Mega Millions and Powerball Synchronized

Reply #25

CASH Only — Sat, 08 Feb 2003 03:52:13 GMT

Well, it had to end sometime.

Reply #24

CASH Only — Sun, 26 Jan 2003 12:06:59 GMT

Somehow the Energizer Bunny was cloned-which game has the original drummer

Reply #23

smd173 — Sat, 11 Jan 2003 17:01:00 GMT

Since PB uses 30 year annuity and MM 25 we can still compare them based on the Cash Options. And so far PB has still been out in front from every drawing during this cycle.

Reply #22

CASH Only — Sat, 11 Jan 2003 14:30:22 GMT

Bug: I've mentioned the 30-payment annuity for PB. Several other games have a 30-payment annuity: Florida Lotto, New Jersey (Pick-6) Lotto, etc.

Reply #21

Bug — Sat, 11 Jan 2003 14:26:47 GMT

Using a thirty year annuity may add the benefit of advertising larger jackpots and creating more hype. Don't know if has been commented on, but hype is what really generates the sales.

Reply #20

RJOh — Sat, 11 Jan 2003 14:08:41 GMT

Their jackpots amount were the same but they have different annuity length which affected their cash value. MM started with a better cash value, but Powerball had a bigger increase in its jackpot value during the first two rollover. I didn't compare their cash value at the start, so I have no idea what they were. I see Cash only has the facts. Thanks Cash only. RJOh

Reply #19

CASH Only — Sat, 11 Jan 2003 13:59:35 GMT

RJ: Since both games restarted at 10m, Mega has rolled over FIVE times; Powerball just FOUR (next Powerball tonight.) The PB cash value was 5.3m or 5.4m when the annuity was 10m; Mega was 6m or just below.

Reply #18

Bug — Sat, 11 Jan 2003 13:54:23 GMT

What was the cash value of each when they started

Reply #17

RJOh — Sat, 11 Jan 2003 13:52:08 GMT

I might have been wrong about which game's jackpot would grow faster, after four rollovers the cash values of each game are about the same.Powerball jackpot = $38M cash = $20.5MMegamillions jackpot = $35M cash = $20.2MRJOh

Reply #16

CASH Only — Mon, 06 Jan 2003 14:22:27 GMT

RJ: I agree that the size of the jackpot is the biggest factor in whether Joe Blow or Jane Doe decides to buy a ticket. However, it should not be the only consideration.

Reply #15

RJOh — Mon, 06 Jan 2003 05:36:44 GMT

I play the lottery for entertainment. If I ever conclude that it's a stupid game, I'll stop playing and find another source of entertainment, I won't waste my time wishing it was like some game some where else. Lotteries work pretty much the same no matter where they are, the only thing that make one more attractive than another is a bigger jackpot. Most players are willing to waste a few dollars in exchange for a chance at winning millions, that is the way I look at it.RJOh

Reply #14

CASH Only — Mon, 06 Jan 2003 02:38:25 GMT

RJ: From what I understand, when the WINFALL jackpot reaches $5 million, the other tiers are _supposed_ to pay about 10x the normal prize. After WINFALL is hit, the lower tiers will pay the usual prize until the $5 million jackpot cap again is achieved. My guess is you'll want Ohio Stupid Lotto to become more like WINFALL.

Reply #13

RJOh — Sun, 05 Jan 2003 23:09:35 GMT

To CASH onlyI use to travel to Michigan to play the BigGame, but after it became the MegaMillions and was added to the lotteries in Ohio, I had no reason to travel to Michigan. I doubt if WINFAL will ever have a jackpot worth the trip. I only travel 100 mi. for jackpots over $100M.RJOh

Reply #12

CASH Only — Sun, 05 Jan 2003 20:54:47 GMT

RJ: Except for Michigan. Speaking of MI, hope you'll be able to play WINFALL when it starts two weeks from today.

Reply #11

RJOh — Sun, 05 Jan 2003 20:50:29 GMT

I think the Powerball jackpot will continue to climb faster than the Megamillions jackpot helped by the annuity length, but also aided by the fact that the chances of winning a prize is better. When ever I've gone to Indiana to play the Powerball and talked to Ohio players who live near the boarder they say they prefer to play Powerball unless the jackpot of the Megamillion is over 100M. For them both games are available in their travel area, so Powerball get their money most of the time. I s... [ More ]

Reply #10

CASH Only — Sat, 04 Jan 2003 13:10:47 GMT

RJ: Regardless of Ohio's motives, NO player wanting the lump sum should receive a smaller cash value in lump sum than the cash value of the annuity the winner would be paid from if they wanted the annual payments. If anything, Ohio should be ENCOURAGING winners to take the lump sum so that the Ohio Lottery would have less paperwork in the future, etc.

