I understand what you're saying and I totally agree with you. I like to play the lottery as well or else I wouldn't be here, but at the same time it would be nice to see more people win for all the money that is being spent.

That's just the way this particular game was designed. It's just a big shot in the dark.

 When ever you can buy a chance to win millions of dollars for $1, a lot of people are going to lose their dollars.  I happen to be one of those players who is willing to gamble $10-$20 a drawing trying to beat the odds, so far I'm losing.

I usually play my own numbers but I pick them different ways. I almost never do QP from the lottery terminal. I'll pick my numbers from an excel file sometimes, and other times I'll use LP's RNG. That way I know I still can control the sequence of numbers and not get any odd combinations. It's still longggggggg odds. I have found that over a year I win between 9 and 11 percent of what I play.

So while I play to win, I also look at it as my entertainment or hobby.

This is just my experience, and my opinion on the subject....

Yes, I get frusterated.  But it goes both ways.  When I buy qp's and never even win my $2.00 back draw after draw after draw, I automatically think I'm being scr3w3d lol so I agree with myself (ya I'm nuts) that I will pick my own numbers.  "They will not give me a losing combo again!"  Like its some kind of conspiracy..."They know the winner will be in Georgia..or NY..or here or there because thats where they sent the damn winning combo!"  BUT!  Thats not how it goes.  The numbers are all random, and I cannot predict what will drop on drawing night.

When I pick my own numbers, yes I do the "just came to me" way...the "this is my age, my daughters age, my lucky number" thing and so on and so on.  The numbers can be close together...or they can come up as 1 being the first number and all other numbers being 39 and higher.  Numbers I would not of thought of I don't think. Theres also the winning combo's that make you scratch your head. 13,14,15,39,40--40.  Yuck! You would say if you got this qp...but it could make you a winner.

Lots of other people lose right along side of me, no matter what county, town, state.  And they, along with me are cussing up a storm and stomping on their ticket.  Do I want to win? HE!! YES!  But to make myself feel better, I have chosen to not think I'm going to be a winner someday because its a total let down time after time after time....but started thinking it would be nice to be a winner.  I lay my money down  knowing I probably will most likely be handed a worthless losing ticket, but its  MY own chance to possibly winning.  Less stress and aggravation for me.  I spend only what I can afford...which lately has only been about $2 for MM, and hope for the best.

I, as we speak, have a ton of lottery tickets (LOSERS lol) in front of me.  It's been a bad couple months.  I think I've won maybe $10 total from scratch tickets only.  Though I spent more.  And for MM or state Lotto...Nothing.......not even my $ back.  Maybe it will change again, ya just never know.

Can't win if you don't play! So........I'll be handing over my dollar...........................................again.

Lotto*Love

Great post!

Everyone, I worked in Vegas casinos and river boats for quite a while....when I was in Vegas, fellow employees were video poker addicts as soon as the game came out came out (video poker has ben called "electronic morphine).

They used to tease me for going to California to play the lottery, and my reply to them was that I'd seen them blow yesterday's tips, and paychecks, time after time chasing a $1199 Royal flush, and I'd seen of a few of them hit royals and they were still working.

"I thought that QPs were an easy way to win"

Think about what you wrote.  There are over 304 million people in the United States.   If it was "easy" to win any lottery jackpot at all, even one that pays $100,000, don't you think every eligible person would be buying tickets & winning?  There would be no more poverty, no foreclosures, nobody on welfare, because everyone would just spend $5 or $10 a week and buy some PB tickets.*(note)  Whoopee  - I'm an instant millionaire!  The odds are about 147 million to one which means that, no matter what method you use, there will be over 140 million combinations that might be drawn that don't match yours.  Even if there was a great system that picked the winning numbers, wouldn't every mathematics professor be using it? 

*(note) Just want to add that, in that case, at least 500,000 people a week would be sharing the $15 million PB jackpot and everyone would get a check for $30.

Obviously there are millions of losing tickets with numbers that were chosen by the player.

Here in Florida, I've noticed that when I get QPs for the Fantasy Five, they usually contain around 2 numbers from the previous draw. That's why I choose my own numbers. It's not that those repeat numbers don't have the chance to come out, but I feel it's not likely.

But again, there are many tix that are chosen by the player and lose.

The people who lose using their numbers can only blame themselves. The people who use QPs need something or someone to blame. My advice is to you is to get over it. Or.....choose your own numbers, and when you lose....bang your head against the wall, cause then you can only blame yourself.....lol

This gave me a great idea. Since I often use LP's RNG, I can blame Todd and his RNG for my losing tickets! That way I don't really have to be responsible for my losing tickets. Todd, it's ALL YOUR fault!

Just kidding.

That's OK.  I can just blame the computer.