Texas Lottery Changes

Reply #19

rcbbuckeye — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 21:08:25 GMT

Well on Tx Lottery website they finally have a banner on the home page about the million dollar prize with the megaplier. I found other info on it in the Mega Millions how to play page the other day, but this is the first time thay are actively promoting it on the website.

Maybe they decided to wait until the big jackpot was hit before promoting it.

Reply #18

Stack47 — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:21:58 GMT

There are some states where jackpot winners pay no state taxes, but they all pay federal taxes. If you buy your tickets in one of those states, but live in another, you'll probably have to pay state taxes in your state.

Reply #17

dk1421 — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 04:34:59 GMT

Yeah, I did notice before I went up to PA for a visit - I checked the website and if you live there, you don't pay taxes on lottery winnings, which is completely different from when I used to live there! But if you don't live there, you pay the full taxes on it.

Now, Longarm, I didn't even think of the option of moving there (good idea!) to avoid paying the taxes, but I could see them (the PA lottery) checking to see when you moved there and if it was after winning the money. But you are righ... [ More ]

Reply #16

ttech10 — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 09:26:16 GMT

Basically it seems like nobody really knows for sure how it was, since that shows the state lottery's aren't entirely sure of what's on their own website.

As you said in your later post that you play for jackpot, same here, so the Megaplier stuff doesn't affect me. With how little I ever get back if I spent double for the Megaplier I would just be even more down, and I too would rather have those extra numbers than $2 per line where nothing hits.

Reply #15

Longarm — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 07:02:47 GMT

As I understand it, the Megaplier, and Powerplay, dollars go entirely to the state. They don't send 35, or whatever it is, percent to the central collection point for the jackpot pool. I've seen information online suggesting that the multiplier dollars are more profitable than the game dollars. However, you can't play Megaplier without playing Mega Millions, and you can't play Powerplay without playing Powerball. So these possibly more profitable multipliers are entirely dependent on the games t... [ More ]

Reply #14

savagegoose — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 06:33:48 GMT

what i find most strange is that the megaplier is a side bet, ran soley by the state. the dollar is theirs, and the costs of paying winners is theirs.

you would think that as its extra money jusdt for the states they would drop all advertising of the main game and try and get every punter playing the megaplier.

Reply #13

Longarm — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 06:15:27 GMT

Since Megaplier is not a core part of the game, as Powerplay is a core part of its game, there may be different ways it's been used; there are differences in whether it was used at all. We know that the automatic 1 million has not been used in Texas, as the payout records show. It may be that some state does have the automatic million, and someone saw that and assumed it was system-wide, and then put it on Wikipedia.

When the games expanded last year, the Wisconsin lottery web site said: If y... [ More ]

Reply #12

ttech10 — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 06:00:29 GMT

I had found a page on Lottery Universe that said they found information on the New Hampshire Lottery website that places that didn't already offer the Megaplier would have to by January 2011. There were also some other places stating that it's been an automatic $1,000,000 since September though none of them cited a certain source, so I guess we won't know for sure since it seems Mega Millions doesn't release too much information about the rules (at least that I could find).

Reply #11

Todd — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 05:22:42 GMT

Yes, it's typical Wikipedia nonsense. Another piece of nonsense is that there is some requirement for the Megaplier. They may all end up doing it, but not because of some phantom requirement .

Reply #10

ttech10 — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 04:45:06 GMT

I know states that didn't use the Megaplier already would have to switch over this year, but didn't know about making it an automatic $1,000,000 if you put in the extra $1. It seemed like most times I checked it was always a x4 multiplier anyways. Something interesting of note is that on the Mega Millions Wikipedia site it lists, under the Megaplier section: Megaplier wagers made for drawings after September 12, 2010 that win second prize are automatically elevated to 4x, winning $1 million. Not... [ More ]

