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Coin Toss

Zeta Reticuli Star System
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Sep 18, 2025, 8:54 pm

I just don't get a lot of players. A lot of players resent the $5 for MM, OK but if PB goes to $5 it will sure get interesting. As for Powerplay on PB one more dollar has the potential to win one more million dollars yet few play it. Granted most players want to turn a toothpick into a lumberyard but why the reluctance to playing an extra dollar? The MUSL loves the fact that most players don't spring for the extra buck. Let's say on a given drawing 12 people hit the 5 top numbers but none of them played the extra dollar, as far as the MUSL is concerned that's $12M they didn't have to pay out.

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.
Tucker Black

Colorado
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February 25, 2016
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Sep 18, 2025, 10:30 pm

Quote: Originally posted by Coin Toss on Sep 18, 2025
I just don't get a lot of players. A lot of players resent the $5 for MM, OK but if PB goes to $5 it will sure get interesting. As for Powerplay on PB one more dollar has the potential to win one more million dollars yet few play it. Granted most players want to turn a toothpick into a lumberyard but why the reluctance to playing an extra dollar? The MUSL loves the fact that most players don't spring for the extra buck. Let's say on a given drawing 12 people hit the 5 top numbers but none of them played the extra dollar, as far as the MUSL is concerned that's $12M they didn't have to pay out.

If MUSL didn't like Powerplay, they would get rid of it. They love it because it has a profit margin of 50%.

If 12 people win the 2nd place prize with its 1 in 11 million chance of winning, that would imply 140 million tickets sold. At the rate of $1 extra per ticket for Powerplay, that's $140 million in gross revenue.

MUSL would much rather bring in $140 million in gross revenue and pay out $12 million extra (plus more on the lower prizes).

Most people (including me) don't pay extra for Powerplay or Doubleplay because they want to win the jackpot. Every extra dollar that goes to those two gimmicks is less money that can be spent on more tickets, or something else (scratchers, liquor, save it for a rainy day).

If I want to win a million dollars, in Colorado I can play Colorado Lotto+ for $2 and win a jackpot (currently $1.25 million cash) with much better odds, 1 in 3.8 million.
Coin Toss

Zeta Reticuli Star System
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Sep 18, 2025, 11:29 pm

Tucker Black, thanks for the reply. Just different ways of looking at things, I'm looking at it as it's much more likely for a player to win on the gimmick considering the 292.2 million odds. I'm guessing those who win $1M as opposed to an additional million are kind of haunted or plagued by the thought of not having played one more dollar. I'm also guessing MUSL motors this site and is getting a kick out of this.

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.
grwurston

100

Same digits. Different games.

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April 24, 2010
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Sep 19, 2025, 1:15 am

Quote: Originally posted by Coin Toss on Sep 18, 2025
I just don't get a lot of players. A lot of players resent the $5 for MM, OK but if PB goes to $5 it will sure get interesting. As for Powerplay on PB one more dollar has the potential to win one more million dollars yet few play it. Granted most players want to turn a toothpick into a lumberyard but why the reluctance to playing an extra dollar? The MUSL loves the fact that most players don't spring for the extra buck. Let's say on a given drawing 12 people hit the 5 top numbers but none of them played the extra dollar, as far as the MUSL is concerned that's $12M they didn't have to pay out.

I don't play either one very often but when I do I always got the Mega Plier or Power Play. Like you said, you hit 5 numbers for $1M and you could have won $2-5 million instead but you were like, "I didn't want to spend the extra buck"... And now you're like What was I thinking?

List Pick 3 singles by low sums, high sums. Separate each sum row by consecutive pair and non consecutive pair combos. These 3 pair groups. 14 17 47, 25 28 58, 36 39 69 are in 63 combos. 54 combos do not have them. Which sums do the 3 pair groups appear and not appear? Look at root sum groups 147, 258, 369. Play accordingly.
Lotterologist

Michigan
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Sep 19, 2025, 1:25 am

In this economy, many people can't afford the extra buck.
Coin Toss

Zeta Reticuli Star System
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Sep 19, 2025, 3:56 pm

Maybe play a little less often and play the extra dollar when they do play?

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.
rcbbuckeye

100

Texas
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Sep 19, 2025, 4:11 pm

My thought is if a person is struggling financially that they can't afford an extra dollar, they shouldn't be gambling in the first place. It's easy to say "it's only 2 or 3 dollars", but if finances are that tight, don't blow it on the lottery, or any gambling.

JUST LOOK AT THE ODDS OF ANY JACKPOT GAME, THAT WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
Lotterologist

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Sep 19, 2025, 4:13 pm

Quote: Originally posted by Coin Toss on Sep 19, 2025
Maybe play a little less often and play the extra dollar when they do play?

