When you win a small prize

Reply #36

lottocalgal — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 03:18:52 GMT

Hey Prisonersix,

Your post reminds me of what happen when I won the $100 on a scratcher. The clerk told me that he wouldn't have enough money. I immediately told him oh no you won't need that much. I am going to buy 10 of the $5 tickets anyway. I only need $50 in cash.

But now that I look back, I should have waited and taken the all of the money. It didn't occur to me that there was NOT going to be a big winner afterwards, since I had already won out of that batch. I should not have... [ More ]

Reply #35

PrisonerSix — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 18:26:39 GMT

For me, I stick to what I usually buy which currently is 1 Lotto and 1 Easy 5 ticket and if it gets to $100 million, Powerball. I occasionally buy scratch tickets, but only when there's a second chance drawing associated with them.

For the lottery pool I run at work, I buy extra Powerball and Lotto tickets except for 2 weeks ago when the pool won $10 on Powerball. Since the Louisiana Lottery is running the Millionaire Raffle game with a prize of $1 million and only 300,000 tickets being so... [ More ]

Reply #34

psykomo — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:25:32 GMT

MY winning's are so small<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

the GUILL's can't even feel my BUDGET and most offer to pay for the FISH CHIP'$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ PSYKOMO

love's SEAFOOD

LOL>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>JACKPOT... [ More ]

Reply #33

bigato1010 — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 22:06:07 GMT

It depend for instance , if i purchase scracth of 10 dollars (maximum) , if i win i spend it right back. The most I won of sractch of is 20 dollars. Pick 3 and 4 i stick to my budget.

Reply #32

Mike Frazier — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:09:37 GMT

I live in a state with no lottery (at present). I drive to a neighboring state once every 7½ weeks, buy a 15-draw QP ticket for Powerball and the state's Lotto, for $30. I also pick up a few $2 scratchers -- between 3 and 5 -- for my wife. So, I spend between $36 and $40 every 7½ weeks. This amount does not change, unless the Powerball gets really, really big, in which case I may buy a few extra single-draw tickets (but probably not).

The last time I bought tickets, one of the $2 scratchers h... [ More ]

Reply #31

mylollipop — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 06:19:51 GMT

I stick to my budget

Reply #30

pacattack05 — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:13:40 GMT

It varies from state to state. Here in Florida, the p-3 and p-4 are printed out on separate tix. In N.Y. If you buy 5 p-3 tix, they're printed on one ticket and only cashable at an office. That's why I always asked for separate tix when I lived in N.Y.

Reply #29

justxploring — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:04:07 GMT

Yes, so have I. In fact, I've even taken one or two of the little green pencils. (I was told it was okay by the store.) They always have hundreds of them and nobody cares. I figure that each little pencil costs me about $800.

I used to use a pen and a member here jokingly told me to always use the lucky green pencil, so I got into the habit and keep one in my pocketbook.

Reply #28

LOTTOMIKE — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 07:52:21 GMT

when i hit a pick 3 straight with ten tickets for a total 5,000 dollar win i spent a whole day going all over the place cashing one here,two there,one here and it was dead in the middle of summer with my girlfriend pregnant and us burning up in a black sports car with no air.i'd go one place and she's go another two doors down until we had em all done.of course being paid mostly in twenties and i had a huge wad.that win helped me stay home taking care of her until my first daughter was born that... [ More ]

Reply #27

Stack47 — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 03:55:35 GMT

I was told that I could play the same 10 straight combinations on one ticket and get paid as if they were 10 separate bets, but to be safe, I get 10 tickets. I've paid for the extra paper many times over.

Reply #26

justxploring — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:43:17 GMT

You're right, Stack. I once asked the clerk at Publix if I won on several tickets could I cash them and she said they are each treated as separate bets, even on the same ticket. So you could win on 3 separate lines and get paid too, unless I misunderstood her. Still, I use separate cards. I don't play pick-3 or pick-4 however, so I'm not sure it matters since I would never bet the same Lotto or Fantasy 5 number twice.

Reply #25

Stack47 — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:15:41 GMT

If you bet $20 on a straight combination the payoff is $10,000 and by getting 20 $1 tickets, you can cash them without a form. From the lottery's perception, it's the same as if the store cashed 20 $500 winners to 20 different people.

