mt zion illinois United States
Member #110,544
May 6, 2011
351 Posts
Offline
In 2004 when I won $400.00 I bought 2 $2.00 tickets one which hit for $400
In 2008 when I won $400.00 i bought a $20 ticket hit for a $100 went back to the gas station got the next one and won $ 400 on it.
In 2011 when I won $200 it was just a random $20 ticket and also in 2011 when I hit the $500 it was just a random $10 ticket...... So most of my tickets are 1 or 2 then done ....
Krypton United States
Member #140,096
March 11, 2013
904 Posts
Offline
It really varies. Sometimes I've bought as many as 50 PB just knowing one of my combinations were the winner and didn't get a penny. Other times Ive bought 10 and won $1000. A few weeks back my wife bought ONE QP and won a million $ I spend hrs working up numbers. She spent 2 minutes n line. Well, I pent a few minutes in mine getting her a ticket LOL.
That being said, I feel REALLY good about the current game and will spend probably $100 on PB Nd $50 on Texas Lotto, another $35 on 2 step. I normally money all my money back before he weeks out.
Little Elm United States
Member #145,980
August 20, 2013
15 Posts
Offline
i think i will stick to just spending $20 at once a few times a week. so if it's a $5 ticket i'll buy 4 of the same or if it's a $10 ticket i'll buy 2 tickets. i have a hard time buying just one $20 ticket with the thought of the next one or two being the winner though. although i feel that if i won big off a $20 ticket it would be a one and done...
another question, do you guys stick to the same game, or do you have a few favorites that you play, or does it completely depend on the moment? i feel that if i i would stick to the same game i would have better odds since every couple days i pick up it would be from the same pack as before. but i'm not sure if this really matters. maybe have a specific $5, 10, and $20 game that i play respectively.
i don't know. just want to hear some input from big winners.
407 United States
Member #146,049
August 23, 2013
32 Posts
Offline
I usually only buy one ticket at a time. All my big wins except one were off a single ticket; once I was a little intoxicated at a gas station buying tickets and there were 3 GRT left and I said eff it. hit $20, $500, $20. *edit* I also wait till im at my destination to scratch. No need to rush things.
But like I said, I perfer one at a time. If im gonna start dropping cash im going to drive to the casino where my odds are better imo.
Little Elm United States
Member #145,980
August 20, 2013
15 Posts
Offline
@dr65
i like what you have said. i think i'll take your advice. in the past few weeks i have been winning more than usual and i believe that is because i have changed up my playing style to pretty much what you have just said.
i am guilty of feeding the machine or chasing wins and i don't believe i have ever gotten lucky this way. i have also found a LOT more luck scratching my tickets in my room compared to scratching at the counter or in my car. from now on i will spend my $20 and just wait until i get home to scratch my tickets. now, if you take home your $20 ticket and win some money, say, $50 or $100. do you immediately go back to the store and cash out? or do you wait a day or 2 and then go back? also, would you spend all your winnings on more tickets, or just another $20?
i like your strategy of only going to 2 or 4 stores as well. i used to just go to every place i could but i have been finding myself winning more often than not at 2 particular locations close to my house. one is the machine at kroger and the other is a 7-eleven. i have won quite a bit at a racetrac close to me but the only reason i buy tickets there is because that's where i get my cigarettes and then i get tempted. there is a new tom thumb that just opened up and i have yet to try their machine but i might start going there to test my luck as well.
also the right time, right place thing is correct, i believe. today, i went to my kroger and put $20 in the machine. bought 4 of the same $5 tickets and went home. 2nd one hit $50. so i go back to the kroger to cash out but the guest service line was so long i decided to go over to 7-eleven. i go to cash my ticket out and on the computer the screen is still up from the previous winner. it said $200 on it. the clerk said the guy that just left just won $200 on this new $10 ticket. i had it in my mind that i was gonna buy a couple of that exact one before i came to the store! so if i had originally gone to 7-eleven instead of kroger i would've been there 5 mins before this guy and won that $200! i ended up buying a single $20 and lost. at least i'm still up $10, but still!
anyways, my question here is, would you have still bought a couple of that $10 ticket? do you think it could've been a hot pack? like maybe there might have been another $200, or maybe a $