welfare of the states in running the lottery games. As a player, my interest is in trying to win a jackpot. Frankly, I really don't care how much money the states make from lottery sales. If any given game goes belly up because of poor sales, there are plenty of other things that I can wager on.

Low sales are not causing the PowerBall jackpot to be hit more often. That's just the way the cookies are crumbling right now, and that's the tough luck of the lotteries. It's very interesting that we haven't heard any of those winners of the smaller jackpots complaining. Larger jackpots equal fewer jackpot winners, and that's what is really bad for the players. Now, who's going to be crying when the jackpot size exceeds the odds and still doesn't get hit?

Maybe MUSL should create a game with astronomical odds that increase exponentially from draw to draw. That would virtually guarantee an ever increasing super-sized jackpot that would be highly unlikely to be hit. Certainly that would placate all the giant jackpot fans.

Good luck,

aye'

 

Its not that the sales are low for a 10 million dollar drawing. In fact the sales are normal for very low jackpots. What is killing powerball is the lack of large jackpots. Sales are higher in Megamillions now because the jackpots are 2-4x what powerball has been recently. I haven't played both for a while now because the jackpots have just stank. Neither game is living up to its potential recently.

Ten million dollars is a life changing amount of money; I'd say most sane people wouldn't sneer at winning $100,000 or even a "mere" $5,000. Are all of you people so super rich now that only $100,000,000 or more is worth you handing over a few tatty bucks out of your pocket/purse for? Your odds are still the same regardless of the size of the jackpot. And there is nothing to say after this current streak of almost weekly winners that from now to the end of the year no one will hit it.



People never complained before when Powerball reached record setting highs in the past. Oh, wait a minute, yes they did. I recall posts from people saying they never win, to only people in Northern states win, to all lotteries are rigged. I'm sure if jackpots started at $25,000,000 or even $100,000,000 then in only a short amount of time people would complain saying those amounts are "boring".



I think it is funny people are actually foolish enough to think and suggest to others that not only are they guaranteed in their destiny to win a lottery jackpot but when they do they will walk away with maxed-out prize amounts. Keep dreaming; I'll gladly keep playing.

Lots of reading and thoughts in these posts.

Having read them plus re-reading my own I just played my last multi-State Lottery the odds are just overwhelmingly against you and now to boost sales they are changing the matrix.

 I started playing PB and MM because I too was lured in by big money. At first I too dreamed of wanting to live large as the years went by my thoughts also changed.

 I will still play but on a state level only;

Lottomike and Maverick I join you

Quote: Originally posted by Phokas on March 19, 2005

---

Ten million dollars is a life changing amount of money; I'd say most sane people wouldn't sneer at winning $100,000 or even a "mere" $5,000. Are all of you people so super rich now that only $100,000,000 or more is worth you handing over a few tatty bucks out of your pocket/purse for? Your odds are still the same regardless of the size of the jackpot. And there is nothing to say after this current streak of almost weekly winners that from now to the end of the year no one will hit it.

People never complained before when Powerball reached record setting highs in the past. Oh, wait a minute, yes they did. I recall posts from people saying they never win, to only people in Northern states win, to all lotteries are rigged. I'm sure if jackpots started at $25,000,000 or even $100,000,000 then in only a short amount of time people would complain saying those amounts are "boring".

I think it is funny people are actually foolish enough to think and suggest to others that not only are they guaranteed in their destiny to win a lottery jackpot but when they do they will walk away with maxed-out prize amounts. Keep dreaming; I'll gladly keep playing.

---

Phokas,

You said that very well. Your words are a much-needed, well-grounded reality check on this subject.

Good luck,

aye'

 like i've said before, makes no difference if it's  500,000 or 500,000,000.00  i'd still play it...!

Statistically, there are more Pick 3 players than multi-state lotto players.  Why?  Because they feel they have a rat's chance of winning and they can get their minds around the game. 

Personally, I buy one quick-pick on Mega Millions in hopes that fate will touch me.  I have no system for a game with that kind of odds and anyone who does . . .God bless them.

We have to remember that the lotto is a money raiser and the ones who operate it have no interest in our success or failure.  Like the funeral industry, the lotto industry considers us inventory.  Can you make enough on Pick 3 to finance winning larger prizes?  Possibily, but there is no guarantee of that either.

It is really cute that the lotto industry gripes when there are "too many" winners.  That should give you a clue about their attitude toward players.  In reality, the player and the game owners are mortal enemies.  They are not our friends.  In Texas we have a little saying: TLC doesn't stand for Tender Loving Care, it stands for Texas Lottery Commission.

Orangeman

Quote: Originally posted by orangeman on March 19, 2005

---

It is really cute that the lotto industry gripes when there are "too many" winners.  That should give you a clue about their attitude toward players.  In reality, the player and the game owners are mortal enemies.  They are not our friends. 

---

Lately there have been too many PB winners...oh, that's so obvious...