Cash 4 Life Coming to PA. For current players in Other States, this is Bad!

Reply #28

OrangeCrush — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 01:24:56 GMT

Cash4Life is starting in Virginia in May. I came here to see if there was any info on it because I got confused reading the convoluted rules.

Don't know if I will play this one at $2.

Reply #27

rcbbuckeye — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 01:12:21 GMT

States are bringing these games out because they need to sell tics at $2. They're trying like mad to increase revenue. If they can't get people to buy the old fashioned games at $1 a pop, then start new games at $2.

Texas started up this All or Nothing at $2, and they're bringing out a new game later this year called Triple Chance or some such name, at $2.

I would rather drop $2 on 2 Step or Lotto, or even Daily 4.

Reply #26

Stack47 — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 00:57:10 GMT

PA has 13 other lottery games not including scratch-offs so it's not like some of western states with very few game choices. I really don't expect to see long lines forming to play Cash4life, but the game will get a following regardless of the remote possibility of splitting the top prize.

MMC wasn't PA's baby, they just went along with the rest and after a couple of drawings, everybody figured out $5 a ticket wouldn't fly and the possible liability could cost millions.

It's obvious you do... [ More ]

Reply #25

Ron5995 — Sun, 12 Apr 2015 11:31:48 GMT

While the odds of a Top Prize split is very small, the game is flawed nevertheless. More who play, worse the payouts can get. Doesn't scale. Lottery officials know this and hence the numerous liability limits; burying the details in marketing materials. Be an ok game for in-instate or even a couple of moderate population states (ie. PA NJ) selling together. However, Cash4Life has no viable future in its current incarnation being sold across numerous states.

As the recent frequent Powerball hi... [ More ]

Reply #24

Stack47 — Sun, 12 Apr 2015 00:03:05 GMT

Lucky for life and Cash for life are basically the same type of game and it should say $14 worth of tickets for $6 . Found out matching the bonus number pays $4 so it will be $16 worth of tickets for $6 when I cash and buy two more tickets.

Reply #23

RJOh — Sat, 11 Apr 2015 19:51:23 GMT

Does KY lucky 4 life and PA cash 4 life have the same rules, payouts and prices? How can you get 14 tickets for $6

Reply #22

Stack47 — Sat, 11 Apr 2015 03:45:17 GMT

Bought three Lucky for Life tickets on Monday, cashed for $6, bought three more tickets for Thursday, and won $4. The worst I'll do is getting 14 tickets for $6, but not exactly encouragement that I'll win a jackpot.

It's more likely the $1000 a week prize will be divided.

Reply #21

Coin Toss — Sat, 11 Apr 2015 00:29:42 GMT

Stack47,

They sure did make it difficult to find. I see no reason they didn't put it on the PA lottery game rules instead of burying it in a Department of Revenue Notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

If there was ever a reason that a player should never assume a solo jackpot this game is it.

Reply #20

Crazy Wombat — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 13:28:18 GMT

I haven't read any comments about this section paragraph (f) and exactly what it means ... but first and this makes the game a no play for me ... there is no money paid every four years for Leap Year (Feb 29th) ... a person better have a few dollars tucked away to make it from Feb 28th to March 1st !!!

* Leap Day does not count for purposes of prize calculation.

So if a person is 18 yr old when they hit the top prize ... and they live to be 95 years old then they will keep getting $1000 a... [ More ]

Reply #19

Stack47 — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 07:32:32 GMT

If there is more than one and less than or equal to fourteen Top Prize winning plays among the Party Lotteries, the annuitized payment based on an annuitized prize value of $1,000 per day will be divided by the total number of Top Prize winning Plays.

I assumed they had some type of safety net, but it looks like they made it difficult to find. They use the asterisks on their PB prizes and odds link.

