30 dollar scratch tx in MA tempting me when I've been doing so well on my budgetPrev TopicNext Topic

• shyguitar

  

  United States
  Member #122,462
  February 1, 2012
  530 Posts
  Offline
  Apr 23, 2014, 5:25 pm

  ▲▼
  In response to Shelby Mustang

  Quote: Originally posted by Shelby Mustang on Apr 23, 2014

  Shy if you really want it do what I used to do...work a little overtime if you can get it or if you cant get you a little part time job and figured out how much you want to make to buy stuff like that also I used to save all my pocket change like everytime I broke a dollar I'd put the change in a jar and at the end of the month I'd count up what I had and go buy something I wanted. One time I ended up with almost $75 in change

  Hi Shelby Mustang,

  I like your idea of working overtime or getting a part-time job. In my current job I work a little overtime. Like yourself I save my pocket change and cash it out at the coinstar at my grocers every few months.
• shyguitar

  

  United States
  Member #122,462
  February 1, 2012
  530 Posts
  Offline
  Apr 23, 2014, 5:27 pm

  ▲▼
  In response to maringoman

  Quote: Originally posted by maringoman on Apr 23, 2014

  You gotta buy one to make the itch go away. *muhahaha*

  Hi maringoman, 

  I like your idea. I'm sure that I will cave and buy one just hope I can stop at one.
• shyguitar

  

  United States
  Member #122,462
  February 1, 2012
  530 Posts
  Offline
  Apr 23, 2014, 5:30 pm

  ▲▼
  In response to Mattapan

  Quote: Originally posted by Mattapan on Apr 23, 2014

  I live in Boston, and i'm on a lottery budget as well. Like Shelly posted, If I wanted to buy a $20.00 ticket, I would work some overtime. However, I was curious about this $30.00 ticket and bought 2. Both losers, so it's out of my system, now back to my regular allotment of tickets.

  Hi Mattapan,

  It seems we have the budget thing in common. Sorry to hear neither of your 2 tickets were winners and you are smart to get that out of your system now, as you said.  Do you play scratchers or more draw games?
• shyguitar

  

  United States
  Member #122,462
  February 1, 2012
  530 Posts
  Offline
  Apr 23, 2014, 5:39 pm

  ▲▼
  In response to Jon D

  Quote: Originally posted by Jon D on Apr 23, 2014

  Listen to your realistic side.

  High denomination Scratch games are for high rollers. Like that special roped off high-limit area in the center of the casino with $5 and higher slots and big bet tables. Just look at the Scratch-Off forum, people playing $20/$30 tickets can easily spend hundreds or thousands per week.

  If your lottery budget is only like $30 a week, can you buy just 1 $30 ticket and satisfy your lottery fix, and not play any more lottery games at all? Or if you want to buy enough to have a chance at a win, like 3 or 4, are you comfortable with dropping $100 a sitting/visit trying to see a win on this game?

  If not, maybe this is not your game. This game is designed to suck maximum dollars from players wallets. That's because the lottery knows most people can't buy just one and stop, just like the way it sounds like you are tempted. That's like eating just one potato chip. Can't be done.(for most) Except this chip is like a $2 potato chip! That's too much for me. I'd rather eat 2¢ potato chips myself. 

  Hi jon D,

  You bring up good points. I have only been to a casino once in my life with a friend years ago. I stopped after playing 20 dollars (that was my set budget to play) but I literally had to drag my friend away from the slots. When it comes to the scratchers I was able to buy one 5 or 10 dollar scratcher and if I won would leave a store and if I lost would buy one more of the same ticket and stop. Right now I can go many months without buying a scratch ticket. The hype about the new 30 dollar ticket got me a little excited to want to try it out. I like your potato chip analogy and would rather eat 2¢ chips like yourself.
• shyguitar

  

  United States
  Member #122,462
  February 1, 2012
  530 Posts
  Offline
  Apr 23, 2014, 5:42 pm

  ▲▼
  In response to Coin Toss

  Quote: Originally posted by Coin Toss on Apr 23, 2014

  shyguitar,

  Almost every day there are a lot of losing $20 and $30 scratchers in the trash can next to the lottery machine where I play.

