At what point (matrix) would you not play

Reply #24

Coin Toss — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 15:15:26 GMT

time*treat

Yeah, a lot of people don't realize that the 5 + 1 games are actually two lotteries in one.

Reply #23

time*treat — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 11:47:39 GMT

For me, part of the equation is the payout schedule. I'd rather go for the regular p5 p6 games than the 5+1 games.

Remember, the lotteries target those who are bad at math. I suspect that when those predraws begin to detect more and more would-have-wons (you know someone, somewhere has seen their numbers in the predraw list) the matrix is increased.

Reply #22

Chewie — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 02:36:42 GMT

Competition always benefits the consumer, just something for the lotto people to think about.

Don't let the cable companies in New Jersey hear you say that!! I doubt the telephone and electric companies in most states would accept that concept either.

Reply #21

RJOh — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 01:24:16 GMT

As I said in my post, even some clerks selling lottery tickets aren't aware of lottery changes because they aren't interested, I assume players who are interested will go on the web or make a phone call to get the information.

Reply #20

Coin Toss — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 00:47:31 GMT

RJOh

Not everyone is on the web (believe it or not!) and althought the play slips were printed, they couldn't go into play until the first game, thus that's when a lot of people saw them for the first time. And many didn't notice a difference.

Badger

I agree with you totally, but unbelievably I've heard people say if the play all the Powerball numbers (bottom grid) they'll at least get paid something, and maybe more than $3!

Let's see, risking $42 for a guaranteed $3, what's wrong... [ More ]

Reply #19

Badger — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 23:30:45 GMT

I don't bet more than #1 on the PB now. Regardless of how high the odds, I'd probably still bet a buck. But that's about all it's worth. After all, each combination has the same odds against it. You can't lower your odds any better by getting 100 tickets and spending $100 than you get spending $1 and getting one ticket.

Reply #18

RJOh — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 23:16:24 GMT

Knowledge about a matrix change is always available before the drawings because play slips have to be printed long before ticket sales can start. Clerks at retailers may not know and don't really care because selling lottery tickets is only part of their job. If you want that kind of information you have to go to the lottery website. The last time Ohio had a promotion giving out a free QP when $5 worth of tickets were bought, the clerk thought the extra ticket was hers to keep until I informe... [ More ]

Reply #17

Coin Toss — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 22:27:29 GMT

Certain rules of business apply to any business.

Competition always benefits the consumer, just something for the lotto people to think about.

One thing I can think of wopuld be to let people know when all the top prizes on a given scratcher have been paid out (besides just finding that out on the internet).

Another would be mandatory press releases for any matrix expansion- MegaMillions fed articles to the media about California joininh in and possible $500,000,000 jackpots - but it... [ More ]

Reply #16

RJOh — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 21:32:32 GMT

If the odds of winning the PowerBall or MegaMillions jackpots ever become too large to attract the average lottery players, the people running these games will know by the reduced sales and they will adjust or go out of business. If that happens another game will replace them.

Reply #15

JAG331 — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 20:56:44 GMT

Still spending $1 or $2 a couple times a month on the expanded Powerball and Mega games.

The games can only expand so much...if the odds get too great, it will take too long to build up a respectable (nowadays $300m+) jackpot, causing everyone to lose interest in the game.

Reply #14

cps10 — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 20:56:36 GMT

WW - I might do that if the time is right very soon. I am looking into patenting the idea so that it won't get run with...seems like every idea i come up with someone else gets rich off of...LOL

Of course, then again, if I were quicker on the draw, I wouldn't complain about that...:)

The idea in general terms is that it is a trinket (a collectible) that can be produced by one of my contacts that can be sold by MUSL at all 100,000+ outlets of theirs that sell the tickets, and they could gen... [ More ]

Reply #13

dvdiva — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 20:56:20 GMT

Instead of changing the matrix (except for Euromillions) they should dump any limits to the jackpot prize and dump lame over inflated annuities. Dump all cap rules and rolldown rules. Dump inflated annuities that pay even less than half as a cash prize. Those are changes that have to be made.

