N.M. Lottery posts second-best year

Comment #15

CASH Only — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 18:07:42 GMT

rip:NY Lotto might be 2 games/$1, but its lower-tier prizes are terrible ($1 for 3/6 in a 59# game?).

Comment #14

LOTTOMIKE — Sat, 30 Jul 2005 04:26:43 GMT

they might in the future....

Comment #13

Rip Snorter — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 13:48:29 GMT

Most New Mexican's spend a lot of time wondering how Hot Ball comes up with numbers, and whether New Mexico offers it.Thanks for the info. I'll pass it around.Jack

Comment #12

CASH Only — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 13:43:59 GMT

Hot Lotto is still drawn with balls, but NM doesn't offer it.

Comment #11

Rip Snorter — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 13:11:55 GMT

You guys down at the NM Lottery Authority would be doing yourselves a service to take a second look at the conventional wisdom that people don't buy PB tickets unless prizes are high. My sense is that this simply ain't true. The same individuals do buy when prizes are lower. They simply buy more tickets when prizes are high. As for Roadrunner, I think you'd sell a lot more tickets if you'd make that sheet you put on the stands in the convenience stores look as though it doesn't take an idiot... [ More ]

Comment #10

Rip Snorter — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 12:46:11 GMT

Interesting story.As a NM Lottery player who talks with a lot of other NM Lottery players, I think there are some flaws in the analysis of why it's making less money, but it's still an interesting story.NM Roadrunner isn't an inspiring game. Ticket buyers aren't even aware, so far as I can tell, that it's computer drawn. But the reason (I believe) more people don't buy RR tickets is the same reason they do buy scratchers. Which is to say, they like to win the occasional small prizes, while ho... [ More ]

Comment #9

Todd — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 10:03:30 GMT

You make some good points, and I don't disagree with you. Some of the drop is definitely the result of the sag in Powerball sales, although it's possible player discontent would be responsible for some of it as well. We have seen this in other states too.

Comment #8

NoCompLotto! — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 09:15:43 GMT

Mr. Ross has a good argument for computers, but numbers don't lie. The sales figures prove themselves....2004: $148.7 Million 2005: $139.2 Million There was a $9.5 MILLION DROP in sales compared to 2004. The players apparently HAVE found out about computers instead of balls, and the results are proving that.Come on, New Mexico! Don't make silly arguments for computers when you had great sales BEFORE the computers came in. You have started an irreversible trend, unless, of course, you revert to d... [ More ]

Comment #7

Todd — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 00:38:02 GMT

Yup, good analogy JS9. I remember that episode with Classic Coke well, and most of all I remember that Coke took a negative situation and turned it upside-down to make one of the biggest success stories in history.I can't wait for the day that one of the computerized states reverts back to real drawings. It will start a flood of states reverting, IMHO.

Comment #6

JimmySand9 — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 00:34:24 GMT

Remember New Coke? You might not be emulating the sales of New Coke with computers, but you could surely duplicate the performance of the return of Coke classic by bringing back the balls.

Comment #5

Todd — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 00:28:07 GMT

Lance,I think the feeling in general is that when people become educated as to the drawing mechanisms, we have found that the majority of those people dislike computerized drawings.Out of the millions of people who play the lottery, a certain percentage -- I'd guess that it's probably the majority -- is not motivated to become more educated on the lottery itself, as it is merely a form of entertainment to them.If you were to take an average citizen -- not someone educated as to the different opt... [ More ]

Comment #4

writerross — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 00:07:19 GMT

The NM Lottery was open and up-front about the change. We had news releases (seen here on Lottery Post and mainstream media in New Mexico), news conferences and demonstrations. Drawings are still open to the public, as always. Once the players find out...... was some time ago. Sales for the affected games have gone up, not down.Lance RossCorporate Communcations ManagerNM Lottery Authority

Comment #3

NoCompLotto! — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 23:41:30 GMT

According to their website, you are right Mike... 9/26/2004, when they launched 4-This-Way

Comment #2

LOTTOMIKE — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 21:35:27 GMT

when did new mexico stop having balls,must be within the last year.....

Comment #1

JimmySand9 — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 21:20:33 GMT

Once the players find out that they're not drawn with balls anymore, they'll start seeing a drop in sales.

N.M. Lottery posts second-best year

Lottery Post — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 20:36:00 GMT

New Mexico legislators were told today that strong sales of in-state games helped drive the New Mexico Lottery to its second-best year of sales.Lottery Authority CEO Tom Shaheen said that sales of all games exceeded $139 million, while net revenues (profits) earmarked for the Lottery Success Scholarship program were $32.2 million, topping $30 million for the third straight year.All financial data for fiscal year 2005 are preliminary and unaudited.Shaheen, appearing before the Legislature's inter... [ More ]