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PrisonerSix

Baton Rouge, LA
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Aug 22, 2014, 10:22 pm

Yesterday I went to get the tickets for my lottery pool and some for myself and I decided to use the vending machine at a supermarket I was going to. I put $52 in it and it wouldn't take my playslips or quick picks, it would only sell me scratch offs. I talked to a store employee and was told it could have been the bad weather(very cloudy and lightening, but no rain). She couldn't help me, but tried to get someone who could. The other person couldn't, so she went to find a manager.

In the meantime, the machine started working again, but still wouldn't let me use my playslips. I grabbed a quickpick and then it accepted my playslips. It's cool to have that machine, but if it's going to so stuff like that, may think twice about using it again the next time.

Prisoner Six

"I am not a number, I am a free man!"
Coin Toss

Zeta Reticuli Star System
United States
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Aug 22, 2014, 11:44 pm

Some of the ones in Illinois will only give out what it lit up, often the scratchers are lit, but nor the draw games. This happens often and you wind up being forced to buy scratchers. Hard to look first, habit.

At one grocery store I'm not sure if it's the lottery doing this or the store manager and this happens mostly on Sunday mornings.

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.
LottoMetro

Happyland
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Aug 23, 2014, 12:01 am

Those machines can be kinda screwy sometimes. Usually they will say out of order if the paper gets jammed or empty. It will disallow draw tickets for the reasons just mentioned or during periods when the lottery is not accepting wagers (i.e. draw breaks). Or someone could've loaded paper and forgot to reset the machine. Every time the clerk opens the machine they are supposed to punch in their security code to reset it. Or the terminal connection could be down. Or....or....lol

I had a machine break just as I stuck a bunch of money into it. The clerk had to cash it out with scratch-offs and let me keep the tickets in addition to my original picks. They aren't always that nice but you do have a right to getting what you originally intended to purchase.

If the chances of winning the jackpot are so slim, why play when the jackpot is so small? Your chances never change, but the potential payoff does.
If a crystal ball showed you the future of the rest of your life, and in that future you will never win a jackpot, would you still play?

P&L % = Total Win($)/Total Wager($) - 1
PrisonerSix

Baton Rouge, LA
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Aug 23, 2014, 8:23 am

Quote: Originally posted by Coin Toss on Aug 22, 2014
Some of the ones in Illinois will only give out what it lit up, often the scratchers are lit, but nor the draw games. This happens often and you wind up being forced to buy scratchers. Hard to look first, habit.

At one grocery store I'm not sure if it's the lottery doing this or the store manager and this happens mostly on Sunday mornings.

This machine is the same way, but when I was putting the money in, the buttons for draw games were lit. The buttons only went dark after I put the money in and tried my first playslip. I know to be more careful from now on.

Prisoner Six

"I am not a number, I am a free man!"
helpmewin

100

u$a
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Aug 23, 2014, 11:09 am

Good Luck on your Tickets
HoLeeKau

Idaho
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July 17, 2010
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Aug 23, 2014, 11:43 am

Quote: Originally posted by PrisonerSix on Aug 22, 2014
Yesterday I went to get the tickets for my lottery pool and some for myself and I decided to use the vending machine at a supermarket I was going to. I put $52 in it and it wouldn't take my playslips or quick picks, it would only sell me scratch offs. I talked to a store employee and was told it could have been the bad weather(very cloudy and lightening, but no rain). She couldn't help me, but tried to get someone who could. The other person couldn't, so she went to find a manager.

In the meantime, the machine started working again, but still wouldn't let me use my playslips. I grabbed a quickpick and then it accepted my playslips. It's cool to have that machine, but if it's going to so stuff like that, may think twice about using it again the next time.

I hope the ones in LA are better than Idaho's. They mess up a lot. And they don't tell you it's out of order. You put your money in and then find out it's not working when it won't take the playslip, or takes it but won't read it. And you can't get your money back - I know, I've tried. I was forced to buy quick picks just a couple weeks ago at RiteAid. I called several people over, they spent about 15 minutes talking about it among themselves, and said there was no way to get my money out of the machine, I'd have to spend it or lose it.

That's been my experience at several other machines at different stores too.
PrisonerSix

Baton Rouge, LA
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Aug 23, 2014, 3:59 pm

Quote: Originally posted by HoLeeKau on Aug 23, 2014
I hope the ones in LA are better than Idaho's. They mess up a lot. And they don't tell you it's out of order. You put your money in and then find out it's not working when it won't take the playslip, or takes it but won't read it. And you can't get your money back - I know, I've tried. I was forced to buy quick picks just a couple weeks ago at RiteAid. I called several people over, they spent about 15 minutes talking about it among themselves, and said there was no way to get my money out of the machine, I'd have to spend it or lose it.

That's been my experience at several other machines at different stores too.

I've used a machine a few times and this is the first time it gave me a problem. I will be more careful next time and might just go up to the counter and hand my slips to clerk.

Prisoner Six

"I am not a number, I am a free man!"
CDanaT

Central TN
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Aug 24, 2014, 7:46 am

Quote: Originally posted by PrisonerSix on Aug 23, 2014
I've used a machine a few times and this is the first time it gave me a problem. I will be more careful next time and might just go up to the counter and hand my slips to clerk.

I have yet to encounter that situation here in Texas as of yet. The machine, as for this lotto player's taste, is for when I am in a hurry. I enjoy chatting with the various clerks where I purchase my ticket. My plan for the day when I head to Austin and collect the payout is to also give that clerk a nice lil chunk cash as well.(just for Karma & good prosperity)

Si vis pacem, para bellum.
kapla

United States
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July 24, 2010
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Aug 24, 2014, 7:48 am

Quote: Originally posted by PrisonerSix on Aug 22, 2014
Yesterday I went to get the tickets for my lottery pool and some for myself and I decided to use the vending machine at a supermarket I was going to. I put $52 in it and it wouldn't take my playslips or quick picks, it would only sell me scratch offs. I talked to a store employee and was told it could have been the bad weather(very cloudy and lightening, but no rain). She couldn't help me, but tried to get someone who could. The other person couldn't, so she went to find a manager.

In the meantime, the machine started working again, but still wouldn't let me use my playslips. I grabbed a quickpick and then it accepted my playslips. It's cool to have that machine, but if it's going to so stuff like that, may think twice about using it again the next time.

The ones in NY will let you put your playslip in first and then tell you - INSERT $X dollars

so I NEVER put money in until I see that. Often I try the playslip and it just kicks it back saying 'unable to read' or 'invalid slip'. Then have to go to the clerk. And then the clerks often say 'oh we can't run those here you have to use the machine' so then have to go to another store--

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