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The states work for its CITIZEN. Should the odds of winning be tipped a little more to the players?

Yes

[ 22 ]

[ 50.0% ]

[ 4 ]

[ 9.1% ]

Send 90% to fund schools.

[ 1 ]

[ 2.3% ]

Tipped the scale towards me!

[ 5 ]

[ 11.4% ]

Send it all to balance the federal deficit.

[ 1 ]

[ 2.3% ]

The states don't believe that they work for US!

[ 11 ]

[ 25.0% ]

Total valid votes

[ 44 ]

Discarded votes

[ 2 ]

Googler

Virginia Beach, Virginia
United States
Member #110,055
April 25, 2011
115 Posts
Offline

Apr 25, 2011, 12:27 pm

It seems like the States have us trapped like rats.

The lottery is fun, but the dark side is that it reveals your desires and short comings, while giving you momentary dreams of living like a king. It fills your brain with opiates of hope, but removes the drug quickly as the last ball drops.

When we win a few dollars and a few hit the JACKPOT, we are reborn, full of hope as we buy another ticket that is tipped against us breaking even. But it is fun!
RJOh

100

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

Apr 25, 2011, 12:47 pm

The states are in the lottery business to make money off people who enjoy gambling and can afford to lose a few dollars, they don't care about your dreams.

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

United States
Member #105,307
January 29, 2011
474 Posts
Offline

Apr 25, 2011, 1:00 pm

Quote: Originally posted by Googler on Apr 25, 2011
It seems like the States have us trapped like rats.

The lottery is fun, but the dark side is that it reveals your desires and short comings, while giving you momentary dreams of living like a king. It fills your brain with opiates of hope, but removes the drug quickly as the last ball drops.

When we win a few dollars and a few hit the JACKPOT, we are reborn, full of hope as we buy another ticket that is tipped against us breaking even. But it is fun!

No. Players know the odds when they buy tickets, provided there's no corruption, misrepresentation, fraud, flawed RNGs [allowing them to sell tickets for numbers that have zero chance of winning] or otherwise questionable practices on the part of the lottery operations.

But the premise that lotteries are public institutions is valid. Lotteries should maintain public access to all records concerning their draw results, where the money went, how much was paid out and any other information intended to remove public doubt about their practices.

At the moment they operate with impunity because the measures governing most businesses handling large amounts of money are carefully scrutinized by a wide range of regulatory authorities. Banks, stockbrokers, even casino operations are under an umbrella of standards and oversight.

But lottery operations slipped into view first as government operations once they'd taken it away from the mobsters, racketeers and what used to be called 'the numbers racket'.

Probably when it first began happening everyone assumed that whatever might happen, the lotteries would self-regulate more carefully and decisively than the Mafia they replaced.
Stack47

Kentucky
United States
Member #32,651
February 14, 2006
10,301 Posts
Offline

Apr 25, 2011, 6:12 pm

Quote: Originally posted by JosephusMinimus on Apr 25, 2011
No. Players know the odds when they buy tickets, provided there's no corruption, misrepresentation, fraud, flawed RNGs [allowing them to sell tickets for numbers that have zero chance of winning] or otherwise questionable practices on the part of the lottery operations.

But the premise that lotteries are public institutions is valid. Lotteries should maintain public access to all records concerning their draw results, where the money went, how much was paid out and any other information intended to remove public doubt about their practices.

At the moment they operate with impunity because the measures governing most businesses handling large amounts of money are carefully scrutinized by a wide range of regulatory authorities. Banks, stockbrokers, even casino operations are under an umbrella of standards and oversight.

But lottery operations slipped into view first as government operations once they'd taken it away from the mobsters, racketeers and what used to be called 'the numbers racket'.

Probably when it first began happening everyone assumed that whatever might happen, the lotteries would self-regulate more carefully and decisively than the Mafia they replaced.

"Players know the odds when they buy tickets"

That depends on how the lottery expresses the odds. A raffle game selling $500,000 unique tickets with four $1 million winners at $20 a ticket will say each ticket has a legitimate 1 in 125,000 chance of winning one of the four jackpots. While that looks great for advertisement, it really means 499,996 tickets will not hit a jackpot; that's 99.9992% of all the $20 tickets sold.

To answer the original question, many states offer promotions that raises the payoff value. The Kentucky pick-3 games payoff is $600 to $1 but the majority of players opt for the jackpot games and scratch-offs. The pick-4 volume is so low, I'm expecting to see a $0.00 payoff one of these days.

Players aren't getting cheated or extorted, they're not reading the fine print.
Googler

Virginia Beach, Virginia
United States
Member #110,055
April 25, 2011
115 Posts
Offline

Apr 25, 2011, 11:26 pm

If you read the various post in this forum, most are in the hole, a few break even and a few are making money. It seems like the only way to get a head is by hitting the jackpot.

