Ohio Classic Lotto goes more than 2 years without winner

Apr 9, 2014, 7:41 am (124 comments)

Ohio Lottery

Jackpot now a record $66.2 million

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Classic Lotto jackpot currently stands at $66.2 million after no ticket was sold for Monday's draw with the numbers of 27, 32, 36, 38, 40, and 44.

Of course, that means no winning ticket was sold last week. Or the week before that. Or the month before that. Or the year before that.

In fact, it's the largest jackpot recorded for the game.  Every drawing that produces no jackpot winner it breaks another record, increasing by another $100,000 to $300,000.

The most recent winning ticket for the Classic Lotto was for the drawing on Dec. 7, 2011, worth $2.7 million, according to an Ohio Lottery spokeswoman. A $50.4 million prize was won on Oct. 24, 2011.

It's a been a long, slow climb to $66.2 million. Lottery officials don't have an explanation for the long dry spell for an overall winner, but they said the Lottery has paid out $5.5 million in non-jackpot winnings since July 1, 2013.

The next drawing for the Classic Lotto is at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday. The odds of winning the jackpot with a $1 ticket are 1-in-13,983,816.

Plain Dealer, Lottery Post Staff

Comments

Gleno's avatarGleno

What's up with this game in Ohio? Classic Lotto is due for a hit in 2014.Coffee

sully16's avatarsully16

Time to go to Ohio, Dance

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Chasing lottery rollovers is really stupid. I would feel dumb to keep playing a lottery game that has been rolling for more than 2 years.

The lottery decides when a lottery jackpot is going to be won.

mypiemaster's avatarmypiemaster

Do they use balls or the dreaded computer programs for the Ohio Classic Lotto?.

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by THRIFTY on Apr 9, 2014

Chasing lottery rollovers is really stupid. I would feel dumb to keep playing a lottery game that has been rolling for more than 2 years.

The lottery decides when a lottery jackpot is going to be won.

...says the person who hasn't won yet.  Something tells me you would suddenly change your tune if your numbers hit after playing them for two years.

peppy007

Quote: Originally posted by mypiemaster on Apr 9, 2014

Do they use balls or the dreaded computer programs for the Ohio Classic Lotto?.

I was wondering the exact same thing.  With those low odds compared to other lotteries, u would figure it would have hit sometime after it passed $30 million with the help of people from neighboring states crossing over for a chance at that jackpot.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Apr 9, 2014

...says the person who hasn't won yet.  Something tells me you would suddenly change your tune if your numbers hit after playing them for two years.

Why I play lottery quick picks instead of self picks.

"There is only one practical reason I can give you to play a "quick pick" over picking your own numbers.  If you get your own numbers, they become just that - your OWN.  You will feel more compelled to play "your" numbers more often.  You'll think, "What if I don't play MY numbers tonight and they actually come in?!?"

If you only do quick picks, you'll play less often.  Play less often is the BEST strategy for playing the lottery!  That includes playing so "less often" that you never play!  THAT is the very best strategy.

Look, the lottery company operates on a 50% payback rate.  In other words, for every $100,000 they collect from ticket sales, they only pay out about $50,000 to winning tickets.  At a 50% payback rate, no other standard bet on the planet comes even close to being as bad as buying lottery tickets.  The lottery is a TAX on the poor and on the ignorant.

You asked what's the most I've won.  Why?  What would that tell you?  I hit $2,500 from the Pick 3 lottery once.  So what???  Seriously - knowing I won that means nothing without knowing about the THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS I poured down the drain chasing that win.

You are interested in the wrong thing.  Do a little research into the probability and payout tables for your own lottery.  If you look carefully, you will see for yourself that I am right about that 50% payback rate.  You might as well light a match to half your money." By PDQ

peppy007

Megamillions is 20 times harder to hit, powerball 13x harder. If I lived in ohio I wouldnt play those two lotteries til it goes way past the amount the Ohio classic is offering.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Apr 9, 2014

...says the person who hasn't won yet.  Something tells me you would suddenly change your tune if your numbers hit after playing them for two years.

" Playing less often is the BEST strategy for playing the lottery!  That includes playing so "less often" that you never play!  THAT is the very best strategy." By PDQ

str8ca$hhomie's avatarstr8ca$hhomie

        RJOH TIME TO TWEAK THE OLE SYSTEM !

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Apr 9, 2014

...says the person who hasn't won yet.  Something tells me you would suddenly change your tune if your numbers hit after playing them for two years.

...I bet he'd be singing allelujah song...lol

pickone4me's avatarpickone4me

13.9 million for odds! That is the problem right there, the odds are too high,  it's  worse then wisconsins megabucks which the odds are about 6.9 million.

Jon D's avatarJon D

Quote: Originally posted by peppy007 on Apr 9, 2014

Megamillions is 20 times harder to hit, powerball 13x harder. If I lived in ohio I wouldnt play those two lotteries til it goes way past the amount the Ohio classic is offering.

Yeah, I don't get it. What's up Ohioans?

They do about $42M in sales per year for Ohio Classic Lotto, that's around $200-300k per draw. And that's HALF of what the base sales are for MM and PB starting JP in Ohio, when the OCL JP is higher and odds are better!?

