Indiana Lottery has limit for Pick 3 and Pick 4 Numbers

Comment #43

dvdiva — Thu, 08 Sep 2005 13:40:39 GMT

Well I'm sure it gets hit more than Pennsilvania's stupid six used to. Problem with the Hoosier lottery is integrety not how many times it gets hit.

Comment #42

LosingJeff — Thu, 08 Sep 2005 11:40:24 GMT

Nobody hit the Hoosier Lottery again. Wonder if its going to go for weeks and weeks and weeks. U know like the 2 times it went on and on and on. I believe the odds of that happening was 1 in 2 billion

Comment #41

libra926 — Thu, 08 Sep 2005 00:39:24 GMT

maybe...we should all just invest in 'IRAQUI OIL' HALIBURTON.......then like President Cheney ......we'd ALL GET RICH......and could afford a SPANKING BRAND NEW MANSE to get lost in .................Please stop losing Jeff ......hhehhheehehehehhehee

Comment #40

JimmySand9 — Wed, 07 Sep 2005 23:26:31 GMT

PA does this too, but the liabilities are pretty high. It's pretty easy to combat this phenomenon from happening to your numbers, just buy early.

Comment #39

LosingJeff — Wed, 07 Sep 2005 23:07:26 GMT

Has anyone seen the Daily games payouts for the past week in Indiana---very humble! But thats typical. I have now purchased (41) 10.00 scratch offs without a winner; not even 10 dollars back; they pay so good. This Lottery is a joke! I know of no one who is happy with it. Sure wish someone would give us a report on how many winners on the daily games that Indiana had last week! That way I will know whether I should go to the eye doctor or not.

Comment #38

libra926 — Sat, 03 Sep 2005 18:51:58 GMT

HAPPY LABOR DAY HOLIDAY RIP ....it's Sautrday afternoon 2:45pm est....In Montgomery County..................I apologize for for my late response, but I have so much on my plate that my time gets by me......But as your Blogs have always proven you are a very intelligent and interesting Man, higly educated in the ways of our Society and the World, so do not be nervous when I agree with you. As I mentioned in an earlier comment to you, equally enjoyable is your facteousness, sarcasm and cynical... [ More ]

Comment #37

Rip Snorter — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 01:14:23 GMT

Only those who play. Everyone else comes out winners.Jack

Comment #36

dvdiva — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 00:14:03 GMT

I thought with all the rigging going on Indiana had a fail-safe lottery. Everyone loses.

Comment #35

Rip Snorter — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 00:03:50 GMT

Hi Libra:Thanks. But having someone agree with me makes me nervous. I can't recall whether I was serious, or trying to be funny. I read back over the post, remember the events I spoke of, but can't for the life of me remember whether my intention at the time involved something I have an opinion about.Trust me on that.Jack

Comment #34

libra926 — Mon, 29 Aug 2005 23:21:04 GMT

aug......29th....7:00pm..est HI RIP ...Hope you are well...I concurr with your explanation on this issue, however, on the other side of this coin RAINMAKER....does make a valid point as well. Suppose I play 926 ....and others coincidently did the same....this figure is not popular or common and most times it will lose, which means that if 1,000 or more people play 926 today, it will lose.....and the House to borrow a phrase from FBIRD rakes in the green ....in the Thousands.....they

Comment #33

fbird — Mon, 29 Aug 2005 01:53:35 GMT

GEEZ...if some of these states are afraid of losing a little money from time to time ( I don't imagine that has happened to anyone on this forum....lol)...then I suggest that they get out of the gambling business...unless of course, they just sell instant tickets! Don't give me this junk about how the taxpayers wouldn't like it...in most states they voted the lottery's lifeline in to being, and if people thought that it was always a 100% profitable business (and it is in the grand scheme of... [ More ]

Comment #32

four4me — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 04:55:30 GMT

if they hadn't shut this number off then who knows how many people would have continued to play the number. It was all over town that this number was due to hit and was sold out that day 7/15/05. I missed the boat on this drawing because i failed to get the number before hand.Maryland Lottery Pays Out $7 MillionFriday Evening s Pick 4 Number: 1-2-1-2 Proved Lucky(Baltimore) By 11 AM this morning, Maryland Lottery officials greeted nearly 40 players who arrived at their claim centers to collect... [ More ]

