Are people changing the way they play the lottery?

Reply #37

shyguitar — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 12:50:59 GMT

I have never really understood feng shui but many people believe it makes a differnce in their lives.

Reply #36

shyguitar — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 12:48:51 GMT

It seems you are grounded when it comes to playing the lottery and the one and done thing as you say is the best policy. When I played scratchers, like yourself, I was always looking for the best odds and also checking my states website to see how many jackpot tickets were claimed. Strategies can be a tricky thing because so often luck just plays a key role, being at the right place at the right time to win.

Reply #35

mikeintexas — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 00:32:31 GMT

No, sorting my socks is a PITA when they look almost all identical except for brand or style differences.

EDIT: Oh, you're not familiar w/ PITA? Pain in the.... I misunderstood you, like I think you misunderstood me. I wasn't saying it was a superstition, although if you do it for good luck, then I guess it could be one.

Reply #34

Artist77 — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 23:17:34 GMT

PITA? I don't view it so much as a good luck charm or a superstition....more or a design aspect or good design harmony. For example, you are not to have your bed directly in line with a door or your entry door facing a closet.

Reply #33

mikeintexas — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 23:06:33 GMT

That's interesting. The only thing out-of-the-ordinary I do when buying a lottery ticket is look to see if the multiplier number is also in the set. I always buy another ticket if there is, but the funny thing is that I've hit a few 1+1 and 2+1 combos on those double number tickets. I've never been very superstitious or depended upon good luck charms, but I will not wear a pair of socks w/ a hole in them or if they're mismatched. (and I wear mostly white socks and they can't be two different bra... [ More ]

Reply #32

Artist77 — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 19:59:58 GMT

I always incorporate some sort of feng shui principle or element with my tickets....placing them on a bowl of coins, placing the tickets in the SE corner, etc.

Reply #31

LottoMetro — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 19:30:37 GMT

Yeah, the thing about higher priced tickets is that they.....are higher priced!

I used to buy a lot, but buying lots just means you reach the long run faster, and in the case of the lottery that means losing 20-40% of your money.

So now I am kinda like a one and done player, just enough to give me a chance, as you said with your example of PB/L4L. I try to stick to games with the best overall odds because the likelihood of winning the jackpot in any game will be minute, so might as well ma... [ More ]

Reply #30

shyguitar — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 13:30:14 GMT

Hi LottoMetro,

I only played the pick 3 game once (I don't understand the 50 cent bet etc. on that game). In terms of scratch offs 20 dollar ones are probably the best bang for your buck (unfortunately they are the most expensive). One of the reasons I had to stop playing scratchers was because I was spending far too much money chasing wins (though a few months before I stopped playing scratchers I would buy one ticket, scratch it and if I won would not buy anymore or if I lost on that one ti... [ More ]

Reply #29

LottoMetro — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 02:42:33 GMT

It really doesn't matter what % they say the payouts are if you aren't getting any of it.

Somewhat true I guess, but the same can be said about draw games, because the majority payout % in those go to fund jackpots. Why would you play a game where only 50% is returned to players and 60% of that is paid to one person? Why not play a game where 70% is returned to players and only 10-20% is paid to jackpot winners, yet the top prize is still noteworthy and you win far more often? That's one of... [ More ]

Reply #28

RJOh — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 02:15:45 GMT

It really doesn't matter what % they say the payouts are if you aren't getting any of it. I prefer games with random drawings that I can observe if I wish, that way I can judge for myself if I came close enough to winning something that it's worth trying again.

Reply #27

haymaker — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 22:14:55 GMT

OK, that makes sense now,

JC5 pays 0 for 2/5

$11 + - for 3/5

$600 + - for 4/5

Reply #26

LottoMetro — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 19:40:42 GMT

I started out Pick3, then switched to scratch-offs. Doesn't make sense to play a 50% payout game when there are 60-70%+ games for the same price.

Now I play almost exclusively $20 games (whatever has the best odds, really), but occasionally I will play a draw game if the jackpot has rolled close to the top percentile. Location, meh, I don't think it matters much but I will vary my play if I think a pack at one store has all the good winners gone.