Reply #12

WorldWide777 — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 20:52:39 GMT

cps10,

So, care to share your idea (in general terms)? Email me and explain it if you like... WorldWideWooWoo@yahoo.com

Good luck

Reply #11

cps10 — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 20:48:15 GMT

WW - I'll do that. Thanks for your help. I hope this is a million-dollar contract, that is, if they like the idea, which they should. I have bounced it around to a lot of people who love it. So, if MUSL bites on it, it's retirement time for CPS10

Reply #10

WorldWide777 — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 20:45:48 GMT

cps10,

There aren't that many people who work at the MUSL headquarters in Des Moines, so just call the general number and ask for the proper person. Ask for the guy with the BLUE FONT in his emails. LOL. That will trip them out

Reply #9

cps10 — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 20:38:33 GMT

WW777 - thanks...yeah, I put in a product idea for them, and the general email response was to forward this idea to the guy (who it must have been anonymous) to see what he thought. Never got a response (this was last week sometime). I already might have the SC Lottery on board, so I wanted to pitch it to the MUSL since they have mass market appeal and a sale would be like hitting the lottery (closer than I could ever come to it! LOL).

There is a general number? I wonder if they have a mercha... [ More ]

Reply #8

WorldWide777 — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 20:31:03 GMT

CPS10,

They people at MUSL won't give out their names when responding to emails to stay anonymous. But, if you get an email with a BLUE FONT that is this color, he is the GUY to talk to. He is very intelligent, has a good sense of humor, and he is the one that reads the posts on this website. You should try calling them instead of emailing. The phone number is on the website.

Reply #7

cps10 — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 20:27:32 GMT

Yes, I agree...millionaire (taxes paid) first place winners would be a good alteration of the PB MM games. In SC, you get your taxes paid for Cash-5 wins, so why couldn't PB MM for the First Place (5/5 white balls)?

That is funny about the MUSL...I am trying to get in touch with their marketing guy actually in Des Moines for something.

Reply #6

WorldWide777 — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 20:21:19 GMT

Powerball odds of 1:146.1 million

Megamillions odds of 1:175.5 million

I like the idea of having an automatic $1 million winner if 5/5 white balls are hit. Forget the Powerplay option, and try to make a lot of millionaires. That is an amount that is worth shooting for, plus the odds of hitting 5/5 white balls is about 1: 3 million. Not too bad. They could even raise the number of white balls to increase the odds of hitting 5/5 white balls (on Powerball). Plus, this way the money is

Reply #5

cps10 — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 19:31:05 GMT

I would continue to play as I run a Lottery Club. The higher the jackpot, the more my group gets excited, even though you all and I both know the odds are so stacked up against everyone. I think the thrill of the hunt is what makes many of us play these large multi-state games, even though it is not profitable at best. There's nothing wrong with dreams and hope though...so I would continue to play, even though I am aware of the odds, the tax consequences, the impact of a matrix change, etc.... [ More ]

Reply #4

konane — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 19:11:58 GMT

I would stop playing both MM and PBf the matrix went any higher. No more fun, no more entertainment which both are bordering on right now.

Sheesh, I believe most lottery commissions monitor this site on a regular basis. Lottery Post is too big, too many members to ignore although they probably erroneously refer to us as 'pajama clad bloggers for the purpose of minimizing our impact.

However, look at the changes all bloggers are effecting all over the place and it's just i... [ More ]

Reply #3

weshar75 — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 19:01:58 GMT

I do not see the matrix in Powerball getting that far away from what is now because of the limited number of state that will join Powerball in the future. I only see maybe one or two more states that could possibly join powerball in the next 5 to 10 years. I play Powerball for entertainment any way so if the matrix does change it will not stop me from buy powerball tickets because it is just one big crap shoot.-weshar75

Reply #2

fja — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 18:52:01 GMT

I think the odds are just too great now, I continue to play but I have become cheaper in purchasing tickets and I work harder on that Illusive selection of numbers.....Where I would spend $10 $20 last year this year I just go $5 most of the time with an occasional $10.....

Reply #1

ryanm — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 17:01:01 GMT

It is very possible a lottery commission may monitor this board. Hopefully that would get them to drop computerized drawings if they have them.

At what point (matrix) would you not play

Coin Toss — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 15:05:36 GMT

The future of Powerball and MegaMillions thread got me thinking about this.

At what point would you see a lottery game as odds just too great to even bother going up against?

5/60, 1/55... 5/65, 1/65, etc...

At what point?

PS

And do you think any lottery commission may monitor this board? There's an awful lot of information here....perhaps a thread like this does some of their own studies for them. Just a thought.