Comment #31

Bradly_60 — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 02:57:54 GMT

Their whole excuse if 10,000 tickets were played is rediculous. There is no way a lottery would have to pay out more than $50 million in a single drawing. To have 10,000 people play the same number straight even if it was a quad is so statistically impossible they have to be all the same person buying most of them. I mean Michigan is a big state and look at that chart I posted earlier. 1010 is probably the most popular played number and we only had 1080 people get the number straight. But a... [ More ]

Comment #30

Rip Snorter — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 02:41:12 GMT

losingjeff:A few years ago I was sitting at a single-deck blackjack table with four other players at a trible casino. It was a pitch game, and the dealer handed out blackjacks to all four players, then one to himself.There's only one way that can happen in a single deck where there are only four aces.The players all got up, cashed in their chips and left. Within days the parking lot was empty, except for travelers who knew no better.The result, so I've heard, was that the casino decided to cle... [ More ]

Comment #29

LckyLary — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 00:39:02 GMT

Where I am, the prize on Pickit games is not fixed. This means you should avoid playing straight years, etc. As far as I know there was never any cutoff but it would be nice to know which #s are NOT heavily played, those are ones that (under a purely random game scenario) should be played ONLY, as the prize would be more than average. When I matched 5 of 5 a few years ago the prize was so small that I didn't even get to see my name in red scrolling letters at the local Bowling Alley! I would NOT... [ More ]

Comment #28

Todd — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 22:09:18 GMT

I totally agree Jeff, and I'm so sorry that you live in a state that refuses to do what it takes to energize its player base. Computerized drawings are a large reason for the horrible state of affairs at the Indiana Lottery.

Comment #27

LosingJeff — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 21:28:48 GMT

This past week the Hoosier Lottery had one day where they paid 1 whopping winner for the whole day on a straight pic 3---thats right, one winner for both midday and evening draws combined. The payouts are beyond ridiculously small! Just go to the website and compare this past months payouts to other States and you will see the disparity. What is going on

Comment #26

LosingJeff — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 21:24:07 GMT

Impossible without intervention

Comment #25

LosingJeff — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 21:23:21 GMT

Amazing---90,000 dollars equivocates to about 2 million numbers. There aint but 10,000 numbers in the whole pic 4 sample. Amazing! Cant win a straight combo playing 2 million numbers in a 10,000 number field----you suppose something aint right! Duh! Of course, the Lottery could probably give me some reason why.

Comment #24

Rip Snorter — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 21:13:52 GMT

You might give some thought to a class action suit. Maybe some sort of writ of mandamus to live up to their claims.Meanwhile, might want to give some thought to trying to stop the gamblers for a while. Losingjeff just kept right on coming up to the 90K mark. Pausing after maybe 10K for a breather might have him out of bankruptcy.Jack

Comment #23

four4me — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 21:09:29 GMT

Call it whatever you wan't i'm not happy the lottery does this either. If you read what i wrote the lottery is acting as the bookie. Everyone either knows a bookie or knows somone who does. Now if the bookie on the corner woln't take bets on certain numbers what makes you think that the lottery is going to go over or out of their way and take a chance of having to pay out more than they deemed they would. Look i like to play certain numbers i know are usually sold out. That is if i go right now... [ More ]

Comment #22

Rip Snorter — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 21:05:54 GMT

losingjeff:An interesting, almost amazing post.Interesting, almost amazing post. After spending nearly 90,000 dollars in seven years on combos and not even winning a straight combo is totally ridiculous! I'd certainly agree with you on that. By the way I would like to get my 57 percent back that you say goes back to players. If so, Id be about 57,000 dollars richer today and not bankrupt. Everyone has a bad day once in a while. Its a shame that someone living in their home State has to drive to... [ More ]

Comment #21

jim695 — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 20:52:42 GMT

From the article: Let's say this afternoon 10,000 people went out and bet 1134 because someone kept pitching that number in a newspaper column, and they all won. The total prize payout would be $50 million. That would be a staggering hit for the lottery, enough to break the bank, so to speak. It would amount to one quarter of the profits that the lottery makes in an entire year. This last statement would imply that Hoosier Lottery profits hover in the neighborhood of $200M per year. Nothing coul... [ More ]

Comment #20

JAP69 — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 20:39:46 GMT

There has been a case where a state lottery had a no limit on plays. One time a number hit which was widely played and the lottery had to borrow money to make the payoff. They went to pari mutuel after that. I think it was Mass.

