Newbie, why choose the $5 over the $20, with same top prizePrev TopicNext Topic

• ValerieTXWinner

  

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  July 18, 2016
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  Aug 26, 2016, 2:39 pm

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  Hi, sorry for a dumb question.  I'm getting in to the scratchers because I've lost a lot of money playing numbers, and am ready to win some money for a chance.   

   

  TX has a $20 ticket with a top prize of $100k, and a $5 ticket with the same top prize of $100k.   (Sorry, tried to post the links, but I can't on the forum)  On the cheaper ticket, there are more prizes available too... so why wouldn't I just buy four basically for the price of one, and increase my odds?
• dr65

  

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  Aug 26, 2016, 3:08 pm

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  It's not a dumb question. You might see the same results if you go into buying scratchers multi's at a time. It sounds like

  a good idea, compared with the odds..some people look at the odds as if 1 in 4 will certainly win, but they don't. The odds

  posted are for the entire printing, which contains 6 million or more tickets per game. It's nice to take a shot at the instants

  once in awhile hoping to snag a top prize but in that printing of 6 million or more per game, on the $20's there are roughly

  4 - 5 top prizes, that's worse than needle in a haystack. Scratch tickets are fun, you can win instantly and you can lose the 

  same way. There are lots of face value prizes out there and the idea settles in that you're back to where you started. So,

  if you get lucky and hit small, you might think, why not? I'll just put it back in and try for something bigger. Might work,

  might not...you don't know unless you try. But I think the best way to play these things is to buy one and walk away. Don't

  ever try to buy up to a win, I've seen many, many players doing that and getting mad about it...I watched a guy once buy

  and buy and buy - and these were $20 tickets! - and buy, nothing after nothing after nothing....then he stomped out after

  whipping the last few he was playing in the trash. If you're getting sick of not hitting the pick 3 games, try some quick picks

  at either $1 str or $1 box or even .50 str or .50 boxed....you'll spend less and might win more. If you look at the instant

  games realistically, you'll be able to buy one and go, that's the best way. I've won many times on the first ticket out of

  the machine and didn't feel like that guy after I left either. 

  There are a lot of denominations of tickets and of course once you spend more per ticket, your chances of getting a nice

  price are better but if you aren't looking for $100 once in awhile to satisfy you, you might wind up feeling the same about

  scratchers as you do about pick numbers now. Just frustrated. 

  Maybe you can stick with a favorite number and play that - change it up a little either by going one down or up from a digit

  ...like 345 = 445 or 346, pick three is awful at times, so I see where you're coming from...just remember the odds are really

  bad for winning one of those top prizes they shove in everyone's face all the time. GL!!
• ValerieTXWinner

  

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  July 18, 2016
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  Aug 26, 2016, 3:26 pm

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  Thanks dr65!   Maybe I'll try some of the pick 3 games too, I just didn't think the odds were that good on them.  Honestly I don't get frustrated when I don't win.. I'm just frustrated at the horrible debt I'm in by caring for my mom with Alzheimers.. Maybe we should use lottery profits to fix this health care system, LOL. 

  Good luck to you too! 
• rcbbuckeye

  

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  Aug 26, 2016, 8:09 pm

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  In response to ValerieTXWinner

  Quote: Originally posted by ValerieTXWinner on Aug 26, 2016

  Hi, sorry for a dumb question.  I'm getting in to the scratchers because I've lost a lot of money playing numbers, and am ready to win some money for a chance.   

   

  TX has a $20 ticket with a top prize of $100k, and a $5 ticket with the same top prize of $100k.   (Sorry, tried to post the links, but I can't on the forum)  On the cheaper ticket, there are more prizes available too... so why wouldn't I just buy four basically for the price of one, and increase my odds?

  Welcome to LP Valerie!

  Curious. What $20 ticket has a top prize of $100K?

  The only $20 tic close to that is the $500000 Money Mania, which has a top prize of $500K. Every tic is at least a $5 (winner) on this game. Is this the one you're referring to?

  CAN'T WIN IF YOU'RE NOT IN

  A DOLLAR AND A DREAM (OR $2)
  
• kaseydia

  

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  January 19, 2008
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  Sep 8, 2016, 10:51 am

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  The $500,000 Money Mania ticket has not had a grand prize winner, according to the Tx Lottery website. It came out in Feb 2016 and not even 1 gp winner. Hmmmmm