Cops bust long-running illegal Philly 'street lottery'

Comment #22

LiveInGreenBay — Sat, 28 Oct 2017 19:47:24 GMT

Illegal? You kidding me? Did you know its legal for members of Congress to trade on inside info? That's how many of them become rich in a few years. What's against the law for us is legal for them in DC. The ones who make the laws? Give me a break. And I'm not even going into that healthcare BS they stuck us with. Again, its different for them.

Comment #21

Rodney Lundy — Sat, 28 Oct 2017 18:13:18 GMT

500-1 is 500% back back.

Comment #20

Soledad — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 12:38:37 GMT

The point is it's illegal. Everybody likes to say oh well what's good for me and to heck with everything else. New York CITY has a long histoty with this type of story. It's pretty much finished these days but these things if connected to other things can be even worse. I don't know who this Creagh guy is or whatever but point is he took a gamble and he lost. I wonder if he's happy in jail.

Comment #19

Keystone — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 23:06:14 GMT

The state lotteries should pay about 70%............then there would not be as much interest in street lotteries. Also if a 1.00 winning ticket does not exceed 1000 in winnings it should be tax free.

Comment #18

Bleudog101 — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 16:12:36 GMT

Normally not fond of 'criminals'; however in this case Creagh beat the system @ their own game and I'm happy. With all the dough she has don't think she won't have a high priced attorney working diligently. The lottery(ies) are too greedy...soon enough Mega Millions price doubles and the odds get worse is a prime example.

Comment #17

Stack47 — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 04:01:01 GMT

Nick Perry was caught rigging the PA Lottery pick-3 game in 1980 because some of the bets made on his behalf were to the illegal game. The mob bookies don't like being cheated.

Comment #16

DELotteryPlyr — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 23:09:08 GMT

I agree with the LAST paragraph about the competition causing the change in lotteries.

Comment #15

BigGreg7288 — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 22:53:51 GMT

Honestly they use The Pick 3 4 then split the numbers into 3 double digit numbers. Pick 3 is the 1st while pick 4 is 2nd 3rd. 1st wins $70 to 1 2nd is $15 to 1 and 3rd is $10 to 1 all while allowing you to play pick 3 4. The numbers game funds the payouts for the pick 3-4 from what I can tell. I play $60-80 in numbers $15 in cash 3s so if I get all 3 numbers I break even all while possibly winning the pick 3 based on what I look up from you guys. FL seems to be in the know about it.

Comment #14

Ron5995 — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 21:50:55 GMT

To OneTrickpony- Presumably, based on the PA Lottery numbers drawn. Keeps it simple, and provides much assurance the results are fair.

Overall, far as lotteries go, PA Lottery is among the better ones. While not getting my hopes up, it wouldn't surprise me if they eventually raise the Pick-X payouts. Likely not directly, but through various add-ons, such as Wildball, which improves overall payback to 55%. Lotteries have to grow revenue while protecting their margins. Add-on upselling is a way... [ More ]

Comment #13

MonEl — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 19:49:27 GMT

You are right about the state lotteries and it is a lot worse for their jackpot kind of games, it is bad for all games.

It is bad for all the games, players don't have a chance, but nobody is forcing people to play, no wonder that some many people play the streets numbers games and also daily games elsewhere, 600, 700, 800 and 900 to 1 are of course a lot better than 500 to 1 and imagine a cash 5 game that pays a jackpot of about $15,000 or less:

Who is the crook?

Cash Five Winning... [ More ]

Comment #12

OneTrickpony — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 19:44:03 GMT

My question is, what do they base the winning numbers on these days? When I was growing up in NJ, it was based on the payout for win, place or show for one of the horse races at Belmont Park or Aquaduct Raceway. I remember going with my father to a bar/pizza place to pick up a pie around the corner from our house. While I was sipping on a birch beer soda, my father would write on a slip of paper and hand it back to the guy who owned the place with a dollar. It was always just something every wor... [ More ]

Comment #11

wander73 — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 18:11:14 GMT

The point breeze section is right off of 76. Not a great neighborhood area as I have a candy machine in an establishment somewhere east of those neighborhoods. Appreciate the story todd.

Comment #10

Unluckyone — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 18:04:25 GMT

Government doesn't want competition.

Comment #9

BigGreg7288 — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 17:41:04 GMT

Yes corner stores vendors barbershops beauty salons/supply stores pretty much anywhere imaginable. I play there instead of the state since they pay more. South FL pays 800-1

Comment #8

grwurston — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 17:29:16 GMT

Google how do numbers games work for a history lesson on it.

Comment #7

Redd55 — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 17:07:27 GMT

So, who sells them? Corner stores? Street vendors

Comment #6

BigGreg7288 — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 16:38:14 GMT

They have these all over south Florida. It s tied to the Caribbean as well

Comment #5

music* — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 16:36:41 GMT

When you have the Government as a competitor you will lose. Did he pay his taxes

Comment #4

Redd55 — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 16:34:47 GMT

Anybody ever play the numbers ? How does it work? Do different cities have similar odds? I always heard that the odds were better for those games and bookies. Then again, you/they are not paying taxes. Do they ever bust players? Or just the people running the games

Comment #3

grwurston — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 15:42:52 GMT

We can only hope...

Comment #2

Ron5995 — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 12:12:57 GMT

Spot on! 500 for 1 is lousy (50% payback). PA Lottery can do better. Instant games average 60%-70% payback, so there's room to pay Pick-3 players more while still meeting funding obligations. There are at least a few lotteries that pay 600 for 1, so it can be done.

Comment #1

Deo-nonfortuna — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 02:18:03 GMT

He paid 700-1 and he's a criminal? PA Lotto is the real criminal.

Cops bust long-running illegal Philly 'street lottery'

Lottery Post — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 01:14:55 GMT

The locations were nondescript: unmarked buildings in impoverished Philadelphia neighborhoods, sometimes containing little more than a table, some folding chairs, and a coffee pot.

But behind the unremarkable facades, prosecutors alleged Friday, was an extensive and intricate network of illegal street lotteries, 40 places where people could place small-change bets with the profits allegedly helping the ring's boss, Gary Creagh, buy luxury cars and lavish apartments from New York City to Las V... [ More ]