If the PA players want to bet $2 on a 22 million to 1 long shot trying to win $7 million, i... [ More ]

Reply #18

RJOh — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 06:08:54 GMT

7. Prizes available to be won and determination of prize winners:

(a) Cash4Life prize winners will be determined as follows:

(1) Top Prize. Holders of tickets upon which the Cash4Life Play matches the Cash4Life Winning Numbers selected by the Drawing Officials for the Cash4Life Drawing in which the Cash4Life Play is entered, shall be the winner of the Top Prize.

(i) Shares of the Top Prize shall be determined as follows:

(A) If there is one Top Prize winning play among the Party

Reply #17

Coin Toss — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 04:01:11 GMT

From a link in the game rules link. Go to this part of the link you provided:

Check Lottery results to see how many numbers you match and view the official Cash4Life rules here.

Section 7:

ww.pabulletin.com/secure/data/vol45/45-14/635.html

(i) Shares of the Top Prize shall be determined as follows:

(A) If there is one Top Prize winning play among the Party Lotteries, the annuitized Prize value will be $1,000 per day for Life, paid in annual installments of $365,000, or a one... [ More ]

Reply #16

dr65 — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 03:02:09 GMT

The only game I'll fork over $2 for is Match 6. I like the game and it's 3 lines for $2 with 2 ways to win.

Match numbers in a field of 18 or match numbers in a line of 6...the games are 3 lines for $2.

That one and its $2 price tag suits me fine. It's actually fun and was banished until PA thought better

and brought it back. Good decision.

Cash 4 Life...bad decision.

Reply #15

Stack47 — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 01:25:49 GMT

Some of the people posting on LP have difficulties understanding odds of 22 million to 1 or comparing odds of 7,282,016 to 1 of winning $50,000 a year to the odds of 5,153,633 to 1 of winning $1 million playing PB.

I found nothing in the game rules indicating the top prizes are lower if there are multiple winners.

Reply #14

RJOh — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 20:16:21 GMT

The more who play those games, the worse the potential top prize payouts are for players. It's likely most won't notice, but savvy players very much will.

A lot of the newer lottery games aren't meant for savvy players, but until they have a large enough audience to produce multiple jackpot winners that shouldn't be a problem. There could be a problem with multiple second prize winners, especially if there are more than two at the same time quite often. Sounds like the top prizes payout will... [ More ]

Reply #13

TheGameGrl — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 00:45:27 GMT

Ron, Is there a list of avg hits per year for grand prize? By state?

I mean no disrepect to those who wish anonymity yet would be curious how often its actually hit in a years time and which state claimed it?

In my home state-PA I am giving it a go for a few plays. I actually did well on the Monopoly game (despite public opinion, I faired well). Just curious if even the 1k a week is hit often

Reply #12

Voodo$ — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 23:25:24 GMT

I quit MM going for cash 4 life.

Reply #11

Ron5995 — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 00:08:08 GMT

Cash4Life sales in Pennsylvania start tomorrow Apr-7th. Cash option, subject to periodic change, for Top Prize is $7 million and for 2nd prize is $1 million.

Not keen on the Top Prize sharing nor the seemingly tight, convoluted prize liability limits; game doesn't scale - more who play, worse the payouts can get.

However, definitely going to try Cash4Life out, and occasionally play it.

My hunch is it will be around for awhile and then be reworked / replaced with something else. Doesn't... [ More ]

Reply #10

Ron5995 — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 18:01:27 GMT

Very true. However, as more lotteries join, the odds of a jackpot split will increase. Main reason I raise the issue is to illustrate there's a flaw in the game, which is counter-intuitive - the more who play, worse the payouts potentially get. Generally not what one expects for a multi-jurisdictional game.

Many players assume such games are well researched, simulated, etc prior to release. And yet numerous games have been released having serious, yet often obvious, flaws. Monopoly Millionair... [ More ]

Reply #9

mediabrat — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 04:44:17 GMT

Cash 4 Life (and Lucky For Life, for that matter) rarely gets won as it is. Perhaps it's too early to worry about multiple winners

Reply #8

GiveFive — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 11:45:41 GMT

I'm a New York State resident and I rarely play Cash 4 Life. I'm not exactly sure when the game began here in NY, it might be six months old.

