Just curious, but does anybody know...

Reply #22

ArtVandalay — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 17:06:30 GMT

I guess one other thing that I really should mention is that the (10) people in the lottery pool that I mention really don't want me to change (any more) the way tickets are bought. They allow me to use my system because they can at least understand my system. Anything that they couldn't understand, they don't want to use. (And believe me, some of the people in the lottery pool are complete idiots

Reply #21

Coin Toss — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 22:01:07 GMT

ArtVanDalay

Let's rephrase this say that by having played all the Powerball numbers you can guarantee that one of the tickets and that the pool will see a return of at least $3.

The one line of numbers that has the Powerball number may have 0 matching numbers from the top matrix or all 5 matching numbers from the top of the matrix.

But unless more $ comes back than what was spent, it is not a win.

This is why video poker is called electronic morphine - people put $1.25 or $5.00 i... [ More ]

Reply #20

lottolaughs — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 16:53:37 GMT

Then somebody else does go out and buys the tickets, all quick picks, and wins absolutely nothing. So then the next time around (if the jackpot rolls over), they come back to me and my system.

Until someone in the group (or you) comes up with a better way to pick numbers besides quick picks then I think your system is just fine. It's a start anyway, and if you are winning more your way then their way, even if it's only $3.00, then HEY! More power to you! 3 bucks is better then nothing.... [ More ]

Reply #19

RJOh — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 15:41:57 GMT

I think most people understand what you're saying but for MegaMillions players, a guaranteed $2 win for $46 doesn't look at good as a guaranteed $3 win for $42 does to PowerBall players so your system doesn't have universal appeal.

I live in a MegaMillions state so I usually limit my playing to no more than 20 lines. I usually play 20 bonus balls and I hit one 50% of the time so when I have a chance to double up, I prefer to play 20 bonus balls twice rather than play all 46 bonus balls once... [ More ]

Reply #18

Raven62 — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 15:30:37 GMT

It all depends on your point of view:

Most people here are playing with their own money, not other peoples money!

How many times has you system equaled or exceeded the $50 wagered

Reply #17

jarasan — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 15:16:58 GMT

For reference sake: just curious but does anybody know....

Your first post:

I took over management of the lottery pool where I work. Whenever the Powerball Jackpot got above $70 million, most of us would throw in $5.00 each for a total of about $50.00. The guy who use to run the pool would just buy a bunch of quick picks, that is untill I showed them how to win at least $3.00 with a minimum of only $42.00, guaranteed. How many people know this trick, or is this too elemental? You'd be s... [ More ]

Reply #16

ArtVandalay — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 14:50:26 GMT

It's hard to believe how many people have misunderstood and/or misinterpreted my posts. First of all, this system guarantees AT LEAST a $3.00 win, not just a $3.00 win. And I have won more than just $3.00 per draw using this system. And I don't play the same number each time with a different powerball. I play a Quick Pick of the white balls with each Powerball. And the lottery pool that I manage has 8 to 10 people in it with each throwing in $5.00 each. Any extra tickets over the first 42 are pu... [ More ]

Reply #15

RJOh — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 02:46:30 GMT

Like I mentioned in an earlier post, covering all the bonus balls in a PowerBall or MegaMillions game might make some players more comfortable when gambling enough to do so but everyone is different.

Normally I don't play sixty lines for a lottery drawing but the chance to play for a $200M+ jackpot doesn't come along that often either. I usually play 10-15 lines when the jackpot is decent, but for fun I'm always trying different things on paper and on the prediction board so when a large j... [ More ]

Reply #14

Todd — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 01:13:59 GMT

Well, I can't say I agree, because if you're guaranteed to win $3.00, that's like having a coupon for $3.00 off your lottery purchase -- with exactly the same odds of winning any prize, including the jackpot. That's $39.00 for 42 tickets. If the lottery ran that as a promotion, many people would go running for it. Meanwhile, all they need to do is play every Powerball.

For those who are tempted to think I am proposing playing for that $3.00, you're barking up the wrong tree. I said before... [ More ]

Reply #13

jarasan — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 22:15:32 GMT

I tend to think that pool players don't have the time to mess with picking WBS but can in a way feel some satisfaction in beating the game at its own game . I guess what I am trying to say it is some form of hybrid QP with intervention like having some effect on the outcome. Like being a little in control avoiding a complete loss.

Reply #12

Coin Toss — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 21:26:03 GMT

DD

Good question about the length of time pooling and the bigggest win.

Let's take ths guaranteed + $3 for the Powerball a wee bit further.

Let's say there are 10 people in the pool. One ticket has the Powerball number and the guaranteed $3 win comes in. But the pool is splitting the $3, not one person. So the now the guaranteed $3 win is $.30 per person.

