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I think the mystery surrounding not knowing how much I spent on ... well anything... would give me an ulcer. It's just not my personality... unless I fall into avoidance... then LOTS can go on that I want absolutely NOTHING to know about.
Do I know how much I spend on the lottery? Yes, I reconcile my financial budget each month to the penny. (yes, those bronze/brown colored round disks that roll around in our pockets and at the bottom of our purses). Do I wish I were less... type-A... yes. but our financial health depends on my being responsible (dh decided long ago that if he was going to earn the lion's share, that I needed to know how to manage it, so he wouldnt worry about throwing good after bad).
Occasionally I toss an extra 2 or 3 and sometimes **gasp** 5$ at PB or MM... but that comes from another line item in my budget (my work lunches for example). But because I am fond of eating (yum!) I have decided to go back to my 'winning ways' of only 2$ per draw per game (MM & PB) which makes my weekly budget for lottery = 8$.
actually what happens is that 8*4 = 32, but since some month's have 5 weeks in them... and 8*5 = 40... the budget is 40$ for lottery per month... but I try to save the 'extra' on months with less than 5 weeks (or partial days) so that at the end of the year we buy Christmas stocking stuffers of scratch offs for all the kids and g'kids (who are 18 or over) without dipping into a different budget line item! (52*8=416 - needed - 12*40=480$ actually budgetted = 64$ surpluss for xmas stocking stuffers)
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Quote: Originally posted by Boney526 on May 31, 2012
I'm more interested in profitable forms of gambling. I'm not 21 yet, but studying games like Poker and Blackjack that can give the player a mathemetical edge are preferable than lottery games which don't offer an edge (at least most times).
Actually, I've been putting aside a small bankroll for this project (when I turn 21, that is). One day, I saw an oppurtunity in which I had a real advantage over the state's Pick 3. You see, NJ is parimutal, meaning that prizes are determined by sales divided by winning tickets * 50 percent. They were running a promotion, and that night there was going to draw two winning numbers. Their payback was going to be 100%. But because they are parimutual, I played a bunch of numbers that have had historically higher than average payouts.
This give me an estimated 10% advantage, but with the high variance of the bet, I only took a small portion of money from my bankroll for the advantage gambling project, therefore, I don't count that in my lottery/entertainment expense. That, to me was an investment, rather than a lottery ticket from my entertainment budget. I didn't end up winning, but I knew it was a profitable bet to take, so I took it.
So I guess everyone has their own budgeting, but I can say after rethinking my statement earlier, I probably spend marginally more, about 150 dollars a year.
I'm more interested in profitable forms of gambling.
There are very few ways to accomplish this feat, and you are not the first one to try.
If all you want is a "statistical advantage" then all you need is a very large bank roll. With it you can go to Vegas and get comped rooms and all sorts of things. You can also play $5. slots that pay out much better than all the other slots.
Another way, is to risk your life and find a way to cheat. (remember The Rounders?)
And of course the best way, meet a girl whos Dad owns casinos (marry her) and learn the business.
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Quote: Originally posted by B$Rizzle on Jun 2, 2012
I play both scratchers & most of the other games available here in FL.
The online games such as PowerBall, Fantasy 5, Cash 3 etc etc I typically spend:
POWERBALL $2-$4 Bux a draw twice a week: $8 week max
FL Lottery (Pick 6 game) - $1-$2 per draw.$4 max per week total
(IMO there are way too many combinations to worry about increasing the odds on FL Lotto & PowerBall. If it's meant to be, my measly couple bux will get me there)
FANTASY 5 - $1- $2 DAILY = $14 WEEK MAX
PLAY 4 -$2 Daily - ($1 MID/$1EVE) $14 WEEK MAX
So, on average I spend typically $40 bux a week total for online games.
