PA United States
Member #106,927
February 27, 2011
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Hi ... been reading here for some time, decided to join and ask this question. I myself would like to know what others have decided when it comes to playing the "extra" dollar on the PB and MM jackpot games, worth it or not worth it? I've gone back and forth on this for years. I play the extra dollar for a few months, usually hit nothing or if I do get a small hit ... it always seems to be the "2" times ball that comes out, at least it seems that way. After a few months of playing the extra dollar I decide it just seems to be a waste of money ... that I could put that extra dollar toward a second $1 PB or MM ticket or just save a few dollars for another game. Then I start thinking ... "but what if" the 5 regular numbers do come out, it's an automatic one million dollars. I live in PA and have been playing the lottery for almost 40 years ... I think the lottery started here in 1972 ... lots of money pumped out over those years with very little actual return. I no longer play the Daily Number game or any of the smaller type games or scratch off games. I decided to put my "limited lottery dollars" only on the larger jackpot games. For instance, in PA we have a $2 Match 6 game going off twice a week, then PB and MM ... just playing $2 on all those for the month will be $54 ... then if you play Cash 5 everyday, that's another $30 and maybe some plays on the Treasure Hunt game when it gets up around $60,000 to $100,000 ... so now I'm up to around $90 to $100 in lottery plays for the month. So I go through this debate of whether spending that extra dollar on the PB and MM is really worth it. That would knock off $18 from that $90, with gas heading to $4 / gal and food prices creeping up, lottery dollars are starting to get a little tight ... but that "what if" is always there ... what if those 5 numbers ever do come out? That million dollars sure would be better than $200,000 or $250,000. That's what I need, a million ... maybe get that beach house or the quiet vineyard somewhere, maybe finally find Shangri-La ... I swear the few times I have hit something, when I have played the extra dollar, it's always the "2" times ball that seems to come out ... probably just my luck. Would like to hear some thoughts from others ... thanks.
PA United States
Member #106,927
February 27, 2011
24 Posts
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Thanks for the replies ... as for my lottery budget ... I decided just before 2011 started to up my lottery budget to $100 (was spending $70) ... I actually need around $114 a month ... but I'm figuring (hoping!) that I can at least win $14 from all the lottery play. That would allow me to play the "extra" dollar on PB and MM and the other big PA jackpot games. I had it set to do this for three months starting Jan 1st and see how I did in monetary return ... I had a decent Jan return but a bad Feb ... I had a $100 hit on the PA Treasure Hunt game on Jan 6th so that pretty much made for a good Jan ...
However, just this morning I decided to change my lottery plan ... decided to try March and April with my new plan ... will see what my "return" ends up being. I decided to up my lottery budget from $100 to $200 and drop the Treasure Hunt ... unless it gets to $80,000 or more (that doesn't happen very often) but I am going to buy 5 tickets with the "extra" dollar for every PB and MM drawing left in March, starting with PB tonight. I still will only buy one Match 6 ticket and still play a Cash 5 ticket every night. Puts me around $228 a month but again I'm hoping for at least $28 in wins, more I hope, to keep it at the $200 mark ... Maybe with a little I might only be out $180 or less with a few good hits with a "4" or "5" multiplier ball.
Just feel like I have to try and shake something loose ... like many others, been at this way too long with not much to show for a return. ... thanks. Like to hear what others have for a lottery budget ... of course, if gas gets to $5 or $6 a gallon, may have to drop the lottery spending back down.