Sorry ArtVanDalay, but this guaranteed $3 win is something I'd expect to read in a sales letter from a not so reputable system s... [ More ]

Reply #11

Guru101 — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 17:50:32 GMT

I wouldn't do that. The chance of getting the PowerBall right is 1/42. The chance of getting all 5 white balls right is 1/3,478,761. When playing PowerBall, I'm more worried about getting the white balls right than the PowerBall.

Reply #10

DoubleDown — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 17:31:14 GMT

Art: Sounds like there are 10 people in your pool...

If I were in it I would tend to agree with Coin Toss. - $10 and +$3 = loss of $7, unless of course there are some other matches somewhere within the 50 tickets.

How long have you been pooling and what is your biggest win so far

Reply #9

Coin Toss — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 17:23:16 GMT

ArtVanDalay

This ensures that the Powerball will be hit at least once, guaranteeing at least a $3.00 win.

To each his own, but in my book - $42 and + $3 are hardly a 'win', let alone a 'guaranteed win''.

In gambling jargon, such an apporach is known as an economic suicide system given enough consecutive losses, which are bound to happen.

Reply #8

spy153 — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 15:54:00 GMT

If I was in your pool, I probably would too. But, I don't have the 42 bucks to shell out every draw, so, I put a limit on it and guess the best I can. There are no pools around me that I am aware of for me to join.

Reply #7

ArtVandalay — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 15:42:34 GMT

It's really a very simple trick . Both the Powerball and the MegaMillions are two part lotteries, one part being chosing 5 white balls and the other part chosing a single multiplier red ball. On the Powerball ticket slips, I would play each of the Powerball numbers (1-42) once while chosing the quick pick option for the corresponding white balls. Any extra tickets purchased were entirely quick picks, both white and red balls. This ensures that the Powerball will be hit at least once, guaran... [ More ]

Reply #6

jarasan — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 14:01:21 GMT

Wheels are good. I'll do the wheels and keep the same PBall, Mball on all lines. Like RJ says the 5 Wbs. are the money.

42 for a 3 is not really a great bet.

Reply #5

RJOh — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 13:52:16 GMT

If I played 42 lines with all the powerballs, I would expect to do better than just the minimum $3 prize since the overall odds of winning a prize are 1:37. Playing that many lines and covering all the powerballs might make some feel more comfortable about gambling that much on a lottery but not me.

The last time MegaMillions jackpot was over $200M, I played 60 lines and thought about playing all 46 megaballs for a guaranteed $2 prize but opted instead to play what I thought were the 15 most... [ More ]

Reply #4

Todd — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 10:49:02 GMT

I don't think it statistically makes it harder to win the jackpot.

We also have not addressed the first five numbers, and buying 42 tickets is a great opportunity to play a good Pick 5 wheel that incorporates all the white numbers. I have talked about these wheels before, and I have personally had very good luck with them. When I play a large set of tickets, I always play every Powerball/ Mega Ball, and the five numbers are wheeled.

Reply #3

Coin Toss — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 06:46:05 GMT

Excellent post, BobP

Art VanDalay

...that is untill I showed them how to win at least $3.00 with a minimum of only $42.00, guaranteed....

Anyone who would willingly and consistently shell out $42 to 'win' $3 will be gladly welcome in any kind of game, anywhere.

I'm kind of surprised you thought people here wouldn't know you were talking about covering all the Powerballs.

Reply #2

BobP — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 06:17:53 GMT

In my opinion it's a trick Powerball plays on players to make the pot bigger. By giving a $3.00 prize for getting only the Powerball correct they sucker thousands of players into buying 42 plays. This makes it harder to win a jackpot because this guarantees you will have only one 5 number line with the Powerball. Optimal would be to play each Powerball against all the numbers, failing that budget breaker select the most likely Powerballs such as the three longest out and play all the numbers... [ More ]

Reply #1

guesser — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 05:36:16 GMT

Enlighten us.

I have my theories that will do that, but for some reason, to me, 42 to get 3 isn't good enough odds. Neither is 3 to get 7.

My absolute limit is $10/drawing.

Just curious, but does anybody know...

ArtVandalay — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 03:17:54 GMT

I took over management of the lottery pool where I work. Whenever the Powerball Jackpot got above $70 million, most of us would throw in $5.00 each for a total of about $50.00. The guy who use to run the pool would just buy a bunch of quick picks, that is untill I showed them how to win at least $3.00 with a minimum of only $42.00, guaranteed. How many people know this trick, or is this too elemental? You'd be surprised at just how many people don't know.