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Does your lottery listen to its customers?

Yes

[ 10 ]

[ 38.5% ]

[ 9 ]

[ 34.6% ]

Maybe

[ 4 ]

[ 15.4% ]

Can't guess

[ 3 ]

[ 11.5% ]

Total valid votes

[ 26 ]

Discarded votes

[ 3 ]

CASH Only

United States
Member #379
June 5, 2002
11,296 Posts
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Dec 26, 2006, 10:02 am

As you all know I like to complain about certain lottery practices, especially in my home state. I am not trying to upset other LP members, but, giving something for them to think about before buying tickets.
I don't think my lottery listens to me or any of its customers, or at least it doesn't seem so in recent years. It doesn't do surveys, or hold periodic meetings around the state. It also doesn't seem to lobby for changes that would make it more competitive with other states (our longtime regular lotto game has the lowest payout in the nation, if not the world.) And, of course, my lottery caves in to the interests of annuity companies (scratch games with no cash option) rather than the people who play the games.
You might suggest I move to another state, whose lottery is more player-friendly. However, I don't believe somebody should move simply because another state's lottery is better.
Coin Toss

Zeta Reticuli Star System
United States
Member #30,469
January 17, 2006
11,788 Posts
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Dec 26, 2006, 10:30 am

CASH Only
The only thing a lottery is going to "listen to" is ticket sales.

As long as there are enough people willing to play it, everything else is secondary.
Moving to another state because of a lottery wouls indeed be ridiculous, nothing says that state's lottery wouldn' change.

Those who run the lotteries love it when players look for consistency in something that's designed not to have any. So many systems, so many theories, so few jackpot winners.

There is one and only one 'proven' system, and that is to book the action. No matter the game, let the players pick their own losers.
RJOh

100

mid-Ohio
United States
Member #9
March 24, 2001
20,272 Posts
Offline

Dec 26, 2006, 1:25 pm

You not a customer unless you're buying tickets. If you're buying tickets for a game you don't like than you'll probably buy tickets for any game and what you think doesn't really matter.
Many Ohio lottery players said they didn't like Lot'O Play and they didn't buy tickets so next month the game will be replaced by an updated version of the old 649 game which was very popular in years past. Ohio listen to its players through surveys it takes but ticket sales also effected its decisions.

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

California
United States
Member #46,823
October 1, 2006
270 Posts
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Dec 26, 2006, 1:53 pm

I think the lottery listens to players in a few different ways.
First they look at sales. If a game is not performing (i.e. generating sales/profits for the lottery as expected) that is a indicator that something might need to be done.
Another way they listen through customer feedback. By this I mean the input submitted to the lottery from the people who play (or don't play) their games. Maybe they even monitor sites like Lottery Post to get a feel for what is happening in the customer's minds.
If these two methods show a weakness in a game, the lottery may go out and conduct research to found out what is happening for a given game or two. They would talk to a wide range of people; players, non-players, former players, retailers, etc. The information gathered would give the lottery a feel of why someting is happening to a particular game.
The lottery, while run by a state agency, is first and foremost a business. Any smart business listens to their customers in a number of ways. That is how thay can generate more sales and therefore make more money.
konane

USA
United States
Member #1,265
March 13, 2003
9,056 Posts
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Dec 26, 2006, 1:58 pm

Yes, the Georgia Lottery had changed dramatically for the better under the direction of Ms. DeFrancisco. We have lots of games with second chance drawings, promotions which give back to players which were all but non-existent previously.
Yes, Ms. DeFrancisco does seem to listen to what players (or focus groups) want which is awesome!!

Have fun and the best of luck to everyone!
four4me

MD
United States
Member #1,701
June 18, 2003
10,731 Posts
Offline

Dec 26, 2006, 2:02 pm

Quote: Originally posted by CASH Only on Dec 26, 2006
As you all know I like to complain about certain lottery practices, especially in my home state. I am not trying to upset other LP members, but, giving something for them to think about before buying tickets.
I don't think my lottery listens to me or any of its customers, or at least it doesn't seem so in recent years. It doesn't do surveys, or hold periodic meetings around the state. It also doesn't seem to lobby for changes that would make it more competitive with other states (our longtime regular lotto game has the lowest payout in the nation, if not the world.) And, of course, my lottery caves in to the interests of annuity companies (scratch games with no cash option) rather than the people who play the games.
You might suggest I move to another state, whose lottery is more player-friendly. However, I don't believe somebody should move simply because another state's lottery is better.

when was the last time you personally talked to a lottery rep.
do you think your one voice really matters.
what do you care how they conduct their affairs. loosers always complain the winners are probably thrilled they won.
if your so inclined get a job there and try and see how long you last putting down their practices

Big John says. You don't hit the number. The number hits you!!!!