Florida - West Coast United States
Member #92,605
June 10, 2010
6,580 Posts
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Quote: Originally posted by duffy$ on Mar 5, 2011
Hi ... been reading here for some time, decided to join and ask this question. I myself would like to know what others have decided when it comes to playing the "extra" dollar on the PB and MM jackpot games, worth it or not worth it? I've gone back and forth on this for years. I play the extra dollar for a few months, usually hit nothing or if I do get a small hit ... it always seems to be the "2" times ball that comes out, at least it seems that way. After a few months of playing the extra dollar I decide it just seems to be a waste of money ... that I could put that extra dollar toward a second $1 PB or MM ticket or just save a few dollars for another game. Then I start thinking ... "but what if" the 5 regular numbers do come out, it's an automatic one million dollars. I live in PA and have been playing the lottery for almost 40 years ... I think the lottery started here in 1972 ... lots of money pumped out over those years with very little actual return. I no longer play the Daily Number game or any of the smaller type games or scratch off games. I decided to put my "limited lottery dollars" only on the larger jackpot games. For instance, in PA we have a $2 Match 6 game going off twice a week, then PB and MM ... just playing $2 on all those for the month will be $54 ... then if you play Cash 5 everyday, that's another $30 and maybe some plays on the Treasure Hunt game when it gets up around $60,000 to $100,000 ... so now I'm up to around $90 to $100 in lottery plays for the month. So I go through this debate of whether spending that extra dollar on the PB and MM is really worth it. That would knock off $18 from that $90, with gas heading to $4 / gal and food prices creeping up, lottery dollars are starting to get a little tight ... but that "what if" is always there ... what if those 5 numbers ever do come out? That million dollars sure would be better than $200,000 or $250,000. That's what I need, a million ... maybe get that beach house or the quiet vineyard somewhere, maybe finally find Shangri-La ... I swear the few times I have hit something, when I have played the extra dollar, it's always the "2" times ball that seems to come out ... probably just my luck. Would like to hear some thoughts from others ... thanks.
It sounds to me like you have a limited budget for playing the lottery so I'm a little reluctant to tell you what to do with regard to buying the Megaplier or the Power Play. But my hat's off to you, in that you know not to spend more money than you can afford to lose playing the lottery. Good job!!
Very recently in New York the following situation happened;
Someone went into a convenience store and asked for a MM QP. The clerk mistakenly punched up a MM QP with the megaplier. The customer refused the ticket, so the clerk bought it. The clerk's now one million dollars richer. Let that be a lesson to all of us lottery players, take the ticket even if it's not what you wanted.
This happened near Callicoon, NY. It's very rural there, and everybody that lives in that area knows everybody else living in the area. Can you imagine being the guy who refused the ticket? Every time he drives past that store he'll realize the woman in that store has what could have been his million dollars. I'm sure that's not a great feeling.
The same type of thing could happen to MM and PB second place winners that didnt buy either the Megaplier or the Power Play. While you'd feel great if you hit 5 numbers and collected $200,000 (PB) or $250,000 (MM) and then find out you could have won an extra $750,000 for spending just one more dollar, think how you'd feel. So I'd say, always buy the Power Play or The Megaplier.
I recently read that only 15% of all Powerball tickets sold have the Power Play option selected. That says 85% do not have the Power Play. Either people dont know about the Power Play, or they're awful cheap!!
PA United States
Member #106,927
February 27, 2011
24 Posts
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Yes C0w Pi3, that's certainly my thinking ... ever since that change was made to the PB ... an automatic one million with the 5 numbers regardless of the multiplier ... this is when that "to play or not to play" that extra dollar started with me. Of course I realize that trying to hit 5 numbers is just as hard as trying to hit the jackpot, most of us will probably never do it .... but I have to have my ticket (s) for the drawing, have to have HOPE ... we all know, No Ticket ... No Chance for nothing! That's why I concentrate more on the million dollar prize these days ... still a huge "longshot" but it could happen and of course ... I'm still covered for the Jackpot. Yes, that million dollar prize would set me up for a more comfortable life, especially during these times.