Comment #19

johnph77 — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 20:28:04 GMT

Are you trying to tell me a state doesn't have enough money in the lottery float to pay off a hit on a popular number in a Pick 3 or 4 game? Please! It looks bad on the bottom line for one day. And the people who play that number are going to play it day after day with no adverse effect on income. Any cutoff is BS - sorry for the language inference, but that's how I feel.Bookies are and always have been private enterprises without state tax resources. No comparison there.

Comment #18

LosingJeff — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 19:39:06 GMT

Of course there are limits! I could have told anyone that. After spending nearly 90,000 dollars in seven years on combos and not even winning a straight combo is totally ridiculous! As a matter of fact, I average one off on the pick 4 combo every other day in Indiana, but never a win. You think thats bad try the scratch offs. I was in excellent shape before I started playing this Hoser Lottery. I have a question for the folks at the Hoosier Lottery----why are the payouts tremendously low compar... [ More ]

Comment #17

four4me — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 15:38:35 GMT

That's right Rip serious lottery players allready know this and probably aren't one bit surprised if the hit the teller and ask for a number that been cut off they probably say to themselves i shoulda got this number yesterday oh well and go about getting the other picks they might have. Casual lottery players or people who only buy numbers once in a while are probably dumfounded by them telling them that a numbers been cut off like they haven't a clue as to how the lottery operates.For instance... [ More ]

Comment #16

Rip Snorter — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 14:56:22 GMT

Seems to me that should just about take care of the matter for the people who feel strongly about a number. If they do there's probably nothing to keep them from buying it several days in advance.How much the lottery pays out, gross, to players isn't something of much interest. It's what it pays out to particular players, specific ones.... us, that matters, I'd think.Jack

Comment #15

four4me — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 14:34:40 GMT

I don't know if people really understand the gravity of this situation if you were a bookie would you continiously take bets on the same number all day long knowing if it hit that you couldn't pay off on the number. Well the lottery is acting as a bookie also. They could probably afford to pay out on a number a few times that was heavily bet but they aren't going to get themselves in a situation where their payout exceeds a certain amount.Now if your a popular number better, that is know ahead o... [ More ]

Comment #14

KyMystikal — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 14:11:42 GMT

This subject used to upset me because I am a avid player of 999 in Kentucky. The number hasn't come out since Jan 01 and everyone knows so it is usually blocked out by the time it gets dark. It doesn't bother me now cause I can always play it on the quarter site and if it by some chance ever did come out, it would pay more. Another number here in Kentucky is 0000, it has been locked out for both draws early in the morning so that if you want to play it you have to play it the day before or a cou... [ More ]

Comment #13

johnph77 — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 06:51:06 GMT

I've mentioned this before - some lotteries cut off numbers after a certain number have been purchased. And it doesn't matter which numbers will be drawn - the lotteries simply could not stand a popular number winning and going that far in the hole - on that day. My response? So what? They're going to play the same number again the next day, and over and over - and it still stands the same odds of hitting as it did the day before. The odds remain the same, the overall take will be the same - h... [ More ]

Comment #12

JimmySand9 — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 06:18:48 GMT

Just another cover-up to make people think they have honest draws. It would be common sense that liability limits would only be placed if it was a random, coincidental draw. But as we've seen, that isn't the case here.

Comment #11

Rip Snorter — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 23:59:38 GMT

Bradley:It really doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. I've been searching my mind for some sinister motive for them doing it, but I'm at a dead loss.Maybe it was just something some idiot politician demanded back when they were passing the lottery bill. Jack

Comment #10

Bradly_60 — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 23:45:23 GMT

1010 is probably the most played number in the Daily 4 game. But there is now way that many people would buy that number. If there was over 1500 ticket that play any number straight on any given day is out of the norm. I can't believe IN has only a 2 million cap. Look at my great state of Michigan. We don't limits numbers and the most we won was less then $15,000,000 and we are a gaming state.Brad

Comment #9

JAP69 — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 21:32:39 GMT

When I use to play the 3 and 4 in N.Y. I have been cutoff many times over the years.I do not know why Indiana cuts off a number anyhow. nobody wins anyhow. Look at their payout sheet.