I definitely haven't played as much this ye... [ More ]

Reply #25

RJOh — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 18:35:07 GMT

RC5 is structured differently, it pays $1 for a match2, $10 for a match3 and $300 for match4 which is less than NJ5 pays. Both games aim to payout 50% of sales in prizes but accomplished it differently with different payout amounts and starting jackpots.

Reply #24

haymaker — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 16:31:30 GMT

Your RC5 game sounds better, how often does it hit ?

I wonder how they can offer 100K on a starter when Jersey has to go 5/43 just to offer 75K

Reply #23

shyguitar — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 12:29:04 GMT

Hi Goteki54,

I think you are smart to focus on your States game since State games have better odds of winning than PB or MM. Good luck.

Reply #22

Goteki54 — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 05:30:14 GMT

I am focusing more on playing our state's 6/43 game rather then powerball or mega millions.

Reply #21

RJOh — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 17:39:32 GMT

Sounds like you JC5 game is similar to our RC5 game(Rolling Cash5 - 5/39 which starts with a $100K jackpot and rolls to someone wins it

Reply #20

haymaker — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 16:51:07 GMT

JC5 = Jersey cash 5, a 5/43 rollover game w/ a starting JP of 75G

just 2 months since it changed from a 5/40 rollover game, that's when I stopped w/ my own #s and playing every draw.

There have been other changes to this game over the last 18 years I been playing it.

It started out just once a week as a 5/38 game no rollover and the JP went to players w/ 4/5 if no one had 5/5

I used to play every draw of PB and MM, now I realize that's just building it, hardly ever hits on the b... [ More ]

Reply #19

haymaker — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 16:38:26 GMT

No flaw there, getting rid of large debts is what it's all about w/ the small games.

Just got back from buying a ticket for tonight, it's now 816g last night was 600some night before 400some...

so these have been trips to the store for just that.

Reply #18

shyguitar — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 15:05:32 GMT

Hi RJOh,

Thanks for explaing what OCL and RC5 is. With your OCL it seems like someone can win milloins which we had that game in my state. I never play our states Megabucks game and don't play our states Mass Cash anymore because the top prize is just 100k and I only won 10 dollars twice by matching 3 numbers out of 5.

Reply #17

shyguitar — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 14:40:59 GMT

Hi noahwill,

Good luck with your playing online that is not something that I've ever done.

Reply #16

shyguitar — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 14:29:32 GMT

Hi RedStang,

The dead zone you mentioned was not so much the issue as much as my losing more than winning was. Sorry you are in a dead zone but if it helps you play less as you said that is a good thing. In my town we ended up having 3 or 4 people winning 1 million jackpots and we had someone win a 4 million jackpot on a scratch ticket within the past 2 or 3 years. After that happened I realized the chance of another person winning a big one in my town would be very slim. The problem with scr... [ More ]

Reply #15

RJOh — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 11:09:38 GMT

OCL stands for Ohio's Classic Lotto, our 6/49 game.

Note: I use RC5 when I'm talking about Rolling Cash5, our pick 5/39 game.

Reply #14

noahwill — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 08:18:52 GMT

I've started playing online, so now I can play the US and European lotteries. I used to only play my local lotteries but now I can play 'em all online

Reply #13

RedStang — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 06:34:12 GMT

Sounds like your in a dead zone for scratch offs wins like i am. It's good because it helps me not play.

Reply #12

shyguitar — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 15:55:01 GMT

Hi Ky Floyd,

You bring up a good point. I had to re read my initial post and agree with you that by driving further the more I am spending in gas. I realize that a person can still change things a bit from their normal lottery playing routine and that's what I am trying to do by playing at different times or maybe trying a place in town that I never bought a ticket from before. Good luck to you.