  Hi Coin Toss,

  I am not surprised to hear you mention the many losing 20 and 30 dollar scratch tickets. I always notice tons of losing tickets all over the place ( especially in parking lots on the ground).
• shyguitar

  

  United States
  Member #122,462
  February 1, 2012
  530 Posts
  Offline
  Apr 23, 2014, 5:47 pm

  ▲▼
  In response to bigbear29

  Quote: Originally posted by bigbear29 on Apr 23, 2014

  Another thing,  nobody knows if the 15 million dollar ticket has been release yet. I would say it has not for a new game.

  Hi bigbear29,

  You're right about not knowing if the 15 million ticket would be out this soon for someone to win. Though often times when new scratchers come out, the first few weeks of a new game someone usually wins a million. I would be thrilled with winning a 50 or 20 thousand dollar prize on that 30 dollar scratch ticket. In all the times in the past that I played scratchers the most I ever won was 200. The majority of the time I won nothing or just broke even on them.
• shyguitar

  

  United States
  Member #122,462
  February 1, 2012
  530 Posts
  Offline
  Apr 23, 2014, 5:53 pm

  ▲▼
  In response to mrcraft

  Quote: Originally posted by mrcraft on Apr 23, 2014

  Sounds like you're doing great with your budget.  I'd pass on these $30 tickets (or JUST buy one) if I were in your shoes. 

  Another thing to keep in mind with this $30 game is that the $15 million and $1 million prizes are advertised as annuity values.  Most people will take the cash option, so that'll be between 50 to 60% of the advertised jackpot.

  Hi mccraft,

  Thanks for your positive note about doing well with my budget. I know that they are advertised based on the annuity as you said (still think it's unfair that you lose money by taking the lump sum on a 1 million scratch ticket).I totally understand having to pay my fair share of taxes if I should ever win a jackpot but at least let people win the  full amount so when taxes ar taken out you still get some good money.
• shyguitar

  

  United States
  Member #122,462
  February 1, 2012
  530 Posts
  Offline
  Apr 23, 2014, 6:51 pm

  ▲▼
  In response to LottoMetro

  Quote: Originally posted by LottoMetro on Apr 23, 2014

  Higher price tickets generally do have better odds. But if your budget cannot support them and you know you will be tempted to buy a lot, then just stick with lower ones.

  I play some high priced tickets but rarely play at all. For me it is skipping 10 tickets for $2 and buying 1 ticket for $20. The odds and the long-term payout for the $20 one is way better. On the other hand, I only get 1 ticket. I don't have a need for frequent play so it's fine with me. So it's all about tolerance.

  As far as your coworker....I've seen people brag about breakeven "wins," which is nonsensical....so unless you see proof of tickets, I would ignore such claims. Someone else frequently playing and winning has no bearing on your own luck/success anyway.

  Hi LottoMetro,

  It seem you are smart for rarely playing high priced tickets. It's great that you can buy 1 ticket and stop. Thans for reminding me that what my co-worker does in terms of her lottery playing should not make a difference for my playing.
• shyguitar

  

  United States
  Member #122,462
  February 1, 2012
  530 Posts
  Offline
  Apr 23, 2014, 7:01 pm

  ▲▼
  In response to EdG1955

  Quote: Originally posted by EdG1955 on Apr 23, 2014

  The odds are awful on that ticket. One in 25,200,000 chance of winning the $15 million jackpot for $30. If you bought thirty $1 tickets for Mega Millions, you'd have a better chance of winning $15 million. Still almost indistinguishable from 0 chance, but still.

  Hi EdG1955,

  I agree that the odds are terrible to win the 15 million since there are only 4 of those prizes. Though there are 36 one million dollar prizes ( still bad odds of winning). Most of the scratch ticket jackpots have lousy odds of winning based on the ticket run of a game and the fact that there are 7,800 retailers in mass selling lottery tickets. I was thinking today that I could buy 30 days worth of Mass Cash at a dollar per ticket in comparision to buying one 30 dollar scratch ticket. On the other hand I have never won more than 10 dollars playing Mass Cash.