Even though they give 2 quick pick lines, I am focusing on my picked line. Breaking the 28 draw window into one week steps, those QP lines will be changed every 7 days.

They let you play for up to 26 advance draws, but the 7 day / 4 week window gives 2 extra draws and it stays on the weekly budget.

I have, in the past, held 26 draw tickets. I did that once with follower data and hit $1k for 5 of 6, but it was on a QP line. For the purpose of this trial, I am only counting matches on my picked line, the neutrals. The N of 18 prizes are not being factored in... only counting the number of neutrals picked per draw. 

Any N of 18 hits will help defray the next week's purchase, but if the neutrals are not showing up, then it is time to look for a new way to pick from the script output.

This first test involved picking from the central transition, which is the median (Q2). Numbers were picked that had a frequency just below this level, and will cross over to the higher side of neutral if selected.

With 2 draws in, the first night had 0 matches on the line of interest, and last night my line matched 1. 

You need 3 on one line for $2, also having 4 of 18 also pays $2. No cash prizes hit in the first 2 nights.

Outside of the top tier hit of 6 out of 6, the pay table is kind of weak...

Top prize is the rolling jackpot (currently $830,000)

5 of 6 on one line only pays $1,000

4 of 6 on one line pays $20

3 of 6 on one line pays $2

The N of 18 game pays based on all 3 lines

10+ pays $2,500

9 pays $1,000

8 pays $50

7 pays $25

6 pays $10

5 pays $5

And 4 pays $2

If all 18 numbers on a ticket are unique, your ticket in the N of 18 can only be worth up to $10 on that part of the game (unless those 6 are all on the same line...)

The high N of 18 prize would require 5 of 18 numbers to have a match on the QP lines, which you do not get to pick. This is why I decided to go with a 4 week window (28 draws, changing the QP lines 4 times) rather than one $52 26 draw ticket. The N of 18 game is kind of like the double play on power ball, only they don't charge extra for it and the prizes are weak.

Don't get me wrong, any hit will be taken, but the absolute focus is on that line of neutrals I picked, because that is what I had to work with.

You need 4 pairs for a shot at the 10 of 18, I have never bought such a ticket, but there are the occasional winners of that prize. They DO pay on both versions of the game... if you have 3 on one line ($2) and match one other number on the other lines for 4 of 18 ($2), you win $4. When I hit that $1,000 they paid $1,025 because I matched 7 of 18 as well.

I know in advance the cost of this first attempt, $56... but not all up front. It replaces the $14/week that I was already using to play the pick 3. Also, any small prize hits along the way will lower that $56 cost.

2 draws in, no cash prizes. My current week ticket has 3 pairs, so highest possible N of 18 = 9.

Onward...