Reply #9

grwurston — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 04:31:01 GMT

You wouldn't have to move to another state, just drive over the border to buy the tickets. You collect the money from, and pay the taxes to the state where the ticket was purchased, not where you live. Of course if you play the pick 3 or pick 4, it's better to play in a state with a set prize rather than a paramutuel payout because you'll get more

Reply #8

Longarm — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 03:36:02 GMT

That's lovely how lottery winners have a tax penalty for living in Maryland. It makes me wonder about buying tickets in other states, particularly Pennsylvania and Delaware, which have no such taxes (and aren't far away), and moving to that state before claiming a large prize. I don't know if that would work, but it's something I'd look into if I lived in such a state.

Each state has rules about payment options. In Texas, the payment option must be selected when the ticket is purchased (if no... [ More ]

Reply #7

rcbbuckeye — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 03:27:37 GMT

I read about this change in the Lottery Commission meeting transcripts about a month ago. I was wondering when they would start publicizing it. There was nothing in the minutes that I saw where they planned on keeping it secret. Generally when the Texas Lottery is going to make any changes, they always have a public comment period, then after that will vote on the proposed rule change.

Very odd that there is no public announcement.

Reply #6

Todd — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 03:09:17 GMT

I know, and I agree with you. It's a big mystery to me.

I actually asked several representatives of different state lotteries about their utter lack of ANY communication or marketing regarding the Megaplier, as well as the changes that have been happening to the Megaplier, and I have gotten absolutely no response at all.

In fact, these people have made great efforts to avoid at all costs speaking about it, as if they are bound by some super-secret code of honor not to speak about the Megap... [ More ]

Reply #5

grwurston — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 02:59:15 GMT

Maryland switched over to the multiplier earlier this year, I believe it was in June. They have had tv. commercials describing the change. If you win the $250,000 second prize and have the multiplier, you automatically win $1,000,000. I don't know if this is true for all states, seeing as how Maryland just started in June and Texas is just starting now. One thing Maryland definitely did not publicize, is when they increased the state's cut of the taxes on winnings from 7.5% up to 9.25% for resid... [ More ]

Reply #4

Longarm — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 02:20:18 GMT

I suspect that's true. I wouldn't trust a clerk to enter numbers correctly, especially for a jackpot game. I was reluctant the one time I did it (for Pick 3) because they had no playslips. I even use a playslip to get a quick pick because I often choose the annual payments option, and the clerks sometimes ignore that and select cash value when I ask by voice.

Checking around, other MM lotteries have changed their sites to reflect the Megaplier million-dollar change. Some of them changed t... [ More ]

Reply #3

garyo1954 — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 02:08:59 GMT

It says on page 2 under the heading '10 Boards Per Ticket' this is ....for all transactions (manual entry and Quick Pick).

Further down in bold black it says:

** Playslips will not be modified.

Doubt you are going to find any retailer in the D/FW area who will sit around manually entering 10 sets of numbers unless they put a wheeling option on the machine.

Reply #2

Longarm — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 02:04:59 GMT

That's interesting. This seems like big news to me, something that should be marketed and publicized. Is every state keeping it (nearly) secret?

As I read it, it looks like this may apply to Tuesday's drawing, and to the tickets being sold now. If this is the case, especially with the enormous jackpot, I'd be marketing it everywhere. I've seen nothing on the web site (other than that document) or in stores.

Reply #1

Todd — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 01:35:03 GMT

Yes, pretty much every lottery offering Megaplier is going with that option.

Texas Lottery Changes

Longarm — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 00:37:19 GMT

There are two interesting changes that I haven't seen publicized. I found them here: http://www.txlottery.org/export/sites/default/Documents/retailers/FAQTP44QuickRef20101209.pdf

The first one that catches my interest is that second-prize ($250,000) Mega Millions winners will automatically win $1,000,000 when the ticket is purchased with the Megaplier option, regardless of the Megaplier number drawn. I don't know if this applies to all states. I would think this would be publicized, but I hav... [ More ]