The Ohio play slips allows us to play a ticket up to ten times so if I ask the clerk to play it twice, I'll have 20 individual tickets. I don't know of a store that would cash all 20 tickets but going to 20 different stores would still get me the 10 grand.... [ More ]

Reply #24

Stack47 — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 23:36:55 GMT

New York Lottery: You can collect a prize of up to and including $600 from any of the thousands of New York Lottery retailers.

Tennessee Lottery: Prizes of less than $600 can be claimed through any of the Lottery's participating retailers

Michigan Lottery: Cash prizes worth up to $600 may be claimed at any Michigan Lottery retailer. There are nearlly 11,000 licensed Lottery retailers throughout the state, in every county.

Ohio Lottery: If you win up to $599, proceed to any retailer loca... [ More ]

Reply #23

OldSchoolPa — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:34:05 GMT

I stick to my informal budget that ensures that I have a play in every draw for Mega Millions and Powerball and an advance play for state lotteries over $10 million (like Indiana and Michigan are now; when I get the chance to visit Florida, California, and Texas I will usually purchase the max advance play just because those state lottery jackpots increase at a much faster pace than do Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan...like $3 - 7 million rollover increases versus 100 thousand to 1 million rollo... [ More ]

Reply #22

ThatScaryChick — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:55:13 GMT

Wow that is actually a lot to cash out at one time. I figure if I ever had to cash that many Pick 3 tickets, I would have to go to a bunch of different stores to get it done.

Reply #21

pacattack05 — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 04:16:42 GMT

If you have separate tickets each under 600 bucks then they can cash them individually.

When I won 3,000 about 4 years ago, I had 6 tickets at 500 a pop. The cashier at the grocery store in a food store here in Florida called Publix was new and gave me a hard time saying that I had to go to the lottery office, but when I asked for the manager, she knew the deal and got me the cash.

The very first time when I won 500 when I first moved to florida, I went to a circle k covenient store and sh... [ More ]

Reply #20

lottocalgal — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 03:02:43 GMT

Carbob and TnTea,

You mean to tell me that the stores where you are have that kind of cashout limits? Here its $600 or you will have to go to the regional office. Or am I reading both your posts incorrectly

Reply #19

CARBOB — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 23:34:57 GMT

I'm very lucky that we have a Lotto/Food Store, it's the best money maker in Central Fla for the Lottery. They will cash any amount of Cash 3 tickets you have to cash. I cashed $20,000, one time. The clerk told me, that was not the most he had cashed. Some guy cashed $50,000. I tried cashing a $500 ticket at the local 7-11, they wanted to give me a money order, so I never cash any tickets there.

Reply #18

KY Floyd — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 22:51:11 GMT

The topic is just small prizes. Since the IRS limit for withholding taxes is $600 it's pretty reasonable to consider a $500 win a small prize.

Those prizes are still fairly uncommon, and any small store that always keeps $500 on hand and available to any clerk just because somebody might show up with a winner needs better management. Small stores with good management routinely put cash in a safe that's only accessible to a few people. Those stores have provisions for management to open the sa... [ More ]

Reply #17

Clairvoyance — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 23:52:01 GMT

I have tried to cash in bigger winning pick 3 tickets (250.00) at the little stores I purchased the tickets from and I get the same look! They act like you are robbing them dry of money. I got so upset once when the clerk said we don't have enough to pay that amount. So I said to Him then take down your Lottery sign on the front of your store that says Pennsylvania Lottery: Play here we pay here! I said because you Never Have enough to PAY HERE!

He said: Well those signs come from the lottery... [ More ]

Reply #16

tntea — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 20:53:57 GMT

There was time once where a man had pick 3 strs totalling over $26K. The owner ran the tickets, then went str to the bank. The money was there..

It is neat how the money is transferred as soon as the ticket is scanned.

Reply #15

Stack47 — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 17:10:57 GMT

The topic is small prizes; $100 and under.

It's really pretty simple, if you don't have the money than don't sell the tickets. Shift changes are just poor excuses for bad business practices. When stores agree to sell lottery tickets, they know some of the tickets will be winners and should make provisions.

It would be different if somebody was trying to cash four or five $500 pick-3 straight winners, but there is no excuse for not cashing small prizes.

Reply #14

Yaddamean — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 05:16:03 GMT

only time we refuse cashout on those are when we've just changed shifts and up to two hours after the shift change. We just dont have enough cash during those times.

Reply #13

Yaddamean — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 02:33:40 GMT

Yes I do the same, first pay them out in cash, than they can buy whatever else.

It saves me from the confusion and cuts down on mistakes.