Scratchers I cut WAAAAY back from what I used to play. Sometimes I will start off with $100 bux in my pocket, and my goal at the end of the day is to at least come home with the same amount. If I end up losing a decent amount of it, I will hold off for 2-3 days and try again. Anytime I win $100 or more, I make sure to hang on to at least half of it so the next day I'll start ahead.
The most important thing to remember, is to not lose yourself in the game. I've heard way too many stories about people blowing hundreds in a single setting trying to catch that big winner. Next thing ya know they are repeating the trend at another store and it happens again. Then they get depressed because they just lost $1,000 +.... If a person does that, it can take you to a dark place that you don't want to go.
People always have to remember, a Top Prize comes at the right place & right time. You CANNOT force it to happen.
Hi B$Rizzle,
It looks like you are covered for a lot of the games so hopefully it's just a matter of time for you to
have a nice big win. I'm in Mass so not familiar with your Fantasy 5 game. You are so right about not losing it in a
game. I've never spent hundreds in a single setting but still feel bad when I spend money on scratchers only to lose.
It's great that you have cut back on scratchers, unfortunately the last week I have been bad about buying
scratchers again. I've been in a deep depression and quite possibly my manic side has come into play and it's not
been good. When I won 200 dollars on a scratcher last week I was initially good for about a day but then started
buying more scratchers. So far since that win I haven't won anything and my luck (with that exception) hasn't been
good. I think at times that I'm just delusional hoping for that miracle that most likely will not happen for me and
really wish I could have been the more conservative person who I use to be and for years never bought a scratch
ticket. I like your last sentence about being at the right place and the right time (just never seem to be at that right
place for the big win, lol) and that you cannot force it.
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Quote: Originally posted by ILdreamer on May 31, 2012
Last week, due to PB's pot growing (still is!) and also IL Lucky Lotto going up to $770K, I went over-budget last week.
I spent $15 on Lucky Lotto and of course didnt win anything, not even $1. Am going to try to stick to my rule which is to buy a $5 QP when Lucky Day Lotto goes over $250 K. I also kept buying $2 PBs tickets last week whenver I was at a store which also added up...a lot ! Just buying 2 QPs this week...1 w/ Power Play and 1 without.
Hi Ildreamer,
It's easy to go over budget. What is Lucky Lotto? It's good that you want to stick to your rule of $5 QP when
it goes over 250K. I also bought more than one PB this past week when the jackpot got very big. Buying the 2 QP's
as you mentioned certainly keeps you in the game. I have been finding that when I bought 2 or 3 PB tickets due to big
jackpot I wasn't really winning anything (well did win 12 dollars on a PB powerplay a couple weeks ago). I'm going
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Quote: Originally posted by nsv314 on Jun 2, 2012
I have no idea what I spend...I don't keep track.
Try to have at least $1 in for every Rolling Cash 5 drawing. (Ohio's 5/39 game, drawn 7 days a week.) When the jackpot starts getting bigger, I'll buy multiple tickets for a drawing.
Buy MM and PB tickets occasionally when the jackpots are getting higher.
Dabble in Ohio's Classic Lotto too, though I don't play it as much since the really big jackpot went. (Though it is growing again...)
I go in spurts with Pick3, Pick4, and scratch-offs.
And then, of course, if we eat at a restaurant that has Keno, I can't resist playing $5-$10 on that too.
Hi nsv314,
Like yourself I too am not sure of the exact amount I spend per week on the lottery. Since you do play
the Rolling Cash 5 drawing everytime, maybe one of these days you will get that jackpot. It seems you play your
states game but not all the time. I can understand the Keno thing. Many months ago, I guy I know was in a
convenience store and he was playing Keno, asked him how that game works and started playing a few games. I
quickly learned how easy it would be to just keep buying Keno tickets, but it seems hard to win since there are 80
balls in that game. When I play Keno I now play one game for a dollar with 3 balls (hoping to win 25 dollars), I only
play that occasionally and stop at the one game when I don't win.