I started to play it when it first came out, but the odds and 2 dollars per line soon turned me off. I didn't consider the fact that the game doesn't scale. It never occurred to me that as states were added it would not be a good thing.

As for Lucky For Life, that game is not available here in New York, but it's available in nearby Connecticut. I ha... [ More ]

Reply #7

Think — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 01:34:01 GMT

Cash 4 life is a scratcher in most states. I guess to avoid confusion the new Michigan Cash for Life scratchers are changing their names to

$500, $1000,$2500 and $5000 a week for life instead of Cash for Life. These appear to be replacing the $400, $800, $2000 and $4000 per week Cash for Life scratchers here.

The only real thing that Lucky for Life and Cash for Life draws have going for them are that they are on Mondays and Thursdays.

If I were doing it, I would have just switc... [ More ]

Reply #6

Crazy Wombat — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 10:58:31 GMT

I guess this is not a new game ... I see from Google that this game is already playing in various states, I had never heard of it before ... thought it was a completely new game starting in PA.

I think I have the information I was looking for ... I'm not really excited about it ... the odds are worse than a regular 6/49 game.

1 in: 21,846,048 -- $1,000 a day for Life

... I'd play if it was only $1 but not $2 ... I'll stick with Match 6 game odds but I could change my mind in the future.... [ More ]

Reply #5

Ron5995 — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 10:54:35 GMT

Yep, as a PA only game, the jackpot splitting would be mostly a non-issue. Sure, a split could happen, but extremely unlikely. Anyone doubting that need only look at Match 6, even when the jackpot is high, most always has only one jackpot winner.

Cash 4 Life is over 4 times more difficult than Match 6 at a mind boggling 1 in ~21 million. While that reduces the chance of a jackpot split verses Match 6, the number of potential players could easily be over 4 times more offsetting that. Add in a

Reply #4

Crazy Wombat — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 10:23:18 GMT

Thanks for the heads up Ron ... I was excited about this news when I read your first post ... then reality sunk in.

I was hoping it would be a PA game only ... when other states join it doesn't look all that great ... also it costs $2.00 a ticket ... that much I was able to find out.

I can't find (yet) much news about it, how many numbers in the total matrix, how many have to be hit to win the jackpot ... five, six ... more.

I'm tired of spending $2.00 on games ... $2 here, $2 there ...... [ More ]

Reply #3

Ron5995 — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 04:34:22 GMT

Talking about Cash 4 Life, but thank you for point out Lucky For Life. I didn't realize that game still existed. Thought it was being rolled into one, but looks to not be the case. From doing a little more reading, it appears Cash 4 Life will include New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia in the near future.

With that said, both games are similar in many respects, including splitting their respective jackpot prizes, if more than one player wins. Both Cash 4 Life and Lucky For Life d... [ More ]

Reply #2

ThatScaryChick — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 03:59:02 GMT

I don't mind the Lucky for Life game. I only buy one ticket every now and then, but I hope they don't change the matrix to make it harder to win prizes since more states continue to join. I don't even think there has been a jackpot winner since the change in January.

Reply #1

Coin Toss — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 03:18:52 GMT

Are you talking about a state game, Cash 4 Life? Or is it a NY-PA game?

Kentucky is the latest state to get Lucky For Life, they're not the same game.

Cash 4 Life Coming to PA. For current players in Other States, this is Bad!

Ron5995 — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 03:02:28 GMT

PA Lottery announces Cash 4 Life coming soon. Usually, a multi-jurisdictional game expanding is a good thing for both lotteries and players. However, in regards to Cash 4 Life, the opposite is true. The more lotteries that offer Cash 4 Life, the worse it gets for players... and in the long-run, for lotteries too.

If there's more than one top prize winner, the $1,000 a day for life top prize is automatically shared. Lower tier prizes can also easily split. So the more who play, the more likely... [ More ]