Mega Millions or Powerball?Prev TopicNext Topic

• Just6ntlc

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  Jun 7, 2005, 5:13 pm

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  Mega Millions holds the largest jackpot in June 2000 when it reached 363 million. Powerball with their 5/55 + 1/42 starts with a 15 million dollar starting jackpot with 27 states, D.C., and the Virgin Islands on 8/31/05 [first draw]. Mega Millions with California joining as the 12th state start with a 12 million dollar starting jackpot on 6/24/05 [first draw]. Which one will surpass 363 million jackpot grand prize? What is the highest jackpot sold in a multi-state game individual winner?
  
• JAG331

  

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  Jun 7, 2005, 9:31 pm

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  Where is the "Both" choice?
• weshar75

  

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  Jun 8, 2005, 4:13 pm

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  I think mega millions will be the first to do it but powerball will eventually get their too.
• JimmySand9

  

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  Jun 8, 2005, 4:59 pm

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  I'm gonna take a long shot and say P-Ball. Sure Mega Millions has the longer odds, but California is going to bring a lot more players than we may think. Less people will be playing Powerball, and therefore gives it a better chance of rolling high.
  

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• ryanm

  

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  Jun 8, 2005, 6:51 pm

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    Yeah, but if less players play Powerball that means it takes more consecutive drawings without a winner to produce a record jackpot.  Heck, just the last run, it took Powerball sixteen drawings just to break $200 million.  Mega Millions will make it first.
• twisted

  

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  Jun 8, 2005, 7:20 pm

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  I certainly think MM will break their own record first. Yes California will bring in a lot of potential winners, but that also means that the jackpot will rollover to a higher amount quicker.

  Powerball will get there eventually. The only thing I think will be a problem is that it will take a lot more drawings to get to a new record. But if you compare the amount of combinations in the new PB with the total population of all the states in it, you will find the ratio to be very high compared to the new MM. This might be a good thing which will prevent someone from winning the jackpot and give them longer jackpot runs. Also, I dont know if they got rid of that stupid rule which restricts the rollover amount to only $25 million once they reach a new PB all-time high. If they didnt, forget about PB reaching new highs anytime soon.

  When Florida decides to join a multi-state lottery, it will be interesting to see who they select. But if MM wont allow any new members, then I think the inclusion of Florida in PB will be very positive for it.
• ryanm

  

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  Jun 8, 2005, 11:23 pm

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  Powerball will never get rid of their match 5 bonus pool rule because they said it would discourage players from playing, since according to them, some players play only when there is a "record," and if they made a record at $700 million, they'd miss out on records at $400 million, $500 million, etc.
• MPJO

  

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  Jun 8, 2005, 11:36 pm

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  Why doesn't Mega Millions want to add more states?

   

  So North Carolina, Oklahoma and maybe Florida are all going

  to join Powerball?
• ryanm

  

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  Jun 9, 2005, 12:46 am

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  The reason Mega doesn't want more states is probably because they're afraid it will saturate the game and they'd have to increase the matrix even greater, which would probably start being detrimental toward sales when the jackpots aren't very high.
• dvdiva

  

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  Jun 9, 2005, 1:10 am

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  Quote: Originally posted by ryanm on June 9, 2005

  The reason Mega doesn't want more states is probably because they're afraid it will saturate the game and they'd have to increase the matrix even greater, which would probably start being detrimental toward sales when the jackpots aren't very high.

  I don't think so. If people were really good at math then they wouldn't be playing a multi-state game at all. 80 million vs 180 million is still staggering odds for people playing only 1-4 dollars per drawing it wouldn't really make any real difference.
  
• ryanm

  

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  Jun 9, 2005, 11:08 am

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    Are you saying they could make the odds 1 in 1 billion and players would still play!?
• JimmySand9

  

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  Jun 10, 2005, 2:27 am

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  Quote: Originally posted by ryanm on June 9, 2005

    Are you saying they could make the odds 1 in 1 billion and players would still play!?

  Of course people would play. There are smaller prizes to be had. And while 1 in a billion is a longest longshot, there's always a chance you could beat the odds. Anything is possible.
  

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• JimmySand9

  

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  Jun 10, 2005, 2:31 am

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  Quote: Originally posted by twisted on June 8, 2005     

  I certainly think MM will break their own record first. Yes California will bring in a lot of potential winners, but that also means that the jackpot will rollover to a higher amount quicker.

  Powerball will get there eventually. The only thing I think will be a problem is that it will take a lot more drawings to get to a new record. But if you compare the amount of combinations in the new PB with the total population of all the states in it, you will find the ratio to be very high compared to the new MM. This might be a good thing which will prevent someone from winning the jackpot and give them longer jackpot runs. Also, I dont know if they got rid of that stupid rule which restricts the rollover amount to only $25 million once they reach a new PB all-time high. If they didnt, forget about PB reaching new highs anytime soon.

  When Florida decides to join a multi-state lottery, it will be interesting to see who they select. But if MM wont allow any new members, then I think the inclusion of Florida in PB will be very positive for it.

  Florida could fit in either game. The more cosmopolitan Mega Millions would fit in South Florida, with South Beach and all that. And the more blue collar Powerball would fit up in North Florida, with it's more rural landscape. But what are we thinking. Florida won't have a choice. It's Powerball or start their own multi-state game.
  

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• LOTTOMIKE

  

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  Jun 10, 2005, 3:27 am

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  i think mega millions will have a lot of california winners.
• ryanm

  

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  Jun 10, 2005, 5:18 pm

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    Yeah, California is going to make the rest of the Mega Millions states very very jealous.