Treasure Hunt, Pennsylvania Lottery's terminal-based Pick 5 game, has exceeded sales expectations. The game, which went on sale May 8, was projected to bring in between $2.5 million and $3 million in its first quarter. Sales have surpassed $3 million.
Treasure Hunt is unique because it is animated online. Players get a grid numbered 1-30 and mark where they think the treasures are hidden. After the drawing at 1:35 p.m., the "sand" covered grid is shown online being cleared off, reveling five treasure chests. Winning numbers are also available in the usual places.
Locally, awareness of the game seems sparse. Several lottery players questioned were either not aware of the game or unsure how to play it.
"It's picking up," said Al Hossain, owner of US Mini Mart on West Main Street in Stroudsburg, but he has not seen any repeat customers yet. Treasure Hunt costs $1 to play. Jackpots start at $10,000.
The most popular lottery game Hossain sells is Powerball. "Pennsylvania Lottery is lousy," he said, because if people are going to put a dollar on the lottery, they want the big payoffs found in Powerball, where jackpots start at $15 million.
Most of Hossain's checkout counter is taken up by lottery information and tickets.
The Pennsylvania Lottery focuses on odds. One of the best odds going right now is the Millionaire Raffle Game, with the best odds for winning $1 million ever offered by the lottery, according to spokesperson Stephanie Weyant.
In this game, 625,000 tickets will be sold. They are available until 5 p.m. July 7. The drawing takes place at 7 p.m. that day. "Seven is a popular number for lottery players," Weyant said.
Retailers earn 5 percent commission from ticket sales. A bonus program also pays retailers cash, between $500 and $100 thousand, for selling jackpot tickets more than $100,000.
"People buy other items when they buy lottery tickets, and the commission money is helpful to small businesses," Weyant said.
But the deal is not as sweet as it once was. Winners of free tickets are time-consuming, and Hossain said retailers used to earn 1 percent of of winnings as low as $100. "We maintain the inventory for the lottery," said Hossain. Holding inventory for lottery tickets is like holding cash. The scratch-offs are tempting theft items, he said.
Hey, I'm from the Poconos. Take my advice, don't live here. It's boring.
Anyway, the reason the game has exceeded expectations is simple, great odds and great returns. It has the best top prize odds of any non-digit game, which people notice right off. And it has the highest prize return (58%), which players don't notice, but they do notice the higher instances of mid-range wins a high return allows. Add that with the $1 price, and it's enough for people to overlook the computerized drawings.
i think i can overlook it being computerized.the reason being is that this game is what players need.a 5/30 game that ain't so hard to beat.if lotto 5 in tennessee was 5/30 i would play every draw without fail.i'm just not that interested in longshot odds.5/39 got old quick....
Quote: Originally posted by LOTTOMIKE on Jun 20, 2007
i think i can overlook it being computerized.the reason being is that this game is what players need.a 5/30 game that ain't so hard to beat.if lotto 5 in tennessee was 5/30 i would play every draw without fail.i'm just not that interested in longshot odds.5/39 got old quick....
Let's keep in mind several things:
1) PA's 5/39 game, that start off with Jackpots of $100,000+, are won quite regularly throughout the week (check the website to see how often!). $100,000. is far preferable to TH's measley $10,000!
2) That PA camoflauges or masks it's computer-ized 5/30 game with such graphics does not fool me. It's still computer-driven, meaning that its internal software can continue to scan ticket combinations purchased by players to carefully regulate when to "designate" a winner, or loser.
3) PA is wracking up profits while paying out such tiny prize amounts-- again, check the site to see the actual amounts won.
My recommendation? Jump up nine numbers to the 5/39 game, study number selection methods to learn how to eliminate those 9 extra numbers, and cash in on BIGGER prizes for the same hard-earned dollar you are plucking down.
"Always tell the truth-- that will astonish some and gratify the rest!"
I don't play it much because it is not life-changing money. I prefer the mid-range jackpots, anything from $500,000 up AFTER taxes. I wish it would build up more, but then I am sure 3 or more players would win.
But it's still computerized. It is a bad game. The PA lottery seems to be cheapening itself quite a bit.
