N.J. paper investigates best and worst places to buy lottery tickets

Comment #14

RJOh — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 20:02:15 GMT

I missed the point about $1,000 or more when browsing the story but I would have thought they would include any prize amounts that required the state to issue a W-2G and the winners to include on their tax returns as taxable income. Their point might have been less clear but their story would have been less misleading.

Comment #13

truecritic — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 18:44:30 GMT

However I find it hard to believe the folks in Dearfield spent over $2.2 millions on lottery tickets and never won a dime,...

Probably misleading, the folks in Dearfield did win a dime. The Star-Ledger did not follow the lower amounts won.

The Star-Ledger analyzed every winner of $1,000 or more since 2005,...

Comment #12

RJOh — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 18:21:06 GMT

This story only confirm what I've always believed, unless a jackpot is won the return on investment will be ~-98% since the way most lotteries are set only 2% of tickets sold will win anything.

However I find it hard to believe the folks in Dearfield spent over $2.2 millions on lottery tickets and never won a dime, the probability of that happening is about the same as one of them winning a lottery jackpot.

Comment #11

hit tonite — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:01:53 GMT

This New Jersey zip code is probably in a poor neighborhood or area....as for myself, I go on the OUTSKIRTS of any town or city I'm in and play scratch offs, Powerball, Mega... just check out the websites for various lotterys, they ALWAYS hit in the small country not heavily populated towns.. on occasion you'll see a big hit in a big city, it's as if they target certain for larger hits, and that particular local economy benefits from it... or is it just me???????????? it's best to NOT EVER play... [ More ]

Comment #10

Dawn32 — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:20:48 GMT

Well, I just moved back to NJ almost a week ago, and this article was a good read. Time to start analyzing the Cash 5 - I'm aiming straight for that jackpot.

Comment #9

MADDOG10 — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 22:57:35 GMT

The paper needs to investigate the Lottery drawing practices, There has been far to many repeats the following nights on both pick-3 and pick-4. I realize that strange things happen, but NOT as much as it has in the past year and a half.

The lottery needs a watchdog that watches instead of a firm that only oversee's the final drawing......

Comment #8

dallascowboyfan — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 22:46:34 GMT

WOW......very interesting wonder what Oklahoma would be.....

Comment #7

wizeguy — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:29:08 GMT

Hmm.... so I guess what the expert is saying is that you're better off with Quick Picks. That's not what I've heard, hmmm...

The way I see it the wins for big draw games like MegaMillions and Powerball are a moving target and you can play the same numbers for a lifetime and never win. So I play with a moving bow and arrow (QuickPiks) hoping it just lands the same direction the target moved. The smaller games like pick 3 and pick 4, although still moving targets, have less room to move.... [ More ]

Comment #6

Pick3forSC — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:01:07 GMT

In my zipcode area probably just as bad as NJ....lol

Comment #5

rdgrnr — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:37:28 GMT

Well, you pays your money and you takes your chances.

Now as long as NJ doesn't feel pressured to hurry along the evening out of the odds, everything will work itself out like it should - eventually.

But Michael Shackleford, a math professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas who is known as The Wizard of Odds, said there is little people can do to improve their chances. ...it is just a game of luck. Players who think they have some system to beat the odds are deluding thems... [ More ]

Comment #4

dpoly1 — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:27:48 GMT

All that I know is that the store where I purchase tickets has sold some winning tickets in the past!

I continue to go there for my tickets.

Comment #3

Kidzmom — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:16:08 GMT

I wonder what NC status would be

Comment #2

sully16 — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:04:49 GMT

WOW, Interesting read, got any info on Michigan scratcher zip codes.

Comment #1

increase — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:58:01 GMT

Wow! What is going on in NJ?

I am surprised that so much is going on in that state with respect to the lottery.

Interesting...

It's good to be informed.

N.J. paper investigates best and worst places to buy lottery tickets

Lottery Post — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:30:57 GMT

This is not a lucky number: 07102.

And yet lottery players line up every day at a convenience store register in this Newark ZIP code. They bring their hopes, dreams and dollars and trade them for games.

Hopefuls mill about the Welsh Farms store on Court Street, thumbing through small pieces of paper inscribed with names like Pick 3, Pick 4 and Jersey Cash 5. Some stand against the brick wall outside, feverishly scraping quarters crusted with silver dust across instant-win scratch-off games... [ More ]