Wondering if I should go back to buying scratchers?

Reply #23

rdgrnr — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 18:56:05 GMT

I used to get the itch to scratch.

Not anymore though.

Too many hawks around here.

And clerks that coach 'em.

We need Lottery ATM's.

Reply #22

BigDMike — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 18:46:09 GMT

For the record... I scratch from time to time too. I typically buy a couple of them if I'm behind someone in line that does. I'll buy a couple of the same ones that they bought. I figure that they'll go to the car, scratch and lose. Sometimes the tickets that I bought are winners (fee tic or a couple of dollars), but nothing to really jump up and down about. Just like dropping a couple dollars on that machine on the way out of the casino. Sure would be nice to tell that story while the bells and... [ More ]

Reply #21

shyguitar — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 18:31:19 GMT

Hi dr65,

I hear what you mean about only having maybe 5 or so top prizes on a scratchoff game. On the 5 dollar scratch offs many times there might be 6 top prizes out of maybe 25 million tickets printed so the odds are pretty bad. On the 20 dollar tickets we may have 35 top prizes of 1 million and maybe 4 top prizes on 10 million but again the number of tickets printed will still be in the millions. I'm always checking my states website to see what is still available even though I haven't bee... [ More ]

Reply #20

BigDMike — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 18:14:37 GMT

There it is...ditto

Reply #19

Candlelight777 — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 17:24:55 GMT

See this is the key..keeping it fun!!

I always set a lottery budget for the year. I never look at it on a week to week cost bases because $20 a week doesn't seem like a lot, but by year's end that will translate into $1,040 in lottery spending. So I always determine what i am comfortable with losing based on total spending for the year, then i break that amount down weekly and that determines what i have to spend each week on the lottery. It's so easy to grab a couple extra tickets especially... [ More ]

Reply #18

RJOh — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 17:15:07 GMT

The things I don't like about scratchers are there are only a few tickets that can win the jackpots and if none of those tickets are in the town or store where you shop then you aren't going to win no matter the number of tickets you buy. You have to be where the winning tickets are when they are sold.

With lottery drawings, anyone who played the winning combination can win regardless of their location when the winning numbers are drawn. I just think it's easier to predict the winning combina... [ More ]

Reply #17

dr65 — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 17:09:55 GMT

I don't have much desire to play the big jackpot games - just once in awhile when the jp is high.

I like scratch tickets.

In your circumstance, considering you are looking for what way is the best to win a large jackpot or a decent

amount of money, I'd say continue on with what you're doing with PB, MM etc. You will spend less and most likely

have the same outcome.

Think about the top prizes in an Instant game...there are most times, 5 total. Out of 5 - 7 million tickets,

what... [ More ]

Reply #16

shyguitar — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 16:49:58 GMT

Hi BigDMike,

I can see your analogy of scratchers being the same as slots in a casino. The no control aspect as you mentioned is the most frustrating part. If I go back to playing scratchers will still be on a budget like I have been. When I first started playing the scratch tickets about 4 years ago I wasn't always keeping myself inline in terms of the amount I would spend but over the last year when I was playing scratchers I spent far less on them so losing wasn't as painful.

Reply #15

RJOh — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 16:49:55 GMT

You should check your figures. Most lotteries are designed to payout 50% of sales in prizes which include the jackpots. Since the few jackpot winners get the bulk of the payouts, the other players are lucky if they get back 20% of their money.

Reply #14

RedStang — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 16:29:20 GMT

Just think about all the chocolate truffles and chinese food you could of bought with those losing tickets. That should make it easier to walk by that machine.

Reply #13

shyguitar — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 16:25:56 GMT

Hi Ky Floyd,

I know that the lottery is out to make money and therefore 99 percent of people are never going to win a lottery jackpot, yet look at all the millions of people who play the lottery.?I'm just trying to make the most of my lottery budget and seeing if other people have had luck playing the scratchers. The odds are so astronomical on the draw games like MM and PB that scratchers might be more worthwhile for some people and wondered what people think.