So Ohioans have spent more than $84M in total accumulated sales for this run, on a game with odds of 14M, and still no winner. That's insane, spending 6 times over the odds of the game and still no winner.

That's like if you spent $6000 on pick3 str over the years without a single win! Thud

This game is the poster child for how NOT to run a state lotto, with sales languishing in mediocrity year after year. Straight linear sales increases. The game matrix is not sized properly for the playing population, and/or they need to adjust the game marketing or promos to increase interest.

RedStang's avatarRedStang

Quote: Originally posted by pickone4me on Apr 9, 2014

13.9 million for odds! That is the problem right there, the odds are too high,  it's  worse then wisconsins megabucks which the odds are about 6.9 million.

That does'nt seem too bad since some players may buy a few tickets. Now the 1 in 75 million odds for getting a extra pickle on your Mcdonalds cheeseburger are insane.

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

How can they control it?

oh438's avataroh438

I've been following this game for a least a year now.  I usually get auto pick and have missed all 6  most often.  As far as I know, it's still a mechanical ball drawing.  It's not shown live anymore both the Rolling cash 5 and classic lottos we're drop from the daily broadcast for the pick 5 game.

LottoMetro's avatarLottoMetro

Rare indeed. Using average sales per draw of $270,000 (I suspect off), the cumulative probability of having at least one winner so far is about 99.92%. Even if sales only averaged $150,000 per draw, the cumulative probability would be about 98%.

I've checked the drawings for statistical bias but literally none exists, at least over the long term. Ohio is very good about maintaining drawing neutrality. This is just one of those cases where an event that falls in the extreme ≤ 1%, actually happens. It is 'technically' possible for the game to continue rolling for another 1400 or so drawings without a winner, but conscious selection (or player outrage) would probably keep that from ever happening.

If I lived near Ohio, I would make this game a priority above Powerball or Mega Millions for sure. Even Kelly says you should play, albeit if you are already a millionaire Crazy

HaveABall's avatarHaveABall

Dear Todd or LP Staffer,

I noticed a KEY error in the first paragraph of this article, please fix it:

"CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Classic Lotto jackpot currently stands at $66.2 million after no ticket was sold for Monday's draw"

.... Therefore, please add the words "winning jackpot" before the, above, word "ticket."

 

Fascinating article though, kudos! Shocked

CajunWin4's avatarCajunWin4

Who is ready for a road trip ???

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

Quote: Originally posted by CajunWin4 on Apr 9, 2014

Who is ready for a road trip ???

...I don't care I don't feel like going to Ohio. Hehehehe

IPlayWeekly's avatarIPlayWeekly

I've tried OCL several times and have given up... I've never won anything back.  At least with MM or PB I've won a few dollars back.

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by HaveABall on Apr 9, 2014

Dear Todd or LP Staffer,

I noticed a KEY error in the first paragraph of this article, please fix it:

"CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Classic Lotto jackpot currently stands at $66.2 million after no ticket was sold for Monday's draw"

.... Therefore, please add the words "winning jackpot" before the, above, word "ticket."

 

Fascinating article though, kudos! Shocked

You did not copy the complete sentence.  If I put a period on the sentence where YOU ended it, you'd be correct.  But the sentence in the article right now is correct the way it is.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by peppy007 on Apr 9, 2014

Megamillions is 20 times harder to hit, powerball 13x harder. If I lived in ohio I wouldnt play those two lotteries til it goes way past the amount the Ohio classic is offering.

Ironically Mega Millions and Powerball have not gone more than 2 years without a jackpot winner.

Drenick1's avatarDrenick1

Quote: Originally posted by mypiemaster on Apr 9, 2014

Do they use balls or the dreaded computer programs for the Ohio Classic Lotto?.

No computer programs just the old fashioned ball method. I looked into this before splurging on the max draws allowed while recently visiting Ohio.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by Drenick1 on Apr 9, 2014

No computer programs just the old fashioned ball method. I looked into this before splurging on the max draws allowed while recently visiting Ohio.

It is time for an Ohio Classic Lotto matrix change.

Drenick1's avatarDrenick1

Quote: Originally posted by CajunWin4 on Apr 9, 2014

Who is ready for a road trip ???

I took one and I'm hoping it pays off. I still have 7 more draws on the tickets I purchased. Compared to MM 18.5 miilion to 1 odds for the 2nd tier prize level it's a no brainer at least for me.

Drenick1's avatarDrenick1

Quote: Originally posted by THRIFTY on Apr 9, 2014

Ironically Mega Millions and Powerball have not gone more than 2 years without a jackpot winner.

If it did especially with over 360 draws, we would be looking at a jackpot worth over a trillion dollars

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by Drenick1 on Apr 9, 2014

I took one and I'm hoping it pays off. I still have 7 more draws on the tickets I purchased. Compared to MM 18.5 miilion to 1 odds for the 2nd tier prize level it's a no brainer at least for me.

Mega Millions and Powerball have not been rolling over for more than 2 years without a jackpot winner. Ohio classic lotto playership has to be very low.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by Drenick1 on Apr 9, 2014

If it did especially with over 360 draws, we would be looking at a jackpot worth over a trillion dollars

Time is Money. Why would I play a game where the jackpot rollovers for more than 2 years? Insanity at its best.

Subscribe to this news story