With new MM will some people buy 15 tickets hoping to get Powerball number?

Reply #23

GiveFive — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 06:41:56 GMT

You're correct, it only pays 1 dollar, but then if you happen to match three numbers in the other set drawn, then you'd win a nice prize.

In my office pool, when we play PB, I cover as many of the 35 PB's as I can. (Sometimes we dont have enough people in the pool cover all 35 PB's.) Last time we played, we won 4 bucks because we had the PB, but if we happened to have 3 white balls along with the red PB, then we'd have won $100.

As for the four bucks we won, it's going to buy two additio... [ More ]

Reply #22

LottoMetro — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 16:16:00 GMT

The winner is random so there are probably just as many first timers or those who rarely play as there are faithful players. I play only when jackpot is high because in the absurdly astronomical unlikely to ever happen event that I DO win, I want it to be worth the time and money spent playing. Why waste money on such terrible odds unless the payoff is going to be really great??? People think that playing every draw somehow magically improves their chances of winning, but that couldn't be furthe... [ More ]

Reply #21

rdgrnr — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 15:38:34 GMT

I've actually tried that strategy 3 or 4 times with the Tennessee Cash game which has only 5 Cash Balls.

Played all 5 Cash Balls and QP'd the rest.

Nothing.

And I mean NOTHING!

You know that music the terminal plays when you win something?

Well, when a clerk runs a Tennessee Cash playslip through the terminal, it plays a recording of The Dragon Lady cackling.

Reply #20

OldSchoolPa — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 15:37:49 GMT

What's the difference between having the winning numbers on a playslip you didn't play because the jackpot was too low and being the star of the moment in name your state Mega Millions lottery press conference? Playing every drawing regardless of jackpot amount. My thought is that the jackpot amount only matters to the person or persons who have the winning tickets. Otherwise, it truly does not matter. Now if you are on a fixed budget that does not allow you to play every drawing, then it might... [ More ]

Reply #19

Mr E — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 13:34:59 GMT

I may try this when the jackpot reaches $500 million or more. Otherwise, I'll stick to my $4/week for MM.

Reply #18

THRIFTY — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 18:17:48 GMT

I would play all 15 mega balls in one drawing, if the lottery choose as the only jackpot winner.

Reply #17

Jon D — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 23:24:56 GMT

And on the first MM draw of the new matrix, despite typical minimal sales of about $16M, two people managed to snag the 18M odds 5/5 2nd prize. I wonder if anyone's thinking, hmmm, if only I had played the same numbers with all 15 Mega balls, I'd have hit the Jackpot!

That if only is key to getting people to open their wallets and plop down more money on extra lines and megaplier, etc. All part of the plan.

Reply #16

Stack47 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 19:41:48 GMT

15 lines covers every number with one of the 15 bonus numbers. When there was 46 bonus numbers, it took 31 more lines to get the same coverage. The payoffs are smaller, but any mathematics professor emeritus will tell us more coverage means more chances of hitting the jackpot.

Reply #15

Jon D — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 22:22:45 GMT

Yep, I think that's all part of the grand plan.

They could have gotten the same odds by going from 56/46 to 62/40 or something, but they chose 75/15 and diverted a lot of funds for the $1 9th prize to attract casual players. Side benefit is enticing power players to buy more combos with the 15 mega balls.

Reply #14

RJOh — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 21:54:05 GMT

That's still better than before when you had to buy 46 tickets to guarantee yourself at least a $2 win.

Reply #13

Artist77 — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 21:34:23 GMT

Do you know who Gary Grief married? Melancholy Grief. Their son is named Grim Reaper Grief. The cat is named Woeful.

Reply #12

Coin Toss — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:58:05 GMT

We'll probably see a system for playing all the Mega numbers in Systems before the first drawing with 15 numbers in the bottom matrix.

Reply #11

maringoman — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:30:35 GMT

The problem with that strategy is that you spend $15 and most likely only get $2 back. $13 loss in one drawing. If you are unlucky and can't catch any of the white balls in the next 9 draws (month) then you are down $117. Are you willing to spend $117 in a month, playing just MM? Not worth it IMO.

Reply #10

LottoMetro — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:17:58 GMT

No more a fool than those who buy one ticket for 15 draws. You don't have to play every drawing. In fact, your chances of winning with Megaball are 100% if you buy 15 in 1 drawing, and only 64% if you buy 1 for 15 drawings.

Reply #9

Nydebbie — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:14:07 GMT

I think that you are a fool if you buy 15 tickets , and you really need to call the 1-800 mega fool number. I going just get a quick pick for two dollars . Four dollars a week now no more eight for myself.

Reply #8

Saylorgirl — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:05:27 GMT

You do realize that if you match one of the 15 mega balls it only pays 1 dollar. If you want a 2 dollar win you have to purchase the multiplier for an additional 1 dollar. So you would be paying out 30 dollars for the chance to win 2 dollars.

Reply #7

psykomo — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 18:15:07 GMT

SG:

After psyko trie$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$and trie$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

TRIE'$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$and spends moe mony moe mony

PSYKO will break DOWN and maby WIN 2 dollars and maby have

a better chance of winning something

Reply #6

billionaire2bee — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 16:17:18 GMT

I was thinking the same thing too, just as a lark, cause Ive dropped $20 on tickets before and not won a thing LOL At least with this you know you're guaranteed a $1 return...Also I think its cool that we can now play our entire birthdates (for the ones who have double digit birth months) and also our friends and families birth years...Im going to try some of those combos

Reply #5

str8ca$hhomie — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 15:01:42 GMT

There should be a billboard sign erected in every State that allows the Mega Millions Drawing. The billboard sign should be in the form of a Wanted Poster that reads something like this:

WANTED

(Insert Picture Here)

Gary Grief

Executive Director Mega Millions Lottery

For Trying To Fool The Public

Reply #4

Saylorgirl — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 14:21:52 GMT

Lets see I can spend $15 to be guaranteed a $1 return. I am not desperate enough for a win to pay out $15 for $1. I don't play for small jackpots anyway if I win something great but I am only in for the jackpot.

Reply #3

bigbear29 — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 13:37:56 GMT

Is this what it has come too? Play the lottery to win the smallest prizes, mmmmmmm! For Mega Millions do a quick pick and hope to win.

Reply #2

Stack47 — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 13:03:21 GMT

If you buy all 15 MM bonus numbers, you'll win at least a buck. There is a 43% chance one of your MM bonus numbers will match the PB bonus number too. Why are some MM players hoping to match a PB number

Reply #1

shyguitar — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 12:04:30 GMT

Hi again,

I should have said in my initial post not hoping to get the powerball number because if someone bought all 15 tickets they surely would at least get the powerball number.

With new MM will some people buy 15 tickets hoping to get Powerball number?

shyguitar — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 12:00:28 GMT

Hi everyone,

I'm wondering with the new MM matrix will some people buy 15 tickets (picking their own numbers) and make sure to play all 15 powerball numbers in the hope that at least they will win the 2 dollars and maybe think they have a better chance of winning something