Reply #9

RJOh — Fri, 03 Jan 2003 23:18:36 GMT

Ohio has stated in the past that it inflated the jackpot to increase ticket sales so the jackpot amount do not reflect ticket sales, however winners who elect the annunity expect to be paid the jackpot amount regardless of ticket sales. It's a gamble for the state that must pay off in the long run or they would not do it.RJOh

Reply #8

CASH Only — Thu, 02 Jan 2003 21:38:48 GMT

Mega88: If I were in Ohio (I live in NY) I would prefer Mega Millions over Ohio 6/49. Ohio apparently subsidizes winners who choose ANNUITY (the cash value of Ohio 6/49 is only 44% of the annuity, whereas in Powerball, which like Ohio 6/49 has the annuity option as 30 equal annual payments, the cash value is _54_%.) Also, Ohio still has that stupid Kicker game, which can only be played in conjunction with Ohio 6/49. Watch for the WINFALL game starting this month in Michigan...you'll probably hop... [ More ]

Reply #7

mega88 — Thu, 02 Jan 2003 20:01:07 GMT

Hi, Guys/Gals,I think in the long run PB would be doing better than MM despite the fact that population in MM states is larger than PB states. Most of the PB states are relatively small and have much smaller jackpot lotto games. Most of the MM states have larger size jackpot game which is somewhat comparable to MM jackpot. I guess most of the time people in MM state prefer state lotto although the jackpot is smaller than MM but the odds are much betters. For me, what's the difference between 10... [ More ]

Reply #6

visiondude — Thu, 02 Jan 2003 06:43:54 GMT

todd, sounds good to me. i live in georgia and have tons of places to buy mega-millions tickets. i had to drive for 1 1/2 hrs to get a powerball ticket. don't want to have to do that again (lol). plus i want to see cash only's prediction of a mega-millions 500+ jackpot in march 2003 come true. i would only have to travel about 45 min (give or take) to collect it(lol).........vision - i see more than you think i do - dude

Reply #5

Todd — Thu, 02 Jan 2003 03:35:26 GMT

Yeah, I saw the $20 mil tonight. Holy smokes - it goes from 12 to 20! I think that big of a jump goes beyond cashing winners and the longer annuity period. The Mega Millions state lottery directors should get on one their their lovely conference calls and figure out how to match it

Reply #4

CASH Only — Thu, 02 Jan 2003 03:27:38 GMT

Powerball $20 million. Mega Millions $15 million. People who are cashing small PB winners from the recent jackpot run probably aren't spending it on MM.

Reply #3

CASH Only — Wed, 01 Jan 2003 11:14:26 GMT

My guess is Powerball will be MORE than $15 million if no winner tonight. Remember that the PB annuity is now 30 payments vs Mega Millions' 26.

Reply #2

smd173 — Sun, 29 Dec 2002 19:11:04 GMT

I think you'll find that for the first 6 and 7 drawings that MM will out gain Powerball. But dventually Powerball will over take it.I think we've discussed before that there are actually more people in the 10 MM states than the 25 Powerball jurisdictions. And I think because of this you'll initially see the MM jackpot grow just a tad bit faster.

Reply #1

CASH Only — Sun, 29 Dec 2002 15:04:45 GMT

Todd: Wednesday is New Year's Day. Still, I predict PB will increase faster (assuming both pots continue to grow.) Powerball was just hit at 300+ million vs 63 million or so for MM. Hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of unclaimed small prizes for PB probably will be put back into PB.

Mega Millions and Powerball Synchronized

Todd — Sun, 29 Dec 2002 14:56:28 GMT

I think this is the first time since both MM and Powerball were changed that they are in perfect synchronization. What I mean is that the jackpot for both games was hit during the same drawing cycle (MM on Tuesday, Powerball on Wednesday). Both jackpots reset to $10 million.It should be interesting to see which jackpot grows faster. It is a perfect comparison, because the there can be no excuses of cyclical ticket sales (i.e., day of week, seasonality, holidays, etc.) impacting the jackpot gr... [ More ]