GiveFive .... OK, yes, I'm retired these days and I do have the budget in play these days ... but it actually goes back to my childhood. I remember my dad (1950's), who didn't really make much money but when he got paid by the factory ... he would take all the money out first that was needed to pay bills ... he had these white envelopes labeled ... Water, Electric and so forth, I can't remember all the labels today but there were several ... 7 - 10 envelopes maybe that he would put money into, the bills were always paid. I never forgot that, it kinda carried over into my life in my 20's when I found myself short for this or that bill. So this budget thing is just something I have always done. .... but when I was working, I would spend more on the lottery, especially when the jackpot was high on the PB or a PA game like Cash 5. ... but I never turned the extra dollars into any winnings ... just money wasted in the end. For instance, I did this four times with the PA Cash 5 ... every now and then the Cash 5 jackpot will get over a million dollars ... In the late 90's when it was over a million, I decided to spend $100 on that night's drawing ... I actually made 100 number combinations and tried those ... I was thinking, surely I'll get lots of 2 numbers and probably some 3 numbers and maybe a 4 number hit ... I won $4 ... out $96. So later when the Cash 5 was at a million again, I did the same thing again ... bought 100 tickets, this time I got "quick picks" ... same thoughts again in my head, surely I will get some of that $100 back with some hits ... I was thinking maybe $40 ... maybe more with some luck ... this time I won $6 ... out $94 ... OK, the jackpot didn't get hit and the next night it was really over the one million dollar total when they really jumped the jackpot up ... OK, I bought another 100 tickets for that drawing ... all "quick picks" ... I won $6 again ... out $94 ... so $200 spent in two days and I get back $12 ... I just couldn't believe I didn't get some tickets with 3 numbers or maybe at least one 4 number ticket. OK, to make this short, I didn't play $100 on the Cash 5 anymore till a few years ago ... maybe 2007, the Cash 5 jackpot was over the million dollars again and I decided to do this "one more time" ... I bought 100 tickets, all "quick picks" .... had high hopes and I actually had "a little more luck" this time ... I won $8 ... out $92. At least I gave it a shot but I am still amazed that I never won more money with all those tickets. I have one more story ... in 2008 when the PB jackpot was really big ... around $200 million I'm thinking ... I decided to buy some extra tickets for that drawing ... I bought 141 tickets with no Power Play ... $141 spent ... total return "0" ... didn't get a dollar back ... so that's when I decided ... all it takes is just "one ticket" to win. Been here at Lottery Post for many years reading "Winner's Stories" ... so many times these lucky people only had one ticket. OK, that's not 100 % true ... some people do buy extra tickets and win a jackpot but the greater percentage seems to be just having one ticket ... and some luck, of course.
So, I'm just experimenting with m limited lottery dollars and was curious what others are spending for the month ... play the extra dollar or not ... with the million dollar prize possible, makes for an interesting discussion. GLTA
Texas United States
Member #55,887
October 23, 2007
17,713 Posts
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I almost always play megaplier and powerplay, though I used to not spend the extra buck. Most of the time it's an extra dollar spent without any return, but I play it now because the odds are much better to get 5 of 5 without the mega/power ball, and I would be pretty mad at myself if I only won 200K or 250K instead of a million.
When I spent the extra dollar on another line instead, I usually still didn't win.
Illinois United States
Member #81,999
November 3, 2009
890 Posts
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Quote: Originally posted by rcbbuckeye on Mar 6, 2011
I almost always play megaplier and powerplay, though I used to not spend the extra buck. Most of the time it's an extra dollar spent without any return, but I play it now because the odds are much better to get 5 of 5 without the mega/power ball, and I would be pretty mad at myself if I only won 200K or 250K instead of a million.
When I spent the extra dollar on another line instead, I usually still didn't win.
I don't bother with the bonus play anymore. It's about baby steps. I figure i should win a sizable amount first like 2nd or 3rd prize before i start spending that extra dollar which could be spent on next drawing. And I only spend a dollar a drawing and only when jackpot's over 100. Remember it's a dollar and a dream. Good Luck!
Illinois United States
Member #81,999
November 3, 2009
890 Posts
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Quote: Originally posted by GiveFive on Mar 5, 2011
It sounds to me like you have a limited budget for playing the lottery so I'm a little reluctant to tell you what to do with regard to buying the Megaplier or the Power Play. But my hat's off to you, in that you know not to spend more money than you can afford to lose playing the lottery. Good job!!
Very recently in New York the following situation happened;
Someone went into a convenience store and asked for a MM QP. The clerk mistakenly punched up a MM QP with the megaplier. The customer refused the ticket, so the clerk bought it. The clerk's now one million dollars richer. Let that be a lesson to all of us lottery players, take the ticket even if it's not what you wanted.
This happened near Callicoon, NY. It's very rural there, and everybody that lives in that area knows everybody else living in the area. Can you imagine being the guy who refused the ticket? Every time he drives past that store he'll realize the woman in that store has what could have been his million dollars. I'm sure that's not a great feeling.
