Powerball sales skid hurts lottery profits

Comment #36

CASH Only — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 14:19:33 GMT

This is a Powerball thread.

Comment #35

luckyjacknj — Sat, 30 Jul 2005 23:19:17 GMT

Now thats just not right...The Fla lottery not paying that woman for the mistake they made....! Claiming they print 500 million tickets each year so they should not be responsible...Hmmm Let me see how this works...I come and build a house for you..two weeks later your house falls down..Hey dont blame me..I build houses all year...why should it be my fault...They sure love taking the money but dont like paying it out....What a croc of..

Comment #34

LOTTOMIKE — Sat, 30 Jul 2005 04:17:25 GMT

Comment #33

Rip Snorter — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 12:52:53 GMT

You've named a lot of reasons for hoping such a thing doesn't happen.Jack

Comment #32

Beefeater47 — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 12:29:57 GMT

In for a penny....in for a pound I always say! Eliminate Income taxes and substitute them with Powerball in all 50 states! Of course, that would mean that they would have to add about 50 more balls and jack the odds up to around 300 billion to 1 but the payouts would also be a couple hundred trillion to 1. Just think! The Government could use their cut to fund the wars on terror, poverty, drugs and build a whole new shuttle fleet for NASA

Comment #31

LOTTOMIKE — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 08:16:15 GMT

me too......

Comment #30

weshar75 — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 04:50:48 GMT

I sure would like to see higher jackpots when the change happens and the sales should correct themselves.

Comment #29

dvdiva — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 04:29:51 GMT

Well you never know about not getting tax. First the amount is very small compared to other sources and they don't do it in Europe which is hardly known for being a low tax contenent.

Comment #28

LOTTOMIKE — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 02:53:54 GMT

i did a poll on this,call it superball,mega and powerball combined.all 40 states.

Comment #27

BaristaExpress — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 02:36:56 GMT

Ah, I think it's good that PB is doing what it needs to do to compete with MM. I have always thought that we need a National Lottery though, but on the MM format with the megaplier for all. This is something that everyone could live with. Now with that kind of pool of people in one lottery would produce a very large starting point for a lottery. Just think about it! It would have to start around the fifty million, maybe even closer to the hundred million dollar range! Do you think that would mak... [ More ]

Comment #26

Todd — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 00:27:28 GMT

The Federal Gov't would never stop taxing the lottery, because that's the only way the federal government makes money off of it. The states, on the other hand, can stop imposing their taxes on it if they wished, because they would continue reaping the benefits of the lottery, and perhaps more so. But I don't think they'd ever stop taxing it either, because by taxing, they are hedging their bets, so to speak.

Comment #25

Rip Snorter — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 00:09:03 GMT

Interesting information. How'd you come by it?My impression has always been the 'most players' buy tickets whenever they happen to think about it while they're in a convenience store, but that those same 'most players' remember more frequently and buy more tickets when the jackpot is higher.I'm not saying you're wrong, but I will say that I think you're wrong, that you don't know anymore than anyone else about what 'most players' like or don't like. You and I have to guess about such things u... [ More ]

Comment #24

tg636 — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 18:37:33 GMT

Everyone would be happy with $5 or 10 million. But the incredible difficulty of winning combined with the routine low jackpot amounts have a hard time getting people out their stupor. If I'm going to daydream, isn't it more fun to daydream about what you'd do with $400 million instead of $12 million? The power of the daydream is a big factor. The odds are the same whether the jackpot is $12 million or $400 million, so it does make sense to wait for the pot to hit a certain amount before you pl... [ More ]

Comment #23

Greg — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 18:37:06 GMT

Jimmy Sand, you write, Impossible odds to impossible payouts? The lottery would have to have a payout around 80% for that kind of prize, and the jackpot would be the only prize. I take it you have no idea how lottery payouts work, or at least need to find yourself a odds calculator. Otherwise the king of the world might find himself bankrupt from being too generous with prizes. First, I DO know how lottery payouts work and have no need for an odds calculator. Second, you'd be surprised at how m... [ More ]

Comment #22

Just6ntlc — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 16:39:55 GMT

I agree with what you said dvdiva. Players don't like to play PB when the jackpot is very low and only play when the jackpot is very high. I'm not complaining about the number of white balls going up from 53 to 55, but I'm complaining about the number of red power balls staying at 42 when I had demanded 45 to 47. PB needs to increase the odds of winning the jackpot as close to 176 million from MM.

Comment #21

konane — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 14:33:49 GMT

Comment #20

Rip Snorter — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 14:29:10 GMT

There's probably a lot of truth to what you're saying. Someone's making multi-state decisions biased in favor of lousy odds and unimaginable jackpots. Those decisions have to be based on some sort of reasoning, which can certainly be influenced by self-interest.Someone's pushing the envelope, choosing to believe that there's a huge pool of potential ticket buyers out there who won't buy tickets for a $25 million jackpot, but will do so for a $200 million one. It's obvious from some percentage... [ More ]

Comment #19

Chewie — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 13:06:24 GMT

The PB/MM are like all businesses. The goal is to make money for the leadership, then the states. The player is at the bottom of the concern. When the so-called Directors see their bonuses dropping because of reduced sales, that results in maximum attention. Huge jackpots equate to huge budgets and a huge bonus. Trust me, as long as the state can make tons of money, and the employees can make a ton of money, they are happy. Right now they aren't happy. When their bonuses go up again, then they w... [ More ]

Comment #18

LOTTOMIKE — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 09:12:21 GMT

lol,sad but true losingjeff....