One thing I've thought about with the PA Lottery: PA is in a self-made mass transit funding crisis. One of the things that the PA lottery does is subsidize transit for seniors. I'm sure there's a correlation.
I haven't yet won anything on T.Hunt, played it a few times but I do MUCH better with good old Cash 5. I often get 2 numbers so I often play for free, they don't give anything in nj for 2 numbers. I don't like computerized games either, but it's a Midday game so I try it one tkt when I play P'ball over there. I have yet to get more than maybe 1 # on T.Hunt which is maybe because it's RNG? I only play quickpicks for now (use an RNG to play an RNG) until I can systemize it.
I have got 2 and 3 out of 5 on treasure hunt, and a few in the same position and I only played it like 3 times. I would like to play more, but the jackpot it not enough for what I need. Although the extra money would be nice, it would not get me to where I need to be.
Quote: Originally posted by sirbrad on Jun 21, 2007
I have got 2 and 3 out of 5 on treasure hunt, and a few in the same position and I only played it like 3 times. I would like to play more, but the jackpot it not enough for what I need. Although the extra money would be nice, it would not get me to where I need to be.
A few weeks ago I won $1 on a Treasure Hunt ticket. When Cash 5 was $500,000 I bought 5 tickets and got a free Treasure Hunt ticket as part of their promotion. That's the only way a computerized game ticket gets in my hands.
Hey, I'm from the Poconos. Take my advice, don't live here. It's boring.
Anyway, the reason the game has exceeded expectations is simple, great odds and great returns. It has the best top prize odds of any non-digit game, which people notice right off. And it has the highest prize return (58%), which players don't notice, but they do notice the higher instances of mid-range wins a high return allows. Add that with the $1 price, and it's enough for people to overlook the computerized drawings.
i think i can overlook it being computerized.the reason being is that this game is what players need.a 5/30 game that ain't so hard to beat.if lotto 5 in tennessee was 5/30 i would play every draw without fail.i'm just not that interested in longshot odds.5/39 got old quick....
Let's keep in mind several things:
1) PA's 5/39 game, that start off with Jackpots of $100,000+, are won quite regularly throughout the week (check the website to see how often!). $100,000. is far preferable to TH's measley $10,000!
2) That PA camoflauges or masks it's computer-ized 5/30 game with such graphics does not fool me. It's still computer-driven, meaning that its internal software can continue to scan ticket combinations purchased by players to carefully regulate when to "designate" a winner, or loser.
3) PA is wracking up profits while paying out such tiny prize amounts-- again, check the site to see the actual amounts won.
My recommendation? Jump up nine numbers to the 5/39 game, study number selection methods to learn how to eliminate those 9 extra numbers, and cash in on BIGGER prizes for the same hard-earned dollar you are plucking down.
"Always tell the truth-- that will astonish some and gratify the rest!"
-President Harry S. Truman, Democrat
I don't play it much because it is not life-changing money. I prefer the mid-range jackpots, anything from $500,000 up AFTER taxes. I wish it would build up more, but then I am sure 3 or more players would win.
But it's still computerized. It is a bad game. The PA lottery seems to be cheapening itself quite a bit.
One thing I've thought about with the PA Lottery: PA is in a self-made mass transit funding crisis. One of the things that the PA lottery does is subsidize transit for seniors. I'm sure there's a correlation.
I haven't yet won anything on T.Hunt, played it a few times but I do MUCH better with good old Cash 5. I often get 2 numbers so I often play for free, they don't give anything in nj for 2 numbers. I don't like computerized games either, but it's a Midday game so I try it one tkt when I play P'ball over there. I have yet to get more than maybe 1 # on T.Hunt which is maybe because it's RNG? I only play quickpicks for now (use an RNG to play an RNG) until I can systemize it.
I have got 2 and 3 out of 5 on treasure hunt, and a few in the same position and I only played it like 3 times. I would like to play more, but the jackpot it not enough for what I need. Although the extra money would be nice, it would not get me to where I need to be.
A few weeks ago I won $1 on a Treasure Hunt ticket. When Cash 5 was $500,000 I bought 5 tickets and got a free Treasure Hunt ticket as part of their promotion. That's the only way a computerized game ticket gets in my hands.