I'm not Big John, I'm Four4me, Big John's a friend.
Bryan

Mid-Missouri
United States
Member #644
August 31, 2002
4,271 Posts
Offline

Dec 26, 2006, 3:17 pm

Are you kidding? MO does whatever they please whenever they feel like it. When we went to computer drawn picks they never even informed the players at all. I heard it on the news 2 days before it happen and MO didn't even put it on their website until the day it changed or the day after the change, I can't recall. They did the exact same thing when they changed the matrix on the Showme5. No warning at all. They don't tell us about any changes ahead of time so they don't have to listen to the whining I guess, and they sure as hell don't ask us anything about changes we would like to see. They do what they want, when they want, and if we don't like it we can quit playing, which is what I did right after they went computerized. I play online only, when I play at all. MO will never get another volunteered dollar from me for as long as I see fit, which may be as long as I live...
Bryan :)
CASH Only

United States
Member #379
June 5, 2002
11,296 Posts
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Dec 26, 2006, 4:25 pm

Quote: Originally posted by konane on Dec 26, 2006
Yes, the Georgia Lottery had changed dramatically for the better under the direction of Ms. DeFrancisco. We have lots of games with second chance drawings, promotions which give back to players which were all but non-existent previously.
Yes, Ms. DeFrancisco does seem to listen to what players (or focus groups) want which is awesome!!

Ms DeFrancisco used to run my lottery. I actually met her in 1999 at a store that sold a winning jackpot ticket. I was delivering NY Lottery New$ at the time.
In my case, the lottery may "listen" when it comes to declining sales, but not to player suggestions. As far as GA is concerned, maybe it listens to its players more than NY does, but they ignored those who wanted a cash option in the game that replaced Lotto South.
RJOh

100

mid-Ohio
United States
Member #9
March 24, 2001
20,272 Posts
Offline

Dec 26, 2006, 4:35 pm

CASH Only writes "Ms DeFrancisco used to run my lottery."
CASH Only, you should run your lottery your way and stop letting New York run your lottery their way.

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

USA
United States
Member #1,265
March 13, 2003
9,056 Posts
Offline

Dec 26, 2006, 4:35 pm

My understanding is the Georgia Lottery corporation is structured differently than the NY lottery, in that Ga is almost a stand alone corporation which allows more flexibility in decision making. That may be the core difference between your state and mine, and what each can offer. Our lottery seems more player friendly since she took over, also I'm getting back answers to questions I've emailed unlike before.
Personally I don't like the format nor low annuity payout of Win For Life so simply don't play it.

Have fun and the best of luck to everyone!
CASH Only

United States
Member #379
June 5, 2002
11,296 Posts
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Dec 26, 2006, 4:44 pm

Quote: Originally posted by konane on Dec 26, 2006
My understanding is the Georgia Lottery corporation is structured differently than the NY lottery, in that Ga is almost a stand alone corporation which allows more flexibility in decision making. That may be the core difference between your state and mine, and what each can offer. Our lottery seems more player friendly since she took over, also I'm getting back answers to questions I've emailed unlike before.
Personally I don't like the format nor low annuity payout of Win For Life so simply don't play it.

Personally, I consider the end of Lotto South the biggest lottery blunder of 1996. Just imagine if LS had added South Carolina. We'll never know.
four4me

MD
United States
Member #1,701
June 18, 2003
10,731 Posts
Offline

Dec 26, 2006, 4:48 pm

personally i think all lottery's have some kind of customer based feedback where they go out and talk to groups of people. some lottery's have VIP clubs and such. many lottery's depend on peoples feed back in order to better serve their customers. i also think lottery's are set up and have rules and guide lines by which they conduct their business that have to be voted on in order for them to implement certain game structures.
the fact they don't listen isn't true. The fact that they field more complaints than praise is true. I have had lottery reps tell me they have non stop calls from people complaining about how come there numbers didn't win and when are they going to draw their numbers. All people care about where the lottery is concerned is themselves winning money. They could care less how the games are structured. Sure everybody would like a game where they could win more and often who wouldn't. but the fact that they don't care isn't true. because without the players they have no monopoly.
EXCALIBUR

United States
Member #2,460
October 7, 2003
766 Posts
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Dec 28, 2006, 3:20 am

Somebody appears to have read my emails or at least a portion of each of my emails and sent replies.
But they don't seem to care what you say to them, they do only as they themselves want to, at least here on Tx.
People keep on buying lottery tickets, so the state does not have to listen to lottery players, not at all.

EXCALIBUR is no more that "Handle" is dead, gone.
Maybe sometime in the future I might come back as LANTERN again, but maybe not, if I don't come back as LANTERN in the future then I won't come back at all, but as I said there is no more EXCALIBUR.
CASH Only

United States
Member #379
June 5, 2002
11,296 Posts
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Dec 28, 2006, 9:46 am

Quote: Originally posted by CASH Only on Dec 26, 2006
Personally, I consider the end of Lotto South the biggest lottery blunder of 1996. Just imagine if LS had added South Carolina. We'll never know.

Of course, I meant 2006. I'm sure at some point next year I'll be writing 2006 instead of 2007.
As far as the best in US lottery news in 2006, it's between Pennsylvania announcing the end of Lucky for Life (to be replaced in January) and the never-ending Hot Lotto jackpot (now over $18m).

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