Mega Millions ponderously reaches $280 million

Comment #65

music* — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 14:38:36 GMT

Whenever I consider the thirty-year payment plan I just have to think about inflation. It would eat up your future payments.

Remember inflation during the 1970's and early '80's.

The same applies to the Lump Sum but you will have the opportunity to invest and beat inflation.

Here in California, I am looking at $127.5 million after all taxes are paid by April 15, 2017.

Comment #64

Kingofearth — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 05:26:27 GMT

With a rollover of $17M on a nearly 300M jackpot. Cash went up $12.3M. Cash is now 68.1% of the Jackpot.

Comment #63

Coin Toss — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 04:29:10 GMT

Rollover, JP is now $310M.

______________________

MoneyMike$,

Looks like your sig. over rode your post

Comment #62

MoneyMike$ — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 02:41:18 GMT

I'm going to win it hahahahah

Comment #61

lookingforca$h — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 00:48:53 GMT

I'd be happy if I hit the 5 regular balls, that would be a cool million plus whatever the megaplyer is.

Comment #60

Bleudog101 — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 15:09:48 GMT

Ditto to that. I second that emotion as Smokey Robinson would sing.

Comment #59

Funtimz — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 13:56:08 GMT

I'm ready for a piece of it...

Comment #58

Bleudog101 — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 13:05:41 GMT

I know that, what I'm trying to say when lotteries are chasing one another, the jackpot grow slower. Look at the times when one was 'low' and the other much higher. The subsequent drawings for the higher one took off like a rocket, just look at previous jackpots over the years.

Comment #57

Kingofearth — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 02:29:12 GMT

Neither do I, but it technically could given MM only has a 5M minimum increase requirement.

Comment #56

Kingofearth — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 02:27:52 GMT

Powerball is at 150M, it's not a factor in the slow growth of MM.

Comment #55

Bleudog101 — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 14:34:42 GMT

It certainly would go over $300 million if it rolls over, I think that is what you meant to say. Anyway it doesn't matter---get your lucky ticket(s

Comment #54

Drenick1 — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 14:14:29 GMT

That would indeed be a shocker but I highly doubt it won't exceed $300million if it rolls over.

Comment #53

Bleudog101 — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 09:44:28 GMT

Perhaps if Powerball wasn't climbing along side of it, MM would definitely jump another $7 million for Tuesday. Who knows, maybe they will round it up.

Comment #52

Kingofearth — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 05:18:45 GMT

Imagine if no one wins it Tuesday and it doesn't even get to 300M (293 now). If that happens, they'll panic.

Comment #51

Stack47 — Sun, 12 Jun 2016 02:04:25 GMT

In Craps just like in MM and PB there are multiple ways to lose, but unlike in jackpot games where only one of millions of combos can win, in Craps there are more than one to win. For instance if the point is six there are 5 ways to roll a six and 6 ways to lose rolling seven . The odds are 6/5 against winning the bet.

No matter how many different tickets are purchased, only one of the 258 million plus MM combos will be drawn.

Comment #50

Bleudog101 — Sun, 12 Jun 2016 00:04:25 GMT

Ladies and Gentlemen now back to your original programming. Lottery fatigue again strikes, MM only went up $13 million from the last draw.

Comment #49

Rexer90 — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 22:16:09 GMT

The people who don't understand it failed basic statistics in school.

Comment #48

Prob988 — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 21:41:10 GMT

Yes, I know this is PR spin.

Even though they generally assume that lottery players are stupid by raising the odds and announcing that they're reducing them - a bald faced lie - I think they themselves are smart enough to recognize that their plan isn't working.

I assume we'll see some kind of change to this game within the next few months. They've pretty much destroyed it, producing a game with 27 rollovers and nothing like a record jackpot, not even close to one.

Comment #47

Teddi — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 16:13:08 GMT

You have to know that this is their PR spin.

No way was marketing going to let them make a statement having to acknowledge that they went through the time and expense of a complete matrix change in the hopes of achieving fewer but higher jackpot values, only to have sales be embarrassingly decreased just a few years after the fact.

What's happening now is the opposite of what they want or expected, but since OOPS doesn't make for a good headline, they're putting their best foot forward a... [ More ]

Comment #46

jjtheprince — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 13:07:36 GMT

People aren't bothering to play because Can't win is so strong with this one.

