Why do people try to pick numbers...

Reply #17

ca-dreamin* — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:33:17 GMT

I don't really care for MM or PB but the last time I broke down and bought a ticket(for MM) against my better judgement it was a QP. I'm thinking the highest number was in the 20's. LOL I felt like I should have just thrown my dollar in the trash. As much as I like to look at the numbers to see what they've been doing before I pick my numbers........ if I don't have the time I would rather pick numbers off the top of my head than do another QP. At least that way I can be happy with my numbers ve... [ More ]

Reply #16

rcbbuckeye — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:37:14 GMT

Yeah... everytime I think about playing 5 or 10 bucks on a drawing, I think about the people that won on a buck.

Keeps me from spending too much, which I do anyway sometimes. But I still like to pick my own numbers to keep from getting weird combos.

Reply #15

Nino224 — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:16:25 GMT

Sure, sure, sure. Workouts, rundowns, formulas, lazy players, etc....

Go tell that to the guy in Kansas that won 97 mill with a $1 QP.

Reply #14

recoveryroad — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:30:09 GMT

For a lot of people (including myself), when they believe the number range for a game is too high, they feel that it's hopeless to bother picking numbers and instead just play qp. For example the Powerball is out of 59 numbers and 39 ball numbers...that's a game I feel is pointless to even waste money on, let alone time. So I can understand where the people who play QPs on MM are coming from. I don't know if it's a question of laziness or just the feeling of being overwhelmed.... [ More ]

Reply #13

BobP — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:39:23 GMT

Early lotteries were really raffles, you bought a numbered ticket and waited to learn what was drawn. You were stuck with what they gave you, no way to change the hand you were dealt.

People wanted the chance to make their own luck by picking their own numbers.

Thanks to modern lotteries the number choices you make determine whether you win or lose. Can't get better than that.

BobP

Reply #12

joker17 — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:37:00 GMT

It's an illusion. The reason QPs win more often is because the majority of the bets are QPs, therefore more wins. This was talked about on the LP for years now.

Reply #11

ca-dreamin* — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:30:52 GMT

LOL Coin Toss! The mystery has been solved! More people play QP's because they don't know how to fill out the playslip!!!OMG LOL

Seriously I think rcbbuckeye had it right when he said people don't have or want to take the time to do number workouts . It seems like everyone plays the Mega game but I have never heard anyone talk about what numbers to play. They focus on the jackpot amount and just make sure they have their ticket. More than once I've been at the gas station behind people who wi... [ More ]

Reply #10

Coin Toss — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:05:06 GMT

dopey1779,

It's not anyone's stupidity, it's just the nature of a lot gamblers. People who play and lose and say, I want my money back should have never played in the first place.

rcbuckeye,

I think most people that buy QP's are just in the game so to speak, anddon't have or want to take the time to do number workouts

ca dreamin*,

I agree that most people are just in the game so to speak . Everyone I know who plays the lottery is more concerned that they have their ticket(s) for t... [ More ]

Reply #9

ca-dreamin* — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 17:19:33 GMT

Well said rcbbuckeye!

I prefer to choose my own numbers for among other reasons because I just don't like the combos QP's come up with.

I agree that most people are just in the game so to speak . Everyone I know who plays the lottery is more concerned that they have their ticket(s) for the upcoming drawing than what their actual numbers are.

There is also a very small group of people at my work who play in a Lotto Pool.......LOL let's just say I know the person who buys the tickets very... [ More ]

Reply #8

rcbbuckeye — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 14:45:52 GMT

It really does come down to luck in the jackpot games. I pick my own numbers for 2 reasons. Because I like to play with the numbers, and I don't want to take a chance with a QP that's a weird combination like 1-2-3-4-5-50.

In fact, there are times that I will use LP's RNG to play numbers. But, I can pick which combinations I want to use. Can't do that when buying a QP. What you get is what you get.

I think most people that buy QP's are just in the game so to speak, and don't have or want t... [ More ]

Reply #7

dopey7719 — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 09:00:37 GMT

Well Put! In the past I've spent $100 chasing down $20 that I'd lost....without even realizing it. After reading your post, it really put me to thinking....geez....never considered the fact that EGO could be the reason for my stupidity. I always looked at it as just winning my money back...lol...but you are so correct. Thanks for posting that. I think I really needed to read it.

Reply #6

Newb — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 08:37:32 GMT

Regarding the Mega Millions / Powerball figures, thats what I meant in second sentance. If more people are playing QPs and there are jackpot winners, then its no surprise most wins come from the QP selections. If the situation were reversed then most wins would come from the PS selection...well I would hope so.

Reply #5

lottocalgal — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 00:46:17 GMT

Well

The good news is.... The set of numbers that I play regularly, ( and forgive me if ive said this before) the set that I will play forever started out as a quick pick set. It didn't win, but I liked the numbers and I play them. as my regular set now. I originally checked their history and they have hit in patterns quite a bit. I KNOW they will hit together some day and I will be there to cash it in yeah

Reply #4

Coin Toss — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 23:08:33 GMT

Au contraire. That's just your opinion.

These are the results of the Illinois Pick 5 game for 2008 and thus far in 2009, which I'm using as an example because there is a drawing every day. This includes shared jackpots. QP = Quick Picks, PS = Player's Selections.

These were the 2008 results:

146 Jackpots

120 QP 82.19%

91 PS 75.8%

2009

To date:

144 Jackpots

121 QP 84.02%

80 PS 55.55%

So for the last year and 11 months combined;

290 Jackpots... [ More ]

Reply #3

RJOh — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:23:36 GMT

Have you not heard players after buying some auto/quick picks say These numbers are lousy, I could have picked better myself. ? Or after a drawing say I knew those numbers were losers, I should have picked my own or I had a hunch those numbers were going to hit, I should have played them .

I could go on but I think I've made my point.

Reply #2

Newb — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:08:54 GMT

The difference between the number of winners using quick picks and manual selection isn't that great. And it also depends upon the number of people that play quick picks vs the number that select manually.

Reply #1

Raven62 — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:54:56 GMT

Obviously: To Win! LOL

Why do people try to pick numbers...

BuyLow — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:12:26 GMT

When mostly quickpicks win? This mostly refers to pick 5 and 6 games, there do seem to be some that can pick 3 or 4 on a fairly consistent basis.

That is the question.