Lottery links

United States Lotteries

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Scratch-off or Instant Lottery tickets

How do I increase my odds of winning?

Research scratch off games. Do a history search on each game.

The majority of states have online websites that post paid out big winners of each scratch off that is in play. Find out if your state does. There is start date and a date to redeem by for each scratch off in play. If there are any big winners left in pool, play that scratch off.

On the State’s lottery website look for Scratch offs (Scratchers, Instants, Lottery Instants) click on page, then look for unclaimed prizes or claims remaining. Here you will find valuable information regarded remaining big winners available for each scratch off. Some lotteries will only give you big winners remaining as whole. This information does not tell you what amount is needed to determine what a big winner is. It could be as little as $25.00. Call your lottery office to clarify this information.

On the other hand, some lotteries websites (i.e. Minnesota, Washington) will break down each individual scratch offs tiers for the big prize per dollars paid out. (1 of 4 paid out for $1000.00) Click around lotteries website until you find were they post this valuable information. If you can’t find any payout history call lottery offices to see if they offer that on their website. They might only have a hard copy available. Request this payout information for the scratch off that you are going to play.

Each state must have a payout history for each scratch off game. This information might not be available to the public, but it should be. This policy can be changed to favor the scratch off player. Some states offer this already, but it is not publicized. The state lotteries want to keep it low profile. If the payout history for "in play games" is not available write to your state representatives to change this policy. Or just to ask "why!"

Certain scratch offs are played only in designated areas. Look for local or city only areas and not statewide availability scratch offs. Play the scratch off with less location availability. Smaller pools or total number of scratch offs can be determined by looking at the overall odds for the scratch off. Add up all of the tiers or dollar payouts into a dollar amount. This is your total payout. Find the required percentage of payout amount mandated by the state. This is in the Annual Report area. Generally payout percentages are between 60% to 80%. The remaining is profit. Multiply this percentage to the total scratch off payout to get the total number of scratch offs. Play the scratch off with the lowest number of tickets. Each lottery website should have a list of vendors that sell lottery scratch offs. Call each vendor to see if they have that particular scratch off.

As a note, the annual report breaks down the percentage of lottery revenues that goes to profits, charities, education, funds, fees etc. Each state mandates where your lottery dollar goes.

All new scratch offs have a date to start play. Not all scratch offs have a big publicized start date. Maybe you have seen some of them in commercials and radio announcements. "Play this scratch off and win!" The scratch off is probably associated with a big business partner and the business is trying to get some major publicity. This scratch off is probably very huge in total ticket count and available statewide. Look for scratch offs that start without any public notice. Look for a start date and then ask vendors for that particular ticket. Play that scratch off. You know all of the big winners are still available.

Scratch off individual numbered

Each scratch off has a specific identifying number. They are printed in sequential order. Look at that number. They are printed in pool numbers first. Pool numbers are the game number. This game number distinguishes the same game in play at the same time. Same front of ticket, but two different pools. Then, comes the breakdown of each pool. They are broken down into boxes or cartons. A number can distinguish each carton or case. This number determines the location of each box. One case might contain ten thousand scratch offs. Each retail location might only have one case to sell. The total pool of scratch offs might be one million scratch offs. This means that there are 100 ten thousands cases available for sale. One hundred retail locations. That is a lot of locations to cover if you are trying to track down the top prize. The last numbers on the scratch off is the tickets number. This number is an individual identifying number that no other scratch off has. This number identifies any winning or losing ticket. Since scratch offs have a fixed number of prizes and payouts, each scratch off is predetermined with a cash payout. That means someone (Lottery Director and manufacture) has a list of each individual prize with ticket number to match. Talk about trust and responsibility. As we all know, scratch off’s top prize can be in the millions.

The lotteries are going to say that they are independently audited for any big prize payout. Family members scrutinized and bank accounts watched for big deposits. Do you have an equal chance at that top prize or do you need inside help. That decision is up to the individual player.

Lotteries

How do I increase my odds of winning?

Do you wish you could win a big lottery game? Most people will take any lottery game win! Well, there are some factors to consider when playing lotteries. The game numbers, balls used, ball-hit frequency history and the lotteries blower machines. You don’t have to buy a system to pick numbers for you. With some basic research you can have numbers that will play for you. The fact is that some numbers show up more than others. Why is that? Here are some factors to consider when playing your numbers.

Bingo/Lottery Balls

Lotteries and Bingo Halls use the same kind of balls (Ping-pong) in their blower machines. These ping-pong balls are made of plastic or rubber. Based on my experience these Bingo balls can be manipulated (Purposely or not) to determine whether your number shows up in that monitor. Here are some factors to consider.

Can there be disparities between balls in a lottery or bingo ball blower machine?

a. Dirt-Each bingo ball should be the same weight. How often are they weighed? Each Day? What weight is allowed for differences? How often are they cleaned and inspected?

b. Ink-the more ink on a bingo ball can influence hit frequency? Yes. The higher numbers weight more so they do not lift up to the blower. More weight, less lift.

c. Manufacture imperfections-inspected for cracks, dimples and weigh disparities. If the balls are cleaned with water cleaning solutions this liquid can get inside the ball (plastic) and cause more weight. Dimples will affect flight.

d. Air flow-Is each blower inspected for airflow disparities. One side blows faster or slower. Not equal.

e. Ball drops-exact same time or in consecutive order. Equal chance to get to blower? Are all the balls rotated first before they are sucked up to tube? Are the balls always checked in sequential order on blower machine? Or are they rotated to prevent hit frequency. Do the balls in the tube placed in consecutive order have an affect on outcome of the numbers? Some blower machines now have a tube that drops the balls in the consecutive order each draw and then mixed (at least 5 seconds) before the blowers are turned on. This is done to show a more random draw from other blower machines that have the blower on all the time. All these techniques will have an impact on ball-hit frequency.

f. Blower machine-constructed properly. Do the same balls always drop to the bottom? Therefore, first to rise to the top tube, becoming first number out? Do balls get caught when dropped? If so, do they start over?

g. Sets of balls-The weight of each ball in grams cannot exceed 2% of the mean weight. There is +/- .095mg of weight disparity allowed between each ball. Can this have an affect on the ball-hit frequency? Yes. But the independent auditing firm and manufacture will tell you it is too miniscule to affect any outcome. There is also an allowance of .05mm for the size of each ball from the set.

Lottery Players.

h. Look for ball-hit frequency history on state lottery’s website or published accounting records. Powerball’s website has each ball-hit frequency since November 1997. Look for trends.

i. Individual state’s lottery games also have numbers recorded. This ball-hit frequency should be open to public use. Do some research before you pick your numbers? Look for tendencies in ball hits.

j. Ask your state lottery to provide this very valuable information.

k. Ask your state lottery questions about inaccuracies? Publish the answers for all players to see.

l. Ask for the independent audit firm’s findings. What do they do to make sure the lottery balls are tamper-proof?

m. How frequently does the independent firm audit and spot-check the lotteries controls?

Note: The California and South Carolina Lottery websites have good break down of "Draw Procedures." The lotteries take you through their process of "independent" procedures. Go to the Frequently Asked Questions area to find some of the procedures for your lottery. My best advice is to do a research on each ball-hit frequency for your lottery state and play the numbers with the highest ball-hit frequency. History shows that you can hit the big lottery games more often with a little luck on your side and some research. More than once! Good Luck.

Don D. Basina Lottery