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• JustMaybe

  

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  January 2, 2023
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  May 14, 2025, 3:35 pm

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  In response to PrisonerSix

  Quote: Originally posted by PrisonerSix on May 13, 2025

  I managed an office pool for a few years at a previous workplace. Let me tell you it was a lot of work to run. It was originally me and one other person I shared my office with then another wanted in and another and so on until I think we had around 10 people or so at one point. The way I did it was on payday which was every 2 weeks, each player put in $4 and I bought a mix of Powerball, Louisiana Lotto, and MegaMillions tickets. What I did was I bought multidraw tickets, meaning it covered all 4 twice a week drawings between paydays. This was back when all the tickets were $1 and the drawings were twice a week. It wasn't too expensive and it gave us multiple shots at winning. Small winnings were reinvested into more tickets.

  One time Louisiana was doing a $`1million raffle for $10/ticket. We had $10 in winnings and I put it to a vote of the members if they wanted to try that game and most voted yes so I bought one of those for the pool but again, we didn't win. Whenever I bought tickets, I always scanned the tickets and sent them to all of the members so there would be no issues over if we won. I bought tickets for myself as well but I never bought them at the same time or place I bought pool tickets. Between these two practices, I made sure there was no controversy if one my personal tickets won.

  I knew most of these people closely so if someone was out either another person or myself would put in the money and they would pay me back. I eventually left that job and nobody continued the pool as far as I know. We didn't have a lot of people but it was still a lot of work all the same so keep that in mind if you still want to do it.

  If you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them.

  Keeping it simple is the way to go.

  The buy in option, gives me nightmares just thinking about it.

  The multi draw approach is a life saver.

  I like how you did it.

  I believe winning the lottery jackpot is a 💯 % factor of luck.

  May Fortuna, goddess of chance or lot vindicate me.
• winoneday

  

  Canada
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  April 14, 2014
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  May 14, 2025, 4:04 pm

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  In response to Lotterologist

  Quote: Originally posted by Lotterologist on May 14, 2025

  When I think of lottery pools, those reports about one of the members refusing to share the winnings with the others come to mind.

  As a wise man once said, "Never trust your enemies and beware of your friends."

  When I think of driving to the store to buy lottery tickets, I think of all the people that have died in traffic accidents.

  Therefore I do not go.
• JustMaybe

  

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  May 14, 2025, 7:59 pm

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  In response to winoneday

  Quote: Originally posted by winoneday on May 14, 2025

  When I think of driving to the store to buy lottery tickets, I think of all the people that have died in traffic accidents.

  Therefore I do not go.

  I think walking would help 🤣

  I believe winning the lottery jackpot is a 💯 % factor of luck.

  May Fortuna, goddess of chance or lot vindicate me.
• ww3y

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  May 13, 2025
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  May 14, 2025, 9:06 pm

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  Thanks everyone for your advice! Definitely some things I didn't think about.. like the amount of work that would go in, especially collecting money. Then, the human factor. 
  
  Subscription model is actually interesting. It'll make it easier to collect too. 

   

  How often do you guys all play? Is it mainly lottery, or scratch-offs? Anyone care to share their Win-Loss ratio?
• Tucker Black

  

  Colorado
  United States
  Member #173,294
  February 25, 2016
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  May 14, 2025, 9:31 pm

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  In response to ww3y

  Quote: Originally posted by ww3y on May 14, 2025

  Thanks everyone for your advice! Definitely some things I didn't think about.. like the amount of work that would go in, especially collecting money. Then, the human factor. 
  
  Subscription model is actually interesting. It'll make it easier to collect too. 

   

  How often do you guys all play? Is it mainly lottery, or scratch-offs? Anyone care to share their Win-Loss ratio?

  The job of collecting money exists only when you run it as a subscription service. That's why I suggest not doing so. When the only people who participate are the ones who hand you cash, there are no debts to collect. No money? No participation, end of story.

  One way to simplify things is to open the pool for entries for all drawings over the next week, or all drawings over the next two weeks (as opposed to each drawing individually or allow people to buy in for any number of drawings they wish to pay for up front).

  I never buy tickets for these absurdly high odds games of MM or PB. I would participate in a workplace lottery pool if one existed. Good luck!