-------------------

The Declaration of Independence

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

--------------------

Citizens your duty is to challenge the government to make a more perfect union. States please show us some love. I want my Happiness in the form of good schools and betters odds of winning the lottery.
rdgrnr

100

The Hall Of The Mountain Kings Tennessee
United States
Member #73,902
April 28, 2009
15,378 Posts
Offline

Apr 25, 2011, 11:53 pm

Quote: Originally posted by Googler on Apr 25, 2011
If you read the various post in this forum, most are in the hole, a few break even and a few are making money. It seems like the only way to get a head is by hitting the jackpot.

-------------------

The Declaration of Independence

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

--------------------

Citizens your duty is to challenge the government to make a more perfect union. States please show us some love. I want my Happiness in the form of good schools and betters odds of winning the lottery.

" States please show us some love. I want my Happiness in the form of good schools..."

It's not the states' job to show us love. It is their job to do our bidding and abide by the Constitution.

You have the right to pursue happiness but you do not have the right to have happiness provided to you.

And you will never have good schools while union thugs enforce rules of tenure which prevent teachers from being fired for any reason except sex crimes. There are teachers currently employed who are convicted felons and can't be fired for it because of union tenure rules. Not to mention the ones who are simply incompetent at teaching children - once they have tenure they can't be fired, they have jobs for life come hell or high water.
Boney526

New Jersey
United States
Member #99,028
October 18, 2010
1,439 Posts
Offline

Apr 26, 2011, 10:07 am

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Apr 25, 2011
" States please show us some love. I want my Happiness in the form of good schools..."

It's not the states' job to show us love. It is their job to do our bidding and abide by the Constitution.

You have the right to pursue happiness but you do not have the right to have happiness provided to you.

And you will never have good schools while union thugs enforce rules of tenure which prevent teachers from being fired for any reason except sex crimes. There are teachers currently employed who are convicted felons and can't be fired for it because of union tenure rules. Not to mention the ones who are simply incompetent at teaching children - once they have tenure they can't be fired, they have jobs for life come hell or high water.

It's rare to find someone who doesn't think that Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness never meant that "the government owes you things" but "the government shouldn't stop you from doing things"
Googler

Virginia Beach, Virginia
United States
Member #110,055
April 25, 2011
115 Posts
Offline

Apr 26, 2011, 11:34 am

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Apr 25, 2011
" States please show us some love. I want my Happiness in the form of good schools..."

It's not the states' job to show us love. It is their job to do our bidding and abide by the Constitution.

You have the right to pursue happiness but you do not have the right to have happiness provided to you.

And you will never have good schools while union thugs enforce rules of tenure which prevent teachers from being fired for any reason except sex crimes. There are teachers currently employed who are convicted felons and can't be fired for it because of union tenure rules. Not to mention the ones who are simply incompetent at teaching children - once they have tenure they can't be fired, they have jobs for life come hell or high water.

Individually we know how we failed our school systems. We should all just go into our corners, addressed how you failed our schools and then come together in communities across American and just say and do what is needed under consensus.

As far as unions are concerned, I don't think that you can just blame them for failed schools. Blame can be placed on everyone and that is the only way to address the issue. I can cite how good American citizens abandoned their schools nationally for various reason or how teacher and parents didn't fully prepare themselves to help the children. Any number of issues would just make people angry and the problem wouldn't be solved.

I believe that the lottery can fun schools and increase our odds of winning. American loves a winner!

You say that it isn't the states duty to show me love. That sounds like, "let them eat cake." That mentality led to a revolution.
sully16

25

Ringleader

Michigan
United States
Member #81,738
October 28, 2009
127,918 Posts
Online

Apr 26, 2011, 12:19 pm

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Apr 25, 2011
" States please show us some love. I want my Happiness in the form of good schools..."

It's not the states' job to show us love. It is their job to do our bidding and abide by the Constitution.

You have the right to pursue happiness but you do not have the right to have happiness provided to you.

And you will never have good schools while union thugs enforce rules of tenure which prevent teachers from being fired for any reason except sex crimes. There are teachers currently employed who are convicted felons and can't be fired for it because of union tenure rules. Not to mention the ones who are simply incompetent at teaching children - once they have tenure they can't be fired, they have jobs for life come hell or high water.

