At least one regular lottery player is betting he can challenge changes to Lotto 6/49 that take effect this weekend.
John W. Sullivan has started an e-mail campaign urging people to abstain from playing the 6/49 to protest against ticket prices that are being doubled to $2 on Sunday.
"Our boycott will begin June 2, at which time nobody will purchase a 6/49 lottery ticket on that date," Sullivan, who describes himself as a Quebec resident, wrote in a recent electronic message forwarded to The Gazette.
"As well, nobody will purchase 6/49 tickets on any Wednesday following this date."
Sullivan has his work cut out for him, however.
Although the 6/49 isn't the lottery of choice that it was in the late 1980s - when its sales peaked at $623 million across the province in 1988-89 - Loto-Quebec spokesperson Jean-Pierre Roy said this week $379 million worth of tickets were sold in 2002-03.
The Interprovincial Lottery Corp. announced in November it would begin offering a new version of the 6/49, starting May 30.
The ILC conducted extensive consumer research across the country and found players wanted bigger jackpots, more often.
"They did a sweep and this is the preferred format people wanted," Roy said.
Under the changes, jackpots are expected to start about
$4 million and grow to $10 million or more on about half the draws - some reaching as much as $25 million during the course of a year. That represents an increase in prize value of 45 to 47 per cent.
"It should go over $20 million often, and I think that has happened only once in the history of 6/49 (introduced in 1982)," Roy noted.
Players' chances of winning will also improve, going to one in 32 from one in 54 at present, he added.
The rise in the number of casinos and the introduction of other lottery games has taken its toll on the 6/49, with Quebec sales dropping 40 per cent in the last 15 years.
Instant scratch-and-win lottery tickets account for $550 million in sales each year.
These first changes to 6/49 in 22 years are designed to "bring back the suspense of the early years," Roy said.
The Loto-Quebec spokesperson said he was surprised to learn of Sullivan's campaign, part of which takes issue with a new 6/49 category offering a $5 prize.
Sullivan, who couldn't be reached for comment, wrote in his Internet missive that raising ticket prices to $2 for the chance to win $5 is laughable.
"You jump to a high jackpot as an excuse to raise the ticket to $2, and then (the) addition of a $5 extra prize to the winning outlay doesn't impress me at all," he said.
I agree with this guy, your getting no more bang for your buck, unless they raise the payback percentage its all nonsense! As I like to say Smoke and Mirrors.
If Mr.Sullivan was really serious, he would not only not purchase a ticket on Wednesday, he would stop playing that lottery all together. He probably will continue to play, just not on Wednesday.
I have been calculating the possible expected values of the Lotto 649 under the new format. Presently, when the jackpot reaches $10 million (3 rolls), the expected value is around 72%. Under the new format and with a jackpot of $25 million (3 rolls), the expected value may be over 80%. The biggest unknown at this point is the sales. If the sales do not take off when the jackpot reaches $25 million, then expected value may easily exceed 80%.
For those players that study expected value and use it to influence they buying decisions, I should also provide the following caveat. Even though the "real" expected value usually increases when the jackpot is large, this may not be of any value to the average player because the "real" value of money decreases the more of it you have. Therefore, my advice is to not only take advantage when the expected value is large but to play as a group to capitalise on the larger than normal jackpot.
"The ILC conducted extensive consumer research across the country and found players wanted bigger jackpots, more often"
One can only speculate at this point as to which questions were asked. My feeling is that they were probably biased so the answers would help to justify the planned cost increase as Bob points out. Problem is that most ppl are not aware of the resulting odds increase per dollar played, and this is based on my observations only rather than stats (which I don't have) so it's just an opinion.
However, since Canada has the 'Freedom of Information Act' and ILC is a branch of the govt, the survey in question should be available to those who want to see it ... I will give it a try.
I agree with this guy, your getting no more bang for your buck, unless they raise the payback percentage its all nonsense! As I like to say Smoke and Mirrors.
If Mr.Sullivan was really serious, he would not only not purchase a ticket on Wednesday, he would stop playing that lottery all together. He probably will continue to play, just not on Wednesday.
RJOh
I have been calculating the possible expected values of the Lotto 649 under the new format. Presently, when the jackpot reaches $10 million (3 rolls), the expected value is around 72%. Under the new format and with a jackpot of $25 million (3 rolls), the expected value may be over 80%. The biggest unknown at this point is the sales. If the sales do not take off when the jackpot reaches $25 million, then expected value may easily exceed 80%.
For those players that study expected value and use it to influence they buying decisions, I should also provide the following caveat. Even though the "real" expected value usually increases when the jackpot is large, this may not be of any value to the average player because the "real" value of money decreases the more of it you have. Therefore, my advice is to not only take advantage when the expected value is large but to play as a group to capitalise on the larger than normal jackpot.
Good luck,
Jake
All these lotteries lie about
"The ILC conducted extensive consumer research across the country and found players wanted bigger jackpots, more often"
One can only speculate at this point as to which questions were asked. My feeling is that they were probably biased so the answers would help to justify the planned cost increase as Bob points out. Problem is that most ppl are not aware of the resulting odds increase per dollar played, and this is based on my observations only rather than stats (which I don't have) so it's just an opinion.
However, since Canada has the 'Freedom of Information Act' and ILC is a branch of the govt, the survey in question should be available to those who want to see it ... I will give it a try.
Mr Sullivan should be thankful the new 6/49 will return 47% to players. The NY Lotto 6/59 pays back only 40%.
Hi Everyone I am new to lottery post . I want to let everyone know to buy 841 Box and straight . This is my lucky number .
There are more important reasons for playing/not playing than the ticket price.