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Quote: Originally posted by GiveFive on Jun 2, 2012
I'm not sure how much I spend each week because it varies. A lot will depend upon how many singles I have in my pocket, or how many singles I might get back in change from a ten or twenty dollar bill. It also depends on if I buy gas, and the station sells lottery tickets, or what grocery store I'm in. Then too, it might come down to if the jackpot for MM or PB is big. (I always buy the Power Play or Megaplier - IMHO it's crazy not to buy it) Like for instance this morning I stopped for gas, and I saw the PB Jackpot is $164 million, so I bought 2 lines with the PowerPlay. Cost me 6 bucks.
It also depends upon if I'm in Connecticut. (I live in eastern New York State, about a half hours drive to the Connecticut border) I like New England's new regional game, Lucky For Life. So when I'm in Ct, I buy L4L tickets. I get over there maybe once a month. My daughter is a college student near Bridgeport, so when we go visit her, I buy L4L.
I also have a subscription for New York's Lotto. It's drawn twice per week, and I'm automatically entered into each drawing for just 2 games (That only costs $1.00 per drawing because it's 50 cents per game). That's just 2 bucks a week, and I bought a one year subscription, so it cost me $104 to play automatically for one year. I bought my subscripion a few months ago, so I'm good until March of 2013 with that. I'm not too concerned with winning the jackpot in that game. It's 2nd place I'm after. Like the JP, second place rolls over until somebody wins it. The odds to win 2nd place arent nearly as bad as the JP's, and it usually gets to a nice prize level. Right now it's about $300,000. That's the real reason I bought my subscription. I used to have to watch it every week, and then remember to go buy a ticket when 2nd place got over $100,000. But the trouble was I'd forget to buy the ticket, and somebody would win it. I solved that problem by buying my subscription. Now I dont even watch it, and I'm automatically entered into every drawing.
As for scratcher's, well, I'll buy one every now and then, but I dont buy the 20 dollar kinds. I'm a two dollar or 5 dollar man. The thing about them I dont like is, you dont know if all the top prizes have been won or not. If they have been won, you would be buying a ticket that cant possibly win the top prize.
So as you can see, I dont have a budget, but I dont go crazy either. My thinking is along these lines: It's nearly impossibe to win big money, but I also know I wont ever win any money if I dont give myself the opportunity to win because I didnt buy any tickets. So I give myself the chance to win. I never expect to win, because I've lost more than I've won. And.... for me personally, it's fun to play, it's entertainment. I dont smoke or drink, so I guess I gotta have one vice....
Hi GiveFive,
I enjoyed reading your post. I do agree with you that it makes sense to play the MP or PP option but lately I've
been torn about it and sometimes revert to not playing it to save a few bucks. So you like the Lucky4Life game,
,me too. Unfortunately I've had no luck with that game so have cut back on playing it since it's 2 bucks and wish
the 2nd prize was more than 25,000 (not that I would complain if I ever won that amount just wish it was like 100K instead).
I remember back in February when that game started here in Mass and the first night of that game here a guy from
Mass won the Jackpot. Last week another Mass person won the Jackpot (was very happy for that person who
won since they were recently unemployed and now plan on retiring). Your New York Lotto game sounds good and
it's great that you have a subscription. Lately I have wondered about subscriptions to games, the nice part is that
you don't have to worry about going out to buy a ticket because it's automatic for you on every drawing. Like you,
2nd place is what I'm after for games like JP and MM.
In terms of scratchers I think I saw someone tell you on a post here that you can check your lottery website and
they will tell you what big money is still left to be won.
I am in agreement with you on your last paragraph that it's nearly impossible to win big money but like you
I give myself the chance to win by just playing the game. I keep thinking that for all the big winners if they never
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Quote: Originally posted by maximumfun on Jun 3, 2012
I think the mystery surrounding not knowing how much I spent on ... well anything... would give me an ulcer. It's just not my personality... unless I fall into avoidance... then LOTS can go on that I want absolutely NOTHING to know about.
