still playing since the matrix change?Prev TopicNext Topic

• LOTTOMIKE

  

  Tennessee
  United States
  Member #7,853
  October 15, 2004
  11,352 Posts
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  Mar 19, 2006, 11:20 am

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  how have your purchases changed since the matrix was raised on both powerball and mega millions last year?

  
• weshar75

  

  Mcminnville, Oregon
  United States
  Member #3,013
  December 13, 2003
  6,173 Posts
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  Mar 19, 2006, 11:35 am

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  I play the same as I did before the change.  So no change.-weshar75
• LOTTOMIKE

  

  Tennessee
  United States
  Member #7,853
  October 15, 2004
  11,352 Posts
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  Mar 19, 2006, 11:36 am

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  i think this will be a good poll.i cut down but i still play......

  
• ryanm

  

  Morrison, IL
  United States
  Member #4,657
  May 13, 2004
  1,885 Posts
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  Mar 19, 2006, 12:48 pm

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  Yep, only one ticket per draw now for Powerball, regardless of jackpot size. Also no more Mega Millions even if its jackpot sets a record. Before the matrix changes, I played whichever one had the larger jackpot, but I'm tired of the games feuding so I'm staying with my state at all jackpot levels.
• dvdiva

  

  United States
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  September 17, 2003
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  Mar 19, 2006, 1:01 pm

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  For me it's always been a certain jackpot level. I don't bother with Powerball unless it hits the cap due to their terrible annuity. Megamillions just doesn't seem to have what it takes to crack 300 again. Looks like just another year of disapointment for megamillions jackpots. Euromillions is now my favorite game. I just wait for it to get at the 85 million pound level or higher.
  
• Uncle Jim

  

  Indiana
  United States
  Member #29,195
  December 29, 2005
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  Mar 19, 2006, 2:03 pm

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  I don't ever play MegaMillions of EuroMillions.  I do play Powerball and I play for every draw regardless of size.  I also (wisely) choose to play Powerplay.  But since the matrix changes I play no more than my usual amount.  Last year before the changes I would often take a few extra chances.  Now I play the same every week.

  Jim 

  
  Money frees you from doing things you dislike.  Since I dislike doing nearly everything, money is handy.  - Groucho Marx
• justxploring

  

  Wandering Aimlessly
  United States
  Member #25,359
  November 5, 2005
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  Mar 19, 2006, 2:46 pm

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  The matrixes are getting ridiculous. I suppose people love to see those big numbers, but I'd rather have a better chance at winning. Since both are not offered in FL, I don't play either game. Since I haven't won much playing a 6/53 game I don't know why a game with odds of 175M to 1 would be any luckier for me. That said, I enjoy playing games so I might still give both a shot once in a while if they were available locally even with great odds.

  By the way, I learned something this week. Never ask someone who doesn't play to pick you up a ticket! Since it's my birthday, I asked my sister in MA to pick me up some MM tickets.  Normally the answer is no, but I'm 55 today and figured that it might be my lucky year. She doesn't have a clue about playing the lottery so I asked her to just get me 5 QPs.  I don't want to imagine how I'd feel if I predicted the right numbers and she goofed.  So guess what? I got an email on Sat saying "I heard nobody won last night, so there was no sense in wasting a stamp to send them to you." I replied and then tried to reach her by phone and left a message explaining that even 5/6 or 4/6 could win a lot of money. I hope she wrote down the numbers! (although without them, what good would it do?) I hesitated before posting, because I'll become defensive if anyone (like Chewie) gets mean since we often joke about the IQ of some of the people we read about. However, she's an accomplished pianist, speaks at least 3 languages and is one of the best read people I know. Some people are just oblivious to the lottery games.

  So if I ever have some extra money, maybe this is one good reason to use PTS!! 
• RJOh

  

  100

  mid-Ohio
  United States
  Member #9
  March 24, 2001
  20,272 Posts
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  Mar 19, 2006, 2:58 pm

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  I like playing both PowerBall and MegaMillions, but since the matrix changes with the additional states, MegaMillion jackpot recovers faster after a win and I don't get the urge to travel for PowerBall tickets as often.  I only travel to Indiana to buy PowerBall tickets when its jackpot is over $200M+ and MegaMillions isn't even close.

  I general play MM as often as I ever did, the jackpot amount is not really an issue to me because I would be happy to match 5+0 for $250K any time.

   * you don't need to buy every combination, just the winning ones * 

         
  
• LOTTOMIKE

  

  Tennessee
  United States
  Member #7,853
  October 15, 2004
  11,352 Posts
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  Mar 20, 2006, 3:19 pm

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  i like the fact that they raised the payouts but is gotten to where its harder to win......

  
• ryanm

  

  Morrison, IL
  United States
  Member #4,657
  May 13, 2004
  1,885 Posts
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  Mar 20, 2006, 5:22 pm

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  I remember when the MUSL announced its matrix change it anticipated players complaining about the game being harder to win and it responded by suggesting they play Hot Lotto if they don't like ridiculous odds. There is no game that can get enough sales to support high payouts if the game does not have astronomical odds like Powerball and Mega Millions do. I remember last year Powerball got a lucky string of wins and sales tanked - that is reality. Players will either complain the game is too hard to win when there aren't many wins or will complain the jackpot is too small for the odds when players actually are winning like last year (which is what the MUSL was supposedly responding to when it changed the PB matrix - that and a desire for an increase in match 5+0 payouts, which was long overdue).
  
  I also remember last year a LP member suggested Powerball reduce its matrix to 18 million combinations but keep its starting jackpot at $10 million. Such a game unfortunately would put lotteries in the red and you can't win a lottery that is bankrupt.