Bonus ball bounced by Lotto Texas

Comment #23

CASH Only — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 17:50:48 GMT

I live in the Northeast, and I think the game that replaced LS is crap. I hope you don't have a long wait.

Comment #22

SassyOhio — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 17:42:25 GMT

ok...... now I see so I am catching up!! LOL I REALLY need to get familiar with other states Lotto ... KK well which ever way is the best for them GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL

Comment #21

Trained2beRich — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 13:48:07 GMT

Wasnt the lottery at first a 20 year payout? Annuity in TX is 25 years, some its 26 and I thinkg FL is 30 yrs. This is reinforces getting the CASH VALUE option I was reading about a player who go their last(20th) annuity check. Does this mean that tha paper and ink that the lottery machine prints out on is cost more? hence 2=30 year annuities instead of the original 20?

Didi anyone hear about the $60 million dollar lottery winner who the police had to shoot at? I dont know the whole story... [ More ]

Comment #20

TonyB — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 05:08:37 GMT

No, it only went to $33 million.

I'm not surprised. There is no way they want to be caught over estimating like they did last year.

If somebody had won tonight, this change would have been DOA.

I wish they would have gone back to the original format which I think was 6/49.

I matched 4 several times for better than $100 a pop during that game.

Comment #19

LOTTOMIKE — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 04:47:48 GMT

anything is possible........

Comment #18

justxploring — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 04:42:27 GMT

I don't live in Texas, but I understand why some people might not want the extra ball, even if it drives up the jackpots. After the FL Lotto 6/49 was changed to 6/53 and two (instead of one) drawings a week, the jackpots increased of course, but it just makes a regular player spend more money for a game with higher odds. Right now it's at the $3 million minimum jackpot which, to me, is a nice chunk of change. Of course I'd rather win $50M, but it's not the big numbers that get me to buy Lotto ti... [ More ]

Comment #17

atl1 — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 01:05:55 GMT

Why cant GA learn, and bring back Lotto south

Comment #16

Drivedabizness — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 22:41:56 GMT

Texas has talked about adding Pick 4 for a long time - but there was consensus within the lotttery (misguided, in my opinion) that offering Pick 4 (and thereby adding another game) would constitute an expansion of gaming . TX has by far the most successful Pick 3 game west of the Mississippi - they could probably pick up an incremental 6 cents weekly per cap.

Nice thing about daily numbers games, they tend to increase with very little advertising just above the rate of inflation - the

Comment #15

liberal47 — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 20:56:06 GMT

BYE BYE BONE-US

Comment #14

Just6ntlc — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 20:28:31 GMT

Sales were so bad in Lotto Texas sales (with bonus ball) that even their Pick 3 outsaled Lotto Texas. I hope sales in new matrix helps Texas outsale Pick 3. However, I don't expect Lotto Texas to have big sales in the past.

Comment #13

MADDOG10 — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 19:15:03 GMT

taking the bonus ball away and than lowering the lower teir prize level, is like the Robinhood effect, take from the bottom and give to the top. Why even drop the bonus ball if that is what they're going to do? Doesn't make sense to me.

The good people of Texas need to boycott the lottery for a couple of weeks and then see if the commission is listening...! What a shame.

Comment #12

LANTERN — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 17:10:18 GMT

That is right, but maybe Texas is either afraid of the competition to other lottery games and or of people winning big money on a pick 4 game.

Comment #11

LOTTOMIKE — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 17:07:11 GMT

texas needs a pick 4.................

Comment #10

LANTERN — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 17:05:30 GMT

The old back data of when the game was 6/54 with no bonus ball, would perhaps be just as good as anything maybe even including the new game's data to yet come.

Comment #9

LANTERN — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 17:02:12 GMT

I would not waste any of my money playing the Texas lotto, maybe if it was a 6/49 or 6/50 game with no bonus ball and only if the lower prizes were high enough, since winning the jackpot prize is not very likely to happen no matter what, lower prizes are all that really counts, if the lower prizes are very low then the game is no good, those who dream of winning the jackpot prize are doing just that "Dreaming", I would not play any games of chance in which there is no profit to be made and witho... [ More ]

Comment #8

LOTTOMIKE — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 17:01:01 GMT

if these states have mega millions or powerball that right there is like having an exxon sitting next to a mom and pop store.how are the little games going to compete with the big?? the answer is they can't....

Comment #7

orangeman — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 16:59:18 GMT

I assume that if no one wins the $32 million on Saturday, the first drawing for the 6 ball format will be for $35 million or more. It would only pay to go with a Quick Pick. No back data to go on for at least 5 to 10 drawings.

Orangeman

Comment #6

Editgap — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 15:58:42 GMT

Bonus balls are good if the actually pay like with MM and PB. It depends is the bonus ball helps you win more or else throw it out.

Comment #5

Drivedabizness — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 15:53:55 GMT

Survey after survey, respondents report I want to win more money more often - jackpots are nice but I want to win . California had a great result when they went to a two-field format.But in my experience, people really play for the big win. If you wnt to win more, smaller prizes, why would you ever play lotto games when you can buy scratch tickets?

Brad is right - the norm is to lose netween 30 and 35% of in-state lotto sales when you bring in a multi-state game.

Low annuity factors, the... [ More ]

Comment #4

Bradly_60 — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 14:15:31 GMT

Once you bring in a multi state game sales always plummet. This is pretty much what happened. State's need to find a new game to get players back on those games. The pick 6 out of whatever isn't what people want anymore. People get bored with those games. It will be nice when the states actually come to their senses and create games that are actually exciting again.

Brad

Comment #3

BevsPicks — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 13:50:08 GMT

dvdiva: Great point. All state-run lotteries will always get theirs. But you have to be able to see thru hype. That's precisely why I play quick picks $2-$5 at a time. Going for the big one.

Comment #2

CASH Only — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 13:43:33 GMT

The bonus ball itself was not the problem, as Mega Millions has the Mega Ball. Texas Two-Step is a 4+1 game. Matching the bonus ball alone won nothing, unlike in Mega Millions.

Comment #1

dvdiva — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 13:38:03 GMT

Getting rid of bonus balls is always a double edged sword. WA state had a $47 million pot with lotto plus. Now it's a rarity to see it at $4 million. The drasictic prize reduction has driven sales down since almost no one buys tickets for it any more escept those who were buying tickets at the $1 million level.

Bonus ball bounced by Lotto Texas

Lottery Post — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 13:21:00 GMT

Come Sunday, Lotto Texas players won't have the bonus ball to kick around anymore.

When Saturday night's drawing for Lotto's $32 million jackpot is over, the Texas Lottery Commission will reintroduce the version of the game it abandoned in October 2003. The move came after players sent a clear signal that they do not like having to match the number on that extra ball for a chance to win the grand prize.

How clear was the signal?

Lotto ticket sales plummeted by 30 percent after the bon... [ More ]