Reply #11

shyguitar — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 15:49:18 GMT

Hi Artist77,

I can understand why you think I might go down that slippery slope again. What has changed is that I am living in a reality that is much more grounded over this past year. I haven't given up the lottery but am nowhere playing like I had been. I am in it for the long haul but since my spending is very small now I can still be in the game by just buying one draw ticket when I do play. There have been many places I no longer go to because I was only buying scratch tickets there and... [ More ]

Reply #10

shyguitar — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 15:40:37 GMT

Hi RJOH,

I understand when you said if you aren't getting the results you want why do the same thing. That's why I am thinking of little ways to change things up a bit. For myself I find it easier to do QP's since I buy just one draw ticket at a time. I was getting a bit stressed out when I was trying to do an analysis and pick my own numbers ( though at times I was a bit more successful than using QP's but that was when I was buying more than one draw ticket at a time). What is OCL is that y... [ More ]

Reply #9

shyguitar — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 15:31:17 GMT

Hi haymaker,

It sounds like you play responsibly by keeping things in check and having 1 routine store along with the 4 other occasional places you play at. For myself it doesn't matter what the PB jackpot is in terms of buying a ticket. In terms of MM because the 5/75 matrix make it nearly impossible to get a second place prize I tend to wait until that jackpot gets very high before I will play it. I am not sure what a JC5 is we don't have that in my state. Good luck to you.

Reply #8

shyguitar — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 15:22:55 GMT

Hi bigbear29,

Glad you cut back on your lottery spending you will feel much better not thowing out so much money to the lottery.I use to have the same problem with getting tickets with similar numbers but that was when I was playing more than one PB or MM ticket at a time. Now since I buy just one draw ticket at a time I do not look at my numbers until I check to see if I have won anything. It sounds like you have changed things by going to 6 to 8 different places at different times of the da... [ More ]

Reply #7

GiveFive — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 09:30:42 GMT

Granted, it doesn't make a lot of sense to bother drive further when it wont change your chances.

The only way I'd drive farther (and I've done this) is to drive out of state to buy raffle tickets that my state doesn't offer. I've driven about an hour to a neighboring state to buy them. On more than one occasion I've had to go to those states anyway, so while I was there I killed two birds with one stone. G5

Reply #6

KY Floyd — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 07:32:24 GMT

I think it might not hurt to play in towns and places I haven't played in just to change things up a bit.

It won't hurt your chances, but if you have to drive further the tickets cost more. Since the chances of winning have nothing to do with where you play, why bother

Reply #5

chris-chase — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 02:20:05 GMT

I am with you Haymaker. I usually won't play that JC5 for less then 250ish as well.

My flawed way of thinking is I wouldn't want to waste my win on anything that cannot

payoff the mortgage and these kids college tuition.

That being said I can't even hit a lousy 50/50 at the local HS Football game.

Reply #4

Artist77 — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 01:30:13 GMT

Hopefully you will not go down this path again and will continue the path you are on. I recall you saying sometime ago about driving to different places to get scratch offs. You are about to fall into that hole again and spend too much. As the song says, let it goooooooooooooooooo.

Reply #3

RJOh — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 20:40:27 GMT

If what you were doing weren't get the results you wanted why continue doing the same thing? In addition games change, when PB went to $2 and MM matrix changed to 15 bonus numbers my playing strategy for those games changed also. I've changed the way I pick my numbers for OCL and already I'm noticing an improvement in my prediction stats. I'm always looking for a better playing strategy.

Reply #2

haymaker — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 19:59:13 GMT

I just got back from circle K where I spent $1 on a JC5 B/c tonight's JP is 416 G.

That's all I got @ the store, I won't play for less then 250 G and won't make a special store run for less then 350 G.

The last tic. I had for this daily game was on 11/14/14 that JP was 999 G.

3 days not in the game saved $3 this came about when they changed the matrix 5/40 to 5/43

and upped the start JP from 50 G to 75 G

Only buy PB and MM only when the JP has grown large, had a MM for this last... [ More ]

Reply #1

bigbear29 — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 18:57:01 GMT

I have cut back on my spending for the lottery. But I still buy tickets from 6 to 8 different locations and at different times of the day and different days. I use to buy from the same location or 2 different locations and I've noticed that the quick pick numbers were similar.

Are people changing the way they play the lottery?

shyguitar — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 18:48:31 GMT

Hi everyone,

Do some of you change the way you play the lottery? For instance if you played only 2 or 5 dollar scratch tickets have you started to play the 10 or 20 dollar scratchers? Have you cut back on your spending or are you playing more? Have you decided to try your luck in places you haven't played at before? I've mentioned before about my cutting back on my spending and tend to buy my PB and Lucky for Life draw tickets at 1 or 2 places but I think it might not hurt to play in towns an... [ More ]