Comment #17

LosingJeff — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 08:53:26 GMT

The Powerball should use the system that the Hoosier Lottery uses. They would make tons of money if they did--no kidding

Comment #16

NoCompLotto! — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 08:02:10 GMT

Comment #15

Just6ntlc — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 07:58:39 GMT

I think that MM will surpass the 363+ million first because of too many PB winners. PB should have increased the number of red powerballs from 42 to 45 increasing the odds of winning a prize and jackpot.

Comment #14

NoCompLotto! — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 07:54:03 GMT

Here's my thoughts:1. If CT decides to drop Powerball, it would be a blow to the MUSL, because, IMHO, they are already suffering due to the popularity of MM. Implementing a matrix change now for no other reason than higher jackpots (and a higher 1st prize, also like MM) just looks like copying, and CT should drop it. This is the only reason MUSL is citing for a change, and if CT doesn't like it, sever the ties and drop out. Of course, get voter approval first, or they'll likely piss a lot of pe... [ More ]

Comment #13

Rip Snorter — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 04:10:16 GMT

Nice post, well thought out comment.Any thoughts on the CT discussions about withdrawal?Any thoughts about whether the PB participating States ought to be consulted about changes in the game (and approve them) as part of the process before decisions are made to make the changes?I'd be interested in seeing your views.Jack

Comment #12

Drywall1 — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 03:56:37 GMT

I'm new to this, but the bigger jackpots got my attention. I prefer no jackpot winners and the impossible odds so I can sleep at night knowing it more than likely rolled over if I didn't win the big one.Now all we need is a merger with MM taking over PB for a super duper mega power billion $ jackpot at odds at least equal to the national population. Now that would be a lottery.BArry, still playing California'd SL and now MM

Comment #11

dvdiva — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 03:33:35 GMT

The same people complaining about the matrix change are the same people not buying tickets when the jackpot is low. It's not a wonder that Powerball's sales are in a slump. On a federal level I would like to see state lottery winnings being tax free like in Europe so state games would have an edge over online or indian casinos but I doubt anyone at the federal level has the intellegence to pass something like that.

Comment #10

Todd — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 03:20:29 GMT

I trust Chuck Strutt, who is one of the most capable lottery executives in the business. You go, Chuck.

Comment #9

Bradly_60 — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 03:12:34 GMT

I know that longer odds seem bad to the players. But put your feet in their shoes. When jackpots range from 10-50 million they sell about an average of $10 million in tickets (this is all lotteries totaled) If the jackpot is won in this range sales become lack luster. Now we know if we raise the odds longer jackpot runs will become more common. When jackpots get to the $150-$200 million dollar range lotteries sell around $40-$50 million in tickets. Now if it was your job to maximize profit... [ More ]

Comment #8

JimmySand9 — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 01:47:24 GMT

Impossible odds to impossible payouts? The lottery would have to have a payout around 80% for that kind of prize, and the jackpot would be the only prize. I take it you have no idea how lottery payouts work, or at least need to find yourself a odds calculator. Otherwise the king of the world might find himself bankrupt from being too generous with prizes.

Comment #7

Rip Snorter — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 00:47:47 GMT

I hope you get to be king of the world. I think the last idea's a middling good one. It's a bit difficult to dovetail it with the first part of the post, but making sense all the way through three paragraphs isn't something anyone's come to expect in most forums.Jack

Comment #6

Rip Snorter — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 00:44:01 GMT

Lessee. You took the time and trouble to read these posts, to digest them, to feel superior, and then to tell the people who posted to get a life? You have an extra one you'd care to sell, or are you just trying to find one and don't know where to look?I agree. We all make a lot of inane comments. Including the particularly inane one you posted a little while ago. I even agree that the comment about 'demanding' this and that, and not having the demand satisfied struck me as absurd. But so... [ More ]

Comment #5

Greg — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 00:41:57 GMT

Once again the PB powers that be are sticking it to us by increasing the already near impossible odds all under the guise of increasing jackpots because some people are not happy with winning thirty to seventy million dollars. Come on people-- give me a break! $30,000,000 isn't enough when you make $35,000 - $90,000 a year????I think I'm gonna retire from Powerball and play games with much better odds. You can have the PB and the MM game. I'm not gonna participate in somebody's delusion th... [ More ]

Comment #4

lmatlaw — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 00:29:19 GMT

I've only been a member for a few days, but I have never seen such inane comments as those being stated about the new Powerball format. I can't actually believe people would get worked up over the fact that Powerball jackpots are seldom reaching the astronomical $200 million to $300 million dollar range, although there was a recent $220 million winner in Idaho. Would you really be upset if you only won, let's say, $150 million? Give me a break! But even more astonishing is the ranting of the guy... [ More ]

Comment #3

Rip Snorter — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 00:10:04 GMT

Maybe they didn't realize it was a demand you made. Maybe they mistook it for a request.Try putting it all in caps next time.Jack

Comment #2

fitzov — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 00:09:30 GMT

I don't understand how the players supposedly beat the game when the state takes half the winnings everytime...

Comment #1

Just6ntlc — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 00:06:04 GMT

I hope sales in PB increase because I'm happy that there are 55 white balls to choose from instead of 53. However, I'm disappointed that the number of red powerballs are still at 42 when I had demanded 45.

Powerball sales skid hurts lottery profits

Lottery Post — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 22:42:01 GMT

Major changes in the game in August should lure players who want bigger jackpots.Powerball players got lucky during the past 12 months, winning lots of smaller multistate jackpots but dampening overall enthusiasm by reducing the number of huge payoffs in the $200 million to $300 million range. The players are just beating the game, Iowa Lottery President Edward Stanek said Monday. We had 11 Powerball jackpot winners the year before, and we have had more than a 50 percent increase for the fisca... [ More ]