Are lawmakers selling the Texas Lottery short?

Comment #11

mikeintexas — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 08:30:52 GMT

I believe there are 44 states that offer the lottery to their citizens and the last time I checked, there were only four that offered online sales. Why didn't you level the backwards charge at them as well? Never mind, rhetorical question.

We/Texas ARE in the 21st century, guess you didn't get the memo from a few yrs. back. Texas surpasses California as top tech exporter and this - Texas Is Top Wind Power State Not sure what orifice you pulled that one out of, but I'm thinking it's a smell... [ More ]

Comment #10

Redd55 — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 03:02:07 GMT

Calif has 46 Scratcher games. Some of these have been around for a while. They dont do a big turn over like TX. I do admire some of the designs: Day of the Dead, Chinese New Year; Zombies

Comment #9

rcbbuckeye — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 00:41:25 GMT

The reason Texas sells so many scratch off tix is because they bring out so many new games, and advertise them. They bring out a lot of new games because there is pressure to bring in more revenue each year. This is also why they brought out new draw games that are $2 a ticket. The legislators see all these new games and some don't like all the new games. But, if sales and revenue fall, legislators are going to come after lottery officials saying they aren't effective anymore. Kind of a catch-22... [ More ]

Comment #8

Redd55 — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 15:47:36 GMT

Dont knock Texas. The people these legislatures represent may oppose the lottery. It's always refreshing for politicians to represent the views of those who elected them. Since, many in TX support the lottery, it is not going to go away. Also, I like the fact that the office is not treated as a lifetime job. They meet every other year and arent over paid. In Calif they are so greedy that even on days the legislature is out of session, they will show up for a free coffee and danish then leave so... [ More ]

Comment #7

JAMORA — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 06:03:30 GMT

Sounds as if they are cutting off their nose to spite their face...save a little to lose a lot....

Not a good move...

I expect a vote change will fix that soon enough...

Comment #6

rcbbuckeye — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 01:19:31 GMT

I really like (love) living in Texas. Been here 19 years now. Our lottery is one of the (if the most) transparent lotteries in the country. But you are right bobby. I just can't figure out why our politicians are such idiots. They seem to go out of their way to kill their goose that has been laying golden eggs for years.

It's obvious that Texans love to buy lottery tickets, but our politicians are no different than anywhere else in that they don't really care what their constituents want, the... [ More ]

Comment #5

bobby623 — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 19:11:26 GMT

Anyone in Texas ought to know that our politicians are born and bred idiots.

Voters often are upset by what goes on every two years, but they go to the polls and re-elect those already in office.

Seems the only time there is a change, its because the current office holder died.

Voting against the lottery sells in their churches, but, they know there is no way the Governor is going to sign a bill that kills the Golden Goose.

Comment #4

Bleudog101 — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 17:33:54 GMT

That state seems to be going backwards in more ways than one!

Doubt they'll ever have on-line lottery sales--too 21st Century for them. Legislators that is, NOT ordinary common sense citizens.

Casinos? Forget about that too

Comment #3

Technut — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 16:31:44 GMT

The People made the choice to have the lottery to begin with a long time back. Since then many elections have come and gone and legislatures have changed. i believe they should concider public choice before trying to get rid of the lottery. Otherwise they may end up without a job thru the vote.

Comment #2

Todd — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 15:08:34 GMT

Advertising does in fact generate a great deal of sales. It if didn't, they would not advertise.

Everything being done with creating and selling scratch games is a finely-tuned machine for state lotteries at this point. All those new games generate more excitement and sales. They really know what they're doing.

In Texas there is a strange group of legislators who are extremely anti-lottery, so when you see stories like this about the Texas Lottery and cutting back, just be aware of where t... [ More ]

Comment #1

Redd55 — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 14:29:25 GMT

95 new scratchers a year is ALOT. I dont think cutting back will harm sales. As to advertising, what specifically do they mean? I think people buy scratchers on what is based in the store case and posters where lottery scratchers are sold. As to television/radio/website -- not so much.

Are lawmakers selling the Texas Lottery short?

Lottery Post — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 12:39:22 GMT

Scratch-off lottery tickets are big business in Texas.

They raise billions for state coffers and are so popular that as many as 95 new scratch-off games are introduced here each year, making up a sizable chunk of overall Texas Lottery sales, officials say.

But lottery officials are worried they will have to cut back on the variety of scratch-offs offered and on the advertising that promotes the games now that Texas budget writers are considering cutting as much as $18 million from the agen... [ More ]