Well said.
MattfromPA

SE PA
United States
Member #93,578
July 3, 2010
1,950 Posts
Offline

Apr 26, 2011, 1:31 pm

I agree with Googler. Also, gambling is gambling, but PA has now tilted the Lottery too much in their favor IMO. And I don't see seniors getting those benefits enough.
rdgrnr

100

The Hall Of The Mountain Kings Tennessee
United States
Member #73,902
April 28, 2009
15,378 Posts
Offline

Apr 26, 2011, 5:13 pm

Quote: Originally posted by sully16 on Apr 26, 2011
Well said.

Thanks sully but as you can see, the "where's my free stuff?" crowd doesn't wanna hear it.
sully16

25

Ringleader

Michigan
United States
Member #81,738
October 28, 2009
127,918 Posts
Online

Apr 27, 2011, 8:49 am

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Apr 26, 2011
Thanks sully but as you can see, the "where's my free stuff?" crowd doesn't wanna hear it.

They haven't been through enough interventions for squeezing orange wedges.
JosephusMinimus

United States
Member #105,307
January 29, 2011
474 Posts
Offline

Apr 27, 2011, 8:58 am

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Apr 26, 2011
Thanks sully but as you can see, the "where's my free stuff?" crowd doesn't wanna hear it.

It comes down to a question of whether players want their lotteries to be dynamic and prosper, or whether they'd prefer it to be driven by a philosophy of internal arguments about which dispossessed or alienated faction gets the biggest piece of the action.

Lotteries are just a painless revenue source and it's the job of state legislatures to determine where the money goes. But whether there's any money to go anywhere depends on the people over at the lottery commission territory.

What's interesting is that the legislatures recognize the possibilities by adopting the lotteries, then so frequently hire the attitude-equivalents of the lady down at the courthouse hired to sell you license tags and thinks she's doing you favor you should bow and scrape for.

I don't think there's ever been a government revenue source anywhere in history so painless and voluntary for those paying it. Some states hire staffs who appear to recognize this, whereas others adopt attitudes of secrecy and only reluctant cooperation.

Most lottery players are at least mildly enthusiastic about playing. They don't need extorting and most would be delighted to be part of a cooperative effort, almost a partnership with their LCs, if the LCs had the mental capacity to imagine such a thing.
rdgrnr

100

The Hall Of The Mountain Kings Tennessee
United States
Member #73,902
April 28, 2009
15,378 Posts
Offline

Apr 27, 2011, 9:29 am

Quote: Originally posted by sully16 on Apr 27, 2011
They haven't been through enough interventions for squeezing orange wedges.

I love it. They've got everything their way now.

The right for students to sit down or turn their back on the American Flag during the Pledge. (Thank you, ACLU) (My belt is twitching)

Frisking 3 year old little American girls at the airports to show we're not profiling anybody so we don't "offend" the ones who should be getting frisked.

Leaving our southern border virtually wide open so we don't "send the wrong message" or "offend" anybody.

Paying more than double for gas since Girlyman got elected and told yesterday by him that the solution is to buy a new car with better mileage while we guarantee loans to Brazil for money to do offshore drilling, while we remain seated on the world's largest sources of untapped energy.

Where's the uproar about the highest gas prices in history from the libs? All I hear is crickets! They were going berserk when gas hit $3 under Bush!

These hypocrites make me wanna puke.

I better not get started.
rdgrnr

100

The Hall Of The Mountain Kings Tennessee
United States
Member #73,902
April 28, 2009
15,378 Posts
Offline

Apr 27, 2011, 9:56 am

Quote: Originally posted by JosephusMinimus on Apr 27, 2011
It comes down to a question of whether players want their lotteries to be dynamic and prosper, or whether they'd prefer it to be driven by a philosophy of internal arguments about which dispossessed or alienated faction gets the biggest piece of the action.

Lotteries are just a painless revenue source and it's the job of state legislatures to determine where the money goes. But whether there's any money to go anywhere depends on the people over at the lottery commission territory.

What's interesting is that the legislatures recognize the possibilities by adopting the lotteries, then so frequently hire the attitude-equivalents of the lady down at the courthouse hired to sell you license tags and thinks she's doing you favor you should bow and scrape for.

I don't think there's ever been a government revenue source anywhere in history so painless and voluntary for those paying it. Some states hire staffs who appear to recognize this, whereas others adopt attitudes of secrecy and only reluctant cooperation.

Most lottery players are at least mildly enthusiastic about playing. They don't need extorting and most would be delighted to be part of a cooperative effort, almost a partnership with their LCs, if the LCs had the mental capacity to imagine such a thing.

Outside of the military and space exploration, everything the government touches is usually a fiasco.

How is it, one wonders, that the very people who love big government have the unmitigated gall to complain about it lumbering to it's historical and routine level of proficiency and achievement in operation of the various lotteries?

It's like they're in shock that the government doesn't do things very well.

Wait til they see em run healthcare.

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