Mega Millions and Powerball both at/over $1 Billion. Your thoughts?

Reply #11

ressuccess — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 19:51:04 GMT

It was a good idea as my vote because I think about these huge jackpots in hand.

Reply #10

dallascowboyfan — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 17:05:52 GMT

If both reached a billion it would be crazy

Reply #9

KY Floyd — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 08:01:36 GMT

As Murgatroyd says, the chance of both reaching a billion at the same time is very small. Even both being over $500 million is very low probability.

If (notice the big if) it did happen it would be very interesting to see the resulting player behavior. If players split fairly evenly between the two we might see relatively modest sales for each. Instead of the roughly 630 million tickets that were sold for the record PB perhaps we'd see sales of about 300 to 350 million for each, or about that... [ More ]

Reply #8

Candy-Lane — Sat, 23 Jan 2016 22:53:39 GMT

I voted good idea because it has never happened before and, I think it would be fun.

I play for the entertainment. I took a grad level stats course as required for my PhD program so, I am well aware the odds are greater that:

I will be struck by lightning - twice; attacked by a shark; play for the LA Lakers; be abducted by aliens from outer space; win an Oscar; and become President of the United States.

I really get sick of hearing about it every time the news media starts in on the... [ More ]

Reply #7

thebizdude — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 02:39:28 GMT

I think it depends where you are. In CA, sales are pretty easily tracked because they reset the 2nd place (5+0) prize to $100K when its won, which it was won steadily during the large JP for PB.

Sales roughly doubled each draw until it was hit. The pari-mutuel pool for 5+0 winners went from $475K, $1.4M, $4.7M to $7.6M in the 4 draws up to being won. Number of people that split it steadily increased as well.

The JP sort of reflects that, too. Though, sales nationally seemed to be about th... [ More ]

Reply #6

Romancandle — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 02:11:24 GMT

You know, I dunno if there's enough demand to sustain both at the same time.

Seemed to me that once PB broke the 1Billion barrier.. sales sort of peaked.

The real sales frenzy (just a guess here) appeared to happen in the draw before the one that produced the winner(s).

I'm sure somebody here can clarify that or tell me I'm wildly wrong

Reply #5

travelintrucker — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 02:11:01 GMT

Different people that run Mega Millions and Powerball. It would cost jobs if they went to just one national lottery game.

Reply #4

ArizonaDream — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 01:24:03 GMT

I don't see the point of having 2 games where one copy-cats the other all the time. If that's truly what's wanted, drop one and increase the remaining one to 3 or 4 draws a week.

But, I hope they leave MM alone.

Reply #3

thebizdude — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 01:03:08 GMT

It could happen. And the same person wins both - with their identical set of 'lucky numbers'!!!

Immediate suspicion is raised when the winner is found to be employed by the company that manufactures the balls used in the drawings.

Reply #2

Murgatroyd — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 14:53:55 GMT

Even if you adjusted the odds like that, the chances of them both being over $1B at the same time are very close to zero. Also, with the tickets only costing $1, MM would need to sell about twice as many tickets to reach the same level, so even though it would have the same per-ticket odds, it's much more likely that there would be a winner before the jackpot reaches a billion.

Reply #1

wander73 — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 14:11:55 GMT

Bad Idea. With the economy still in the tank, unemployment where it is at, the way our world is no leave the mega millions alone.

i don't play as much and even if I can factor what other members think of the numbers that come out scary out there. If I can figure out a system on the numbers I will play them.

Mega Millions and Powerball both at/over $1 Billion. Your thoughts?

travelintrucker — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 03:15:13 GMT

I found a lottery odds calculator online, and MM would only have to extend the mega balls up to 18 to have roughly the same odds as Powerball. Imagine them both at/over $1 billion. How would you play? My thoughts - I think it's a good idea. It'd be like a 2nd chance for people who didn't win the first jackpot. I wouldn't change my playing.