The same type of thing could happen to MM and PB second place winners that didnt buy either the Megaplier or the Power Play. While you'd feel great if you hit 5 numbers and collected $200,000 (PB) or $250,000 (MM) and then find out you could have won an extra $750,000 for spending just one more dollar, think how you'd feel. So I'd say, always buy the Power Play or The Megaplier.
I recently read that only 15% of all Powerball tickets sold have the Power Play option selected. That says 85% do not have the Power Play. Either people dont know about the Power Play, or they're awful cheap!!
I wouldn't say that it's always about being cheap. More like accepting the reality that it's near certain that you are not gonna win so just have fun with it and limit your losses. The mulitpler is a way for the lucky few to get richer while most everyone else lose more money. Don't think the state lottery would put it in place if it didn't work to their advantage lol...
I think I would be more estatic about winning that 200,000 or 250,000 than bummed out about losing out on the million. That's would be a fortune to me
adelaide sa Australia
Member #37,135
April 11, 2006
3,341 Posts
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oh and i should just add.,
theres no right and wrong way to play, we're all pie in the sky dreamers, hoping to be luckier than the odds dictate.
only rule to follow is go with your heart, its your money play how you want. at the end of the day its who holds the winning tickethas the biggest grin.
that leaves the other 99.999% of us with frowns :(
" Still swinging, still missing "
2014 = -1016; 2015= -1409; 2016 = -1171; 2017 = -1257 ; 2018 = - 1380 = TOT = - 6233
PA United States
Member #106,927
February 27, 2011
24 Posts
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Yes, I agree there's no right or wrong way to play those jackpot games ... everybody has a theory, a gimmick or something. I'll never forget when PA first started the lottery ... there weren't too many games when it started ... they had a Lotto game that went off on a Friday ... I can't remember if there was just one drawing or two when it started ... just one I think ... anyway, I was much younger then and I was "convinced" I would hit the Lotto game within 5 years ... that seemed like a reasonable goal. Well, the 5 years came and went, as well as many more "5 year segments" ... I am no longer "convinced" of anything! I just play these days with the hope something will hit.
I look at playing the lottery this way ... it's the same as if I were looking for gold out in the West somewhere. I have been wanting to make a move to the West ... I've had my "gold pans" ready for many years ... take for instance, that "old prospector" from the early days ... he goes around town trying to get someone or people to give him a grubstake for a trip into the mountains with the hope of finding the Mother Lode (Jackpot) ... but he needs that stake to get those mules and supplies for the 3 to 4 month trip into the gold/silver country. So I have always thought of myself as a "prospector" ... If I do make it to the West one day to get my gold pans wet, OK ... but for now in PA my looking for "gold" is playing the lottery. I don't go around town looking for a grubstake, I just stake myself ... instead of spending money on some mules and supplies ... I buy those lottery tickets ... hoping for the Mother Lode (Jackpot) ... every so often I hit a "Glory Hole" (not often enough!) in my hunt for the Mother Lode (Jackpot). The only thing I have in common with the old prospector these days is the word "old" ... but with the price of gold these days (and now silver also) I still have hopes of getting a claim somewhere in the West and looking for those nuggets. ... so remember, sinking money into mules and supplies or lottery tickets ... it's all the same ... the quest for the Mother Lode or Jackpot, that most people will never find but we can't let the odds stop us. ... no tickee, no winee ! ... GLTA
... Rowen ... yes, the lucky 29 yr old woman who hit the PB in NY with the "empty" checking account. She bought her ticket at a launder mat, anything can happen ...
adelaide sa Australia
Member #37,135
April 11, 2006
3,341 Posts
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funny you should mention gold fossiking. one of my idle dreams of when i win is getting a 4wd camper and loading up with a top of the range metal detector, some camping equip, a dog. and heading off to the gold fields.
this is if i won insane amounts of money. then i wouldnt really care if i never saw a speck of gold the whole time im there,just lay back not a care in the world. and do something ive had an interest in, but knowing it would be a struggle on my budget.
especially the not making a penny doing it, i sure cant afford that. but heheh win a nice pot i can see 6 months maybe a year just taking in some big sky and fresh air.
" Still swinging, still missing "
2014 = -1016; 2015= -1409; 2016 = -1171; 2017 = -1257 ; 2018 = - 1380 = TOT = - 6233
I want the jackpot or nothing.