It will not be won until EVERY possible number combination is sold, bank on it.

By the way, look at the numbers drawn last night, it was trends

Comment #45

ArizonaDream — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 12:16:50 GMT

Last night's rollover was 13 million for the annuity, but 11.7 for the cash lump-sum. The ratio of cash to annuity increased again, from about .666 to around .676. Has the annuity ever looked worse, as far as getting locked in to a low interest rate for 29 years?

The cash payout should move up a bit on the top 25 list, despite not producing the frenzy-inducing major news headlines yet.

Comment #44

music* — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 10:50:54 GMT

I look at these small roll overs as more chances for us regular players to win before it hits a new record jackpot.

I will be very satisfied when I get the check for $148,680,650.00

Just imagine how I could invest that principal and live off the interest/dividends.

Tuesday night can't come quick enough.

Comment #43

Prob988 — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 10:13:09 GMT

A thirteen million dollar rollover on a $280M annuity jackpot.

Paula Otto says they're satisfied. Well, I know why I don't play MM very often. They nearly doubled the odds against winning the jackpot while announcing that they were improving the odds, doublespeak, in typical lottery fashion.

If you reduce the value of a product, you should not expect sales to go up, but they did, and they're satisfied.

Wow.

Comment #42

savagegoose — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 06:59:08 GMT

depends on if those 2 tickets have the same 6 numbers on then or not. use a 6 sided dice its easier to get your head around hopw that works. same practice, just with 1 in 6 odds .

just roll it 24 times and count how many 1 or 2 's come up. compare that to how many ones come up. roughly double.

Comment #41

Stack47 — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 05:43:13 GMT

The guy claims he was a Craps dealer in Vegas where odds are calculated as a ratio of ways to lose to ways to win, but still wants to debate meaningless lottery odds trivia.

MM sales were about 1.6 million more last night than the sales for last Friday's $251 million jackpot and it looks like not many new players bought tickets. At some point (and it may take a few more drawings) the players who are sitting out will begin buying tickets and LP will have the next round of advice for jackpot wi... [ More ]

Comment #40

ressuccess — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 21:23:52 GMT

I hope the jackpot continues to roll until one ticket wins the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever (with lump sum).

Comment #39

Teddi — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 10:57:17 GMT

I don't get your reasoning but I think it's ironic that anyone who plays any lottery game, especially one with a starting point of $40M would call anyone else greedy.

Why play? Why not be satisfied with income from working? Why go for more? Isn't that being greedy and ungrateful?

If I'm going to put money into something as far fetched as a lottery jackpot, of course I'm going to shoot for the highest number I can get. I will be unbelievably grateful for any amount I win, whether it be... [ More ]

Comment #38

dpoly1 — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 23:44:47 GMT

The current Mega Millions Jackpot is just fine by me

Comment #37

Drenick1 — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 16:45:22 GMT

the odds deter them from buying more

You hit the nail on the head. I agree that the odds are a major deterrent keeping folks from parting with their hard earned money. Many simply wait until the jackpot gets larger not because a base jackpot of either $15 or $40 million isn't enough but the long odds just don't make economic sense to play each and every draw.

This is just another reason why so many gravitate toward the pick 3 or 4 games as they have a much greater chance of success.... [ More ]

Comment #36

golfer1960 — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 16:44:18 GMT

Hi D!! I didn't realize my taste were modest but I love your house!!!!

Yes, J. Lo would be high maintence but isn't she worth it?

If not, do you know any J. Lo lookalikes

Comment #35

golfer1960 — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 16:39:55 GMT

Wow, you think J. Lo looks like Morticia Adams?

I think Morticia is cute too.

Comment #34

lakerben — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 16:30:44 GMT

It should be the huge prize that gets people to buy tickets but the odds deter them from buying more. The pools have changed too many times to increase jackpots ,as a result many people don't bother to buy a ticket.

Comment #33

Drenick1 — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 15:59:33 GMT

Golfer1960- You have very modest and down to earth taste on the kind of home or vehicle it takes to make you happy. On the other hand, a high maintenance person like J.Lo would quickly evaporate your winnings.

BTW, the second home with the golf cart beneath looks very similar to our current residence. Instead of the hardiplank siding and stone we opted for brick and stone.