Reply #12

BigDMike — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 16:21:59 GMT

Interesting...

Never really saw it from that angle. Thanks

Reply #11

HoLeeKau — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 16:06:50 GMT

One of the reasons I had stopped buying scratch tickets was because of the needle in a haystack theory. Since there are thousands of retailers that sell scratch tickets throughout my state what would be the chance of finding that elusive million dollar ticket

That's how I think about scratchers, too. You can buy the winning draw ticket from any terminal in any state that sells it. Just pick the right numbers, or buy your quick pick at exactly the right moment.

With scratchers, you ca... [ More ]

Reply #10

shyguitar — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 16:03:04 GMT

Hi olplugger,

I think you are smart to play for fun only. I've always been a realistic person who knows the odds are stacked against me but feel it's worth it to take the chance of winning someday over having zero chance by never playing. Good luck to you.

Reply #9

HoLeeKau — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 15:59:26 GMT

KYFloyd, I'd love your technique on how to lose only 50% of my money! I lose more than that, probably around 80%, especially when I'm playing scratchers.

Reply #8

KY Floyd — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 15:51:46 GMT

There are hundreds of different games, and I'm sure you can find one that suits yor particular desires.

Do you want a game that offers a near-zero chance to win $100 million while you lose about 50% of your money? There are two choices.

Do you want a game that offers an extremely small chance to win up to a few million while you lose about 50% of your money? There are dozens of choices.

Do you want a game that offers a very, very small chance to win up to a few million while you lose ab... [ More ]

Reply #7

sully16 — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 15:41:02 GMT

yes

Reply #6

shyguitar — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 15:39:10 GMT

Hi Tatototman65,

In the past I have tried playing the similiar tickets you mentioned . I've tried the 5000 dollar a week for life down to the 500 dollar a week to life ones and never had much luck with those. I love the concepts of those tickets though.

Reply #5

Jon D — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 15:35:27 GMT

...scrathers [sic] are the same as slots in a casino.

This is a common misconception.

Actually, to use the casino analogy, scratch games have more in common with table card games, and traditional lottery number games are more like slots or roulette.

With traditional number/lotto games, you are trying to predict the randomness of the computer or mechanical random number generator. You only have the illusion of control, trying to gain an advantage from randomness. Like a slot machine or r... [ More ]

Reply #4

noise-gate — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 15:23:17 GMT

If your pocketbook can afford it- why not.In the end its all up to you.

However never live with REGRETS.

Reply #3

BigDMike — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 15:03:46 GMT

In my opinion scrathers are the same as slots in a casino. You have no control whatsoever. I'd rather have some sort of contol in the outcome. If you were losing more than winning, what will change? The tickets won't...

Good luck

Reply #2

olplugger — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 14:58:14 GMT

Thanks for the post, shyguitar. I feel it's worth it to play both....regular lotto tickets and scratcher tickets. As far as worth it to gain more $$ . . . I have my doubts. I play for fun only. No matter how you decide to play, the odds against winning are enormous to say the least. However, it's also true that somebody will win if they keep buying tickets. Perhaps that somebody will be the olplugger, or shyguitar.

Lottery for me is purely a hobby with the potential of some return. Others may... [ More ]

Reply #1

Tatototman65 — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 14:54:28 GMT

In my opinion the only scratchers worth playing are the 'cash 4 life' type tickets.

Wondering if I should go back to buying scratchers?

shyguitar — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 14:17:58 GMT

Hi everyone,

I've mentioned many times how I've cut way back on my lottery spending and have just been playing the draw games like Mass Cash, MM, and Powerball. When I go to my state lottery website it seems that the people who win 1 million (well it's always less if you take the lump sum) tend to win them on the scratch tickets. There will occasionally be someone who will win 2nd prize on the PB and MM. Since the odds of winning a million are far less than the odds of winning 2nd place in PB... [ More ]