Texas students rank USA lotteries

Comment #19

chasingadream — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 18:32:34 GMT

Comment #18

Stack47 — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 01:30:06 GMT

Actually I was agreeing with your comment The study is not really done from the standpoint of a lottery fan .

But to me, it seems like the survey is overall geared toward what a consumer advocate would want, and not necessarily toward things that are attractive to fans of the lottery.

When a report shows the top state lottery only got 71.35% on disclosure and fairness issues, I'd say it shows at best we still have a 38% chance of being ripped off.

I don't know if the report is inten... [ More ]

Comment #17

Stack47 — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 00:58:53 GMT

I'll have to read it again and see if they told us how they came up with the the criteria for ranking.

It's a ranking of all U.S. state lotteries on disclosures and fairness issues.

They have a link to Lottoreport so that is where they probably got their ideas for the criteria.

Comment #16

Todd — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 00:51:06 GMT

You seem to be disputing what I said, but that's really just a guess. I wish you'd be a little more direct so I can understand your point.

Yes, there are some things that are geared towards players. But to me, it seems like the survey is overall geared toward what a consumer advocate would want, and not necessarily toward things that are attractive to fans of the lottery.

Comment #15

Stack47 — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 00:40:49 GMT

The study is not really done from the standpoint of a lottery fan, with the exception of the computerized drawings thing.

Odds printed on front or back of ticket -- 5

Annuity amount or cash value on ticket -- 2

We walk into a store, go over to the lottery terminal and ask the clerk for $1 QP Lotto ticket and hand them a buck. We look at the ticket and see the Jackpot is $3 million, the pretax cash value is $1.5 million, and look at the back of the ticket and see the odds of winning... [ More ]

Comment #14

KY Floyd — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 21:39:57 GMT

The problem that I have with the study is that it appears to be a sociological study analyzed by students in a statistics class. Once you decide on your critria any kind of data can be evaluated mathematically, and it's perfectly valid as a class exercise, but it's not any kind of mathematical evaluation of the games. I'd certaimly like to see more information from the lotteries and better websites, but neither of those has anything to do with how a given game compares to another game.

Beyond... [ More ]

Comment #13

Tenaj — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 20:27:13 GMT

I think a study of this kind is better done from a non-lottery player's point of view since the majority of us are clueless to the tactics that are used to draw us in to take our money or so desperate and don't care and really don't know what's good or bad. Lottery Players in the know about the tactics state lotteries use have subjective opinions and will fight forever.

There is a small minority that are in the know about state lotteries compared to the people who actually play. The a... [ More ]

Comment #12

Drivedabizness — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 16:40:59 GMT

I agree with Todd - with a slight twist. My objections aren't based so much on survey results (who landed where), but on survery bias.

Its ludicrous that any objective survey could rank CA near the top - they are one of the worst performing lotteries in the Country by almost any objective measurement. Heck - you can't even get a copy of the Commission meeting transcripts (like you can for TX) from their web site.

Low ticket prices - how is that a rational criteria? One would... [ More ]

Comment #11

Todd — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:33:18 GMT

As past discussions at Lottery Post have shown, everyone has their own opinions of what is good vs. bad with a lottery. Taken as a whole, what the class is doing is a good thing to elevate the discussion.

BTW, I also have some problems with the survey, in that NJ is at the bottom. I personally think that New Jersey has an excellent lottery, with the exception of its pari-mutuel payouts for Pick 3 and Pick 4. The fact of no state tax on lottery prizes is a big plus that should elevate it, a... [ More ]

Comment #10

Stack47 — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 09:32:10 GMT

30 assigned points were for scratch-offs, 25 for the website, and only 15 for online games. And not one of the online game categories compared the games and payouts.

Overall, I'd generously give the report a C-.

Comment #9

nanolike — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 09:08:41 GMT

Alright the professor and his students are still up to it! i remember this story a while back how they busted the lottery in texas or something. Good for them we need more people like these students they need to contact me I have some very interesting things to show them I bet they have never seen before.

Comment #8

justxploring — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 09:08:40 GMT

I liked it too.

California, which scored 71 points, got kudos for promptly closing scratch-off games after top prizes are gone, keeping its scratch-off ticket prices low and not collecting state income tax on prize money.

Okay - now I need to check Florida! Only 30 points?

What is wrong with a Free Ticket? I get a free ticket if I get 2/5 in Fantasy 5. I guess some people would rather get $1 and choose their own numbers, but is it bad because you get a QP? Many of these Free Ti... [ More ]

Comment #7

ThatScaryChick — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 07:20:15 GMT

I agree. It was an interesting article.

Comment #6

JimmySand9 — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 06:07:13 GMT

I probably should have clarified that I meant payout percentages. Namely, the percentage of sales that goes back towards prizes.

Comment #5

Tenaj — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 05:58:39 GMT

This was such a refreshing article. These students have done a great job. What better subject for a Statistics Class than the lottery.

They raised some points that I hadn't thought about like free ticket being calulating in as prizes.

It should be a law for all states to remove scratch offs when the major prizes are gone.

This is interesting about TN.

Just an observation CEO compensation as much as 6 times the national average

They are doing their jobs.LOL

Comment #4

LOTTOMIKE — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 05:29:20 GMT

i agree with tennessee being the worst BUT how in the hell can georgia and virginia be at the bottom of the list as one of the worst lotteries also.this list just isn't valid for those reasons.arizona near the top? and california number one? nah....

Comment #3

Coin Toss — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 05:02:55 GMT

JimmySand9

I also don't like that this class gives no points for high prize payouts. That is perhaps the best thing a lottery can do, other than transparency and fairness.

Since they're rating individual state lotteries it wouldn't be fair to give points for high prize payouts- how could Rhode Island or Missouri compare with Florida or New York?

States with smaller populations just can't compete in that kind of category.

Comment #2

JimmySand9 — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 02:05:31 GMT

Here is the website with exact rankings.

I like how they deduct points for computerized drawings and for full disclosure of operations.

But one thing that I really don't like is the fact they consider a minimum age higher than 18 to be good thing. You can give all the semantics about responsiblity, but when you expect someone to be responsible enough to get their head blown off for lower gas prices, then go back and say those same people are too stupid and idiotic enough to by a mere lott... [ More ]

Comment #1

psykomo — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 01:12:03 GMT

SORRY>>>>>>>>>>Lorraine Gonzales<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<:

Psykomo does not know you...............but, ................................

I did go to college with a Jimmy Gonzales, .................................

he did have a HOT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>, ............PONTIAC>>>>

insured by GEICO....???????????????????????????????????????

DO you know JIMMY???????????????????????????????????????

he was from Bogota........PSYKOMO will never forget..........JIMMY

EVERY XMAS when he went HOME..... [ More ]

Texas students rank USA lotteries

Lottery Post — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 00:34:23 GMT

California, Pennsylvania best; Tennessee worst

Gerald Busald is at it again.

For more than a decade, the 65-year-old math professor at San Antonio College has turned scrutiny of the Texas Lottery into a classroom project. Armed with calculators, Busald and his students have exposed false advertising, attracted the media spotlight and sparked change.

This year, Busald and his students are aiming beyond Texas. On Friday, they unveiled a ranking of every lottery in the United States based... [ More ]