Comment #32

Bleudog101 — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 14:00:20 GMT

Does any LP blogger believe as I do that lottery fatigue has set in? Still, I'd be happy with the five #'s with Powerplay or Megaplier and be set for life.

Comment #31

Coin Toss — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 13:51:23 GMT

We've been over this more than a dozen times and the urban legend still is believed to be true.

I don't care how many tickets are involved, each individual set of numbers is up against the same odds. One and only one set of winning numbers is drawn.

Comment #30

Groppo — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 13:11:47 GMT

.

If I won, the house you've selected is ok, but the Smart Car?

And then Morticia? I guess she could wax the car and clean the house.

(but please, no Gomez or Uncle Fester, or Grand Ma Ma. . . . or Lurch).

Comment #29

hearsetrax — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 08:51:25 GMT

its official the little maggots are starting to get restless ...........

Comment #28

KY Floyd — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 05:36:12 GMT

Are you at all embarrassed that we've been over this a dozen or more times but it still confuses you?

It isn't having another ticket that cuts the odds in half. It's having twice as many tickets. If you've only got 1 ticket it only takes 1 more to have twice as many, but when you've got 2 tickets having twice as many requires 2 more tickets. When you've got 4 tickets you'll need 4 more to have twice as many. And so on.

To double the number of tickets 30 times you'd need to have 1,073,741,8... [ More ]

Comment #27

Coin Toss — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 03:33:15 GMT

OK, if 258,890, 250/2 = 129, 445, 425

it only takes 29 more times to divide by 2 to get the odds to 0.241103, that's right, ZERO POINT 241103, odds under 1.

So just put up $30 bucks and you've got a lock, right?

Or get 30 people to put up $1, etc...ad nauseam.

Comment #26

golfer1960 — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 03:20:08 GMT

Why would $280M make me happy? Because happiness is:

Ms. Lopez, I know this is our first date but my goal tonight is to get you pregnant

Comment #25

golfer1960 — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 02:51:35 GMT

If I won this $280M jackpot I'd be more than happy! I don't need it to be $1B in order for me to get jazzed about the opportunities this would provide me.

Comment #24

Groppo — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 01:20:10 GMT

.

Thank you, Mr. Hearsetrax,

For now, I am one of those who play every single drawing of MM and PB.

And for over a year (and a half?), I have been doing just that; not just keeping an eye on

the largest jackpots.

I'm sure many others here on LP do as well. Why on this corrupt, unfair, harsh planet wouldn't you?

I'm looking for every possible, easy edge that I can manage, within my means.

I'm just as anxious and greedy as the next lotto player, just to win the 2nd prize... [ More ]

Comment #23

music* — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 23:56:37 GMT

Greed can be good. Such as when you must earn a living to support your family. You will need money for everything from a Home to a car, clothes, furniture, electronics, medical and dental insurance, insurance for other things, the list could be endless.

Comment #22

jacintasc — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 23:15:38 GMT

You are absolutely correct.

When the JP was over 1B, people were crossing not only state lines, but the north and south borders and the international sales through theLotter website crashed. Greed, greed and more greed.

Comment #21

Romancandle — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 23:00:19 GMT

This is what billion dollar jackpots can do... Anything less than 500 isn't news or frenzy worthy anymore.

until then... Putt. Putt putt

still find it hard to believe MM increased less than PB min amount of 10 mil increments last week... Terrible

Comment #20

music* — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 20:55:51 GMT

For Mega Millions, I am playing two self-picks and one quick pick. The quick pick is good for another 19 draws.

I hope Fate delivers a jackpot win to a LP member. $112,000,000.00 Here in California looks pretty sweet.

Comment #19

Think — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 20:37:37 GMT

Price of PB ticket 2$, Price of MM ticket $1.

18,492,204/2 = 9,246,102 for 2 tix on MM!

Odds of JP on PB 292,201,338

Odds of JP on MM 258,890,250

258,890,250/2 = 129,445,425

Comment #18

jjtheprince — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 20:00:53 GMT

Yep, Michigan is a Can't lose state. I wish I could buy tickets there

Comment #17

hearsetrax — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 19:41:40 GMT

should be most curious watching the next couple of drawings and seeing how much it grows

but after the last $2 spent,

I think I'm gonna wait a drawing or two and let it grow on someone else's money instead of mine

Good luck to those that play every drawing

Comment #16

adamc224 — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 19:29:56 GMT

A 10 to 20 percent drop in ticket sales? More like 30-40... I looked at the break even payout last drawing and it's huge in Georgia, over 50,000 winners not including megaplier. And in Tennessee over 17,000... Which is a huge jump... People are playing. They are being too conservative... Need to boost it to 300 million before Friday and sit back and count the dollars coming in. Especially if Powerball is won.