Comment #8

four4me — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 21:10:58 GMT

Lotteries have to set limits on the games they have to insure that they will continue to have a games. If they didn't set limits and for the sake of argument a thousand people played 1111 and it came out then the next draw 20,000 people decided to play 1111 again and it came out. Now if you were running a lottery either for the state or for yourself would you want to back up those bets.On any given day there a more than a few numbers which reach the threashold limit in many states. If you have a... [ More ]

Comment #7

Rip Snorter — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 19:28:13 GMT

I am under the impression that the house always win in this game. Let's face it, if you played all 1000 combinations in the pick 3 game straight,it would cost you $1000 for a sure win, you would win $500 and the house would win $500. So why cut off bets on a particular number. Please tell me what are they afraid of? They're afraid they'll lose some of the money they won on all previous days. Some of the other money they won on this particular day. They've limited the amount of money it's pos... [ More ]

Comment #6

Rainmaker2k — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 19:06:59 GMT

Now that just reassures me that big brother is watching the lottery. I am under the impression that the house always win in this game. Let's face it, if you played all 1000 combinations in the pick 3 game straight,it would cost you $1000 for a sure win, you would win $500 and the house would win $500. So why cut off bets on a particular number. Please tell me what are they afraid of? The only way to profit in the game is to play the winnig number at least 4 times to make any headway. I hav... [ More ]

Comment #5

Rip Snorter — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 15:43:21 GMT

Bradley:Indiana's just striving for a risk-free lottery system. Gambling is an activity that happens on the player side of the equation. Taxpayers don't like State officials gambling with their money.Jack

Comment #4

Bradly_60 — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 15:35:13 GMT

It is near impossible that 10,000 people would bet the same number straight.Look at Michigan....they aren't chicken.Top 20 Daily 4 Payouts Winning NumberPrizeLiabilityDrawDateMid-Day or EveningPercentage Payout1010$13,965,8444/15/2004Evening2,600.0%1028$15,096,9965/14/1993Evening2,227.1%1010$10,226,1683/21/1998Evening1,514.1%1101$4,787,6505/29/2004Midday1,422.0%1028$6,207,56812/27/1990Evening1,117.0%1010$5,752,1418/03/1998Evening965.8%1021$2,510,4966/27/1998Mid-Day930.4%1212$5,479,0714/21/2001E... [ More ]

Comment #3

Bradly_60 — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 15:28:47 GMT

One word.....CHICKENS

Comment #2

konane — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 15:09:32 GMT

When folks are feeling as if a particular triple is about to hit and there's a run on it, Georgia has also cut off sales on that number. Has happened over the years so really not news. If you feel it, purchase it ahead of time.Georgia Cash 3 and Cash 4 allow you to play a particular number on say Monday to hit the following Sunday, so you don't have to purchase a full week worth of plays. I certainly like the ability to do that. Perhaps other states do also.

Comment #1

Rip Snorter — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 13:40:26 GMT

Powerball officials were mystified why so many people had bet the same numbers. It turned out that a New York fortune-cookie maker had put those numbers in a batch of fortune cookies it had shipped to customers in several states.I'll wager that fortune cookie company is working three shifts now and the employees are spending up all their wages on insider information about what number's on the next run of cookies.Indiana lottery seems to be just hedging the bets. They don't want to risk losing a... [ More ]

Indiana Lottery has limit for Pick 3 and Pick 4 Numbers

Lottery Post — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 12:53:46 GMT

The Hoosier Lottery has at least one unhappy player, and he's not unhappy because he lost. He's angry that he wasn't allowed to play at all.Ken Myers of Fort Wayne, who plays the Daily 3 and Daily 4 numbers regularly, sent us a copy of a letter he sent to lottery officials, complaining that from time to time, the lottery cuts off betting on certain numbers. It has happened to him, he says, and others he knows.You can imagine what a player's response might be if he tried to bet four numbers and w... [ More ]