For the people cashing big winners, $200, $300, $500, I dont hesitate to pay it out so long as I have the cash.

Reply #12

tntea — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:22:00 GMT

when I scan a winner, I lay the money out on the counter. Most customers will say, I dont want the money I want more tickets. I just tell them I always pay up first and they it is up to them to do whatever they want to do with the money.

Reply #11

LuckyLilly — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:06:26 GMT

justxploring wrote:

I only went to 7-11 the other night to cash the $5 and 2 Free Draws because it was an even exchange, but in the past a clerk told me they expect customers to use the money to buy more tickets. The words were most people spend it on tickets and don't ask for change. I was going to complain to the lottery, but I didn't.

Wow, no that's never happened to me. When I win I almost always get some change. Even if it's just a $3 win on the PowerBall, I usually just buy... [ More ]

Reply #10

Stack47 — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 23:41:36 GMT

Has a clerk ever told you that the store doesn't pay for tickets and you should buy more with your win?

And many other comments I've ignored.

That's probably because they have regular scratch-off players that never cash in and it's unthinkable that someone playing online games knows when to quit no matter how small the amount is. Or maybe it's the clerk giving their unsolicited opinion on what they would do with their winnings. Either way, the best thing to do is put your hand out so the... [ More ]

Reply #9

justxploring — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:34:29 GMT

One thing I didn't mention is sometimes I buy an extra can of people or pet food and drop it in the bin on the way out of the supermarket, but I rarely spend the whole thing on tickets.

Has a clerk ever told you that the store doesn't pay for tickets and you should buy more with your win? I'm having trouble wording this so I'll just explain.

I only went to 7-11 the other night to cash the $5 and 2 Free Draws because it was an even exchange, but in the past a clerk told me they expect cust... [ More ]

Reply #8

tntea — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:27:48 GMT

We have customers who come to blow $100 each and every Sunday morning. They come in and buy $100 worth of scratch offs.. They scratch and trade winners for more tickets until they scratch out with the final losing ticket. They come back again week after week.

That is how scratchers are suppose to work... You suck the suckers in.. and suck them dry.. They will be back when they are wet again....

As for online games.. I spend my usual.. Sometimes adding more draws to keep me from havin... [ More ]

Reply #7

lottocalgal — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:21:17 GMT

I stick to the same amount, no matter what. I recently won $12 on the state lotto and put the winnings away for my next play in 2 days. Im still $3 short of my budgeted amount but its something.

Reply #6

LottoAce — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:18:11 GMT

I stick to the budget.

when we win a small amount it goes in what we like to call the kitty. basically, the next 4 or 5 draws are paid for, so we play the same amount of tickets for the next few weeks without having to annie back up..

any large amounts would be split up and an agreed amount would be put into the kitty.

Reply #5

Coin Toss — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 05:21:59 GMT

Well, since my usual play is a Pick 5 and if there's a small prize it's usually $1 (2 of 5) that goes right back into the Pick 5.

The occassional $10 for a 3 of 5 goes $1 or $2 for lotto.

If i get $100 for a 4 of 5 a part of that will go right to Barnes Noble.

Reply #4

BaristaExpress — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 04:47:35 GMT

I use that money to purchase more tickets (PB or MM). If the amount is only 2 - 10 dollars. Any winnings over that 10 dollars I'll apply it towards the next drawing when the time comes.

Reply #3

ThatScaryChick — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 04:17:15 GMT

I tend to stick to a certain amount. I won something like $24 on Powerball once, but decided to spread that amount on more then one game instead of blowing it all at once.

Reply #2

emilyg — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 04:07:43 GMT

Budget.

Reply #1

Uff Da! — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 03:56:42 GMT

I just stick to my budget. A few weeks ago I won $15 in the state lotto. But I only play the state lotto and MegaMillions when the jackpots are above a certain amount. When I went to cash in my tickets last week, both Lotto and MM were below the amount at which I play, so I just applied the $15 toward my groceries.

When you win a small prize

justxploring — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 03:28:41 GMT

Do you spend the entire amount on more tickets, or do you stick to your budget for the night?

I didn't make this a poll, since it's not just a yes or no question. For example, tonight I saw someone buying scratchers, he won some money and came back for more. I was only in the market for a short time, but he was still at the lottery counter buying tickets after I purchased my groceries.

This is my answer. I cashed in a ticket for $11 tonight. I then bought a dozen eggs, a loaf o... [ More ]