Comment #15

Kingofearth — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 19:29:43 GMT

Odds of winning MM Million dollar prize: 1:18,492,204

Odds of winning PB Million dollar prize: 1:11,688,054

Comment #14

Think — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 19:09:00 GMT

Yep, second prize is why I like MM over PB that and the odds on MM are slightly better.

Also, three tickets within 100 miles of me have won second prize while two tickets have taken the jackpot.

There haven't been any such winners on PB like that around here.

Comment #13

jjtheprince — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 18:53:01 GMT

Can't win is so strong with this run that I can see it rolling to over $2 billion and becoming the largest JP of all time.

Comment #12

noise-gate — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 18:41:37 GMT

Anyways- l want this ponderous jackpot to take it's sweet time between now Friday before coming to rest in California, preferably in my bank account

Comment #11

noise-gate — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 18:30:45 GMT

DC- the word ponderously is almost always associated with the way Elephants walk, just to give you a word picture.

Comment #10

Todd — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 17:58:56 GMT

Great catch! I have fixed the error, thanks.

Comment #9

Drenick1 — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 17:48:15 GMT

Todd, It was probably just a typo but the $656 million MM jackpot from March 2012 only rolled over 18 times and not 26. You do bring up a very valid point that it's taking considerably more draws to reach frenzy size jackpots.

Comment #8

destinycreation — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 17:00:00 GMT

Excitement - Agreed. However, I was thinking that it may also be an underlying issue of GREED !!! People simply want to win MORE MONEY, as Much Money as possible !!!

Why can't people be Appreciative and Happy Enough with Small Jackpots ???

The Divine Lesson to learn is GRATITUDE !!! Even for Small Jackpots of $40 Million + !!! Feel - Thank You Divinity

Comment #7

LOTTOKING2016 — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 16:50:28 GMT

Mega Millions Drawing in YouTube is unclear and seems rigged while Powerball drawing is clear

Comment #6

Todd — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 16:44:43 GMT

Yes, ponderous is of very great weight, but ponderously, as an adverb, is to act in a heavy ponderous manner. Which is the action of the current jackpot ascent.

Yes also to the question of whether or not people care. A fast-growing jackpot gains great attention and excitement, whereas a slow-moving jackpot tends to be overlooked by the masses which itself maintains the slow pace of growth.

Comment #5

Todd — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 16:37:14 GMT

It is correct.

Comment #4

destinycreation — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 16:28:34 GMT

Ponderously - New Vocabulary Word for Me. Let me educate myself.

Just making sure that I understand the word ponderously correctly, as it pertains to the lottery:

From Webster's online Dictionary:

Full Definition of ponderous

1 : of very great weight

2 : unwieldy or clumsy because of weight and size

3 : oppressively or unpleasantly dull : lifeless ponderous prose

ponderously adverb

ponderousness noun

There are a couple of underlying reasons for the slower-th... [ More ]

Comment #3

bthom04 — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 16:17:54 GMT

Does buying 2 megamillions tickets really cut the odds in half to 1 in 129 million? That doesn't seem correct. Buying 2 tickets only takes 2 combinations out of the pool

Comment #2

Raven62 — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 15:57:02 GMT

The jump in the next Jackpot is getting larger in expectation of a Betting Frenzy

Comment #1

rcbbuckeye — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 15:28:28 GMT

One tic with megaplier every draw.

Second prize works just fine for me.

Mega Millions ponderously reaches $280 million

Lottery Post — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 15:07:06 GMT

Lottery Post analyzes the multi-state jackpot's slow 3-month ascent

By Todd Northrop

Normally a $280 million jackpot would prompt even lottery skeptics to consider buying a ticket, but for some reason Mega Millions players have been forced to endure tepid sales that are inching the game's jackpot upward at a snail's pace.

So lottery players looking to win a life-changing mega jackpot can be excused for asking the contradictory questions, What's wrong with Mega Millions? and, Where can I... [ More ]