That's an idea. I guess people are doing what they can.
Lotterologist

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Sep 19, 2025, 4:15 pm

Quote: Originally posted by rcbbuckeye on Sep 19, 2025
My thought is if a person is struggling financially that they can't afford an extra dollar, they shouldn't be gambling in the first place. It's easy to say "it's only 2 or 3 dollars", but if finances are that tight, don't blow it on the lottery, or any gambling.

But there's a chance they could be one of those "lottery rags to riches" stories and win.
KY Floyd

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Sep 19, 2025, 11:40 pm

"I'm looking at it as it's much more likely for a player to win on the gimmick considering the 292.2 million odds. "

Would you like to expand on that thought to see if it makes any sense? Powerplay doesn't do anything to improve your chances, much less make it much more likely. The chance of winning any prize at all is 1 in 24.87, or 4%. That means there's a 96% chance that instead of wasting $2 you've wasted $3, but while it's only half (again) as much as the regular $2 cost, that extra $1 gives you absolutely no chance at winning the jackpot.

" I'm guessing those who win $1M as opposed to an additional million are kind of haunted or plagued by the thought of not having played one more dollar. "

Your mileage obviously varies, but if I won the 2nd place prize I wouldn't be wishing I'd spent an extra dollar to win another million. I'd be wishing I'd spent an extra $2 for a 2nd ticket with the same 5 numbers and the winning power ball number.

"I just don't get a lot of players. "

Me either. If you buy a 2nd ticket with the same 5 numbers and a different power ball instead of spending $3 for power play you'll still double any lower tier prize, and that 4th dollar gives you a 2nd chance at the jackpot for half the price of a regular ticket.
Tucker Black

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Sep 19, 2025, 11:53 pm

Buy 26 Powerball tickets for $52, same 5 numbers 1-69 and all 26 Powerball numbers. 1 in 11 million chance to win the jackpot plus $25 million. 96% chance of winning $4.
hypersoniq

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Sep 20, 2025, 12:02 am

Quote: Originally posted by Tucker Black on Sep 19, 2025
Buy 26 Powerball tickets for $52, same 5 numbers 1-69 and all 26 Powerball numbers. 1 in 11 million chance to win the jackpot plus $25 million. 96% chance of winning $4.

You could do the same thing with Mega Millions for $3,120...

Seems the only way to make a small fortune on the lottery is to start with a large fortune.

Have an EXCELlent day!
Coin Toss

Zeta Reticuli Star System
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Sep 21, 2025, 9:48 pm

Quote: Originally posted by hypersoniq on Sep 20, 2025
You could do the same thing with Mega Millions for $3,120...

Seems the only way to make a small fortune on the lottery is to start with a large fortune.

Betting &3120 to make sure you win $10 to $50 could get someone sent to the funny farm.

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.
Think

Marquette, MI
United States
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August 20, 2005
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Sep 22, 2025, 12:12 pm

You are missing the point as to why a lot of players resent the $5 ticket price.

The whole point of Mega Millions is the big jackpot and maybe the hope of second prize. It's really stupid to increase the ticket price so the lower prizes can be increased.

Third prize is 10k and multiplied up to 100k

The odds of getting anything above 30 k are really ridiculous.

If I want to go for 100k I don't need Mega Millions to do that!

I could buy a Fantasy 5 ticket for 1$ and get much much better odds at that prize than Mega Millions gives me.

Mega Millions really knows how to take advantage of most players ignorance and stupidity and lack of analytical skills to take the suckers money.

If MM offered a just the jackpot option with an option to go for second prize also I would definitely consider playing it more often.

That, of course, will never happen and if you want to know why just ask PT Barnum.

I for one resent getting ripped off on the lower prize odds and if I want to go for $500 or $5000 I can get a pick 3 or pick 4. I don't need Mega Millions to take my money and allocate it to stupider bets and hopefully Powerball understands the Mega Millions idiocy and comes up with better options if they do want more for their tickets.

Power play and a bigaplier and a smallaplier would be better options because then the players can allocate their own money the way they want to bet.

But don't get me wrong ... when the Mega millions jackpot gets to 2.5 billion I will throw away money on their garbage lower tier bets
Coin Toss

Zeta Reticuli Star System
United States
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Sep 22, 2025, 8:24 pm

A lot of players are unhappy with the $5 tickets to the point like they are acting likely already have the amount of the prize, I know I don't so will throw $5 at it. We are in an age where scratchers are anywhere from $1 to $100. Consider what various things cost just a few years ago .It's inevitable that the price of PB will eventually go up and it's not like everyone will quit playing. The fact that people hoping to win multi millions complains about a $3 ticket increase just shows how people's greed can work against them.

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.

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