Do I know how much I spend on the lottery? Yes, I reconcile my financial budget each month to the penny. (yes, those bronze/brown colored round disks that roll around in our pockets and at the bottom of our purses). Do I wish I were less... type-A... yes. but our financial health depends on my being responsible (dh decided long ago that if he was going to earn the lion's share, that I needed to know how to manage it, so he wouldnt worry about throwing good after bad).
Occasionally I toss an extra 2 or 3 and sometimes **gasp** 5$ at PB or MM... but that comes from another line item in my budget (my work lunches for example). But because I am fond of eating (yum!) I have decided to go back to my 'winning ways' of only 2$ per draw per game (MM & PB) which makes my weekly budget for lottery = 8$.
actually what happens is that 8*4 = 32, but since some month's have 5 weeks in them... and 8*5 = 40... the budget is 40$ for lottery per month... but I try to save the 'extra' on months with less than 5 weeks (or partial days) so that at the end of the year we buy Christmas stocking stuffers of scratch offs for all the kids and g'kids (who are 18 or over) without dipping into a different budget line item! (52*8=416 - needed - 12*40=480$ actually budgetted = 64$ surpluss for xmas stocking stuffers)
Hi maximumfun,
Wish I was more like you and had a Type A personality. It sounds like you are very conservative in your playing
and that's a good thing. It sounds like you stay away from playing scratchers and focus on the MM & PB games. 2
dollars per draw still keeps you in the game. It's only been recently when the jackpots have gotten very high that I
have bought more than one ticket per game, still tend to play one draw mostly.
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Quote: Originally posted by Ronnie316 on Jun 3, 2012
I'm more interested in profitable forms of gambling.
There are very few ways to accomplish this feat, and you are not the first one to try.
If all you want is a "statistical advantage" then all you need is a very large bank roll. With it you can go to Vegas and get comped rooms and all sorts of things. You can also play $5. slots that pay out much better than all the other slots.
Another way, is to risk your life and find a way to cheat. (remember The Rounders?)
And of course the best way, meet a girl whos Dad owns casinos (marry her) and learn the business.
A very large bankroll won't get you a statical advantage. The comps vary rarely, or for very few, intelegent rich people, outweigh the games your playing.
Some progressive slots could offer an advantage, but it's quite a hastle finding the odds, which would help you determine any potential, but rare, advantage and it's variance. Anyway, it'd require a giant bankroll, but is not cheating.
I would not cheat at casino games, because that's the theft. But if I happen to be good enough at blackjack to manage a small advantage, or if I happen to see what card the dealer has, or something like that, I will take full advantage of that knowledge. I absolutely would not manipulate the dealer into mistakes, nor would I manipulate the cards or games, not just because it's wrong, but because the risk of going to jail gives cheating a negative Expected Value (lol,) especially with so many cameras around.
You are much, much better off studying poker, and being better than the players and rake at a casino, or counting cards, and playing sometimes when the count is good.
I'm no dumby - I'm not near good enough to make a living off of this stuff. It's just interesting to me, so I read about it and pracitce it sometimes. And you are absolutely right when you say that the best form of advantage play is simply to be in the casino business. However I'm not rich and have practically no political connections, and I hate corruption so I'll most likely stay away from the ins and outs of that industry.
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June 10, 2010
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Quote: Originally posted by shyguitar on Jun 3, 2012
Hi GiveFive,
I enjoyed reading your post. I do agree with you that it makes sense to play the MP or PP option but lately I've
been torn about it and sometimes revert to not playing it to save a few bucks. So you like the Lucky4Life game,
,me too. Unfortunately I've had no luck with that game so have cut back on playing it since it's 2 bucks and wish
the 2nd prize was more than 25,000 (not that I would complain if I ever won that amount just wish it was like 100K instead).
I remember back in February when that game started here in Mass and the first night of that game here a guy from
Mass won the Jackpot. Last week another Mass person won the Jackpot (was very happy for that person who
won since they were recently unemployed and now plan on retiring). Your New York Lotto game sounds good and
it's great that you have a subscription. Lately I have wondered about subscriptions to games, the nice part is that
you don't have to worry about going out to buy a ticket because it's automatic for you on every drawing. Like you,
2nd place is what I'm after for games like JP and MM.
In terms of scratchers I think I saw someone tell you on a post here that you can check your lottery website and
they will tell you what big money is still left to be won.
I am in agreement with you on your last paragraph that it's nearly impossible to win big money but like you
I give myself the chance to win by just playing the game. I keep thinking that for all the big winners if they never
played would never have won.
Hi Shy..
I have had a few small wins with Lucky For Life. I've had the "lucky ball" on two separate ocassions, which I think was good for 4 bucks each time. I think I had one number and the lucky ball too, but I cant remember!! Old age I guess. I just took the winnings and played L4L again.
Yeah $25,000 for second place isnt all that great of a prize, but I'd certainly take it and be very glad to have it.
One thing I do know about L4L is this: IF I was ever so lucky to win the top prize, it wouldnt be me cashing the ticket in. I'd give it to my daughter and have her cash it. She's 22, so the prize would still be paid out long after I'm dead and gone.
I've checked The NYS Lottery website, and yes, they do tell you if there are any top prizes left on any given scratcher. They only update their list weekly though. So there could be a short interval of time when the top prize is not available and you wouldnt know it. Also, I'm told they remove scratchers from the stores when all top prizes have been won, so that should help to prevent people from buying a ticket where there arent any top prizes available.
Keep playing. Be patient, dont expect to win, or at the very least, keep your expectations of winning big money to a minimum. You wont be disappointed if you do that. That's what keeps me from getting frustrated. I've read about big winners, and I've seen one common statement that most of them make. It's "I never thought I'd win in a million years." Most big winners have played regularly for many years, and won only small prizes. Always remember to bet with your head and not over it. If The MM or PB jackpot is big, and I havent got a few bucks to spare, then I just say to myself "Oh well. Maybe I'll get to play next time." And lemme tell ya, there's been quite a few occasions when I didnt get to play because I was broke.
That's the other nice thing about my subscription. Because I paid in advance for it, even if I'm broke, I know I'm still going to be in the next Lotto drawing.
Egg Harbor twp.south Jersey shore United States
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June 29, 2011
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Quote: Originally posted by Boney526 on Jun 3, 2012
A very large bankroll won't get you a statical advantage. The comps vary rarely, or for very few, intelegent rich people, outweigh the games your playing.
Some progressive slots could offer an advantage, but it's quite a hastle finding the odds, which would help you determine any potential, but rare, advantage and it's variance. Anyway, it'd require a giant bankroll, but is not cheating.
I would not cheat at casino games, because that's the theft. But if I happen to be good enough at blackjack to manage a small advantage, or if I happen to see what card the dealer has, or something like that, I will take full advantage of that knowledge. I absolutely would not manipulate the dealer into mistakes, nor would I manipulate the cards or games, not just because it's wrong, but because the risk of going to jail gives cheating a negative Expected Value (lol,) especially with so many cameras around.
You are much, much better off studying poker, and being better than the players and rake at a casino, or counting cards, and playing sometimes when the count is good.
I'm no dumby - I'm not near good enough to make a living off of this stuff. It's just interesting to me, so I read about it and pracitce it sometimes. And you are absolutely right when you say that the best form of advantage play is simply to be in the casino business. However I'm not rich and have practically no political connections, and I hate corruption so I'll most likely stay away from the ins and outs of that industry.
There was recently a BJ player in A.C. the beat a couple casinos for millions,
he said you you need a large bankroll and have to be a excellent player.
some casinos have banned him.
Extraordinary Popular Delusions & the Madness of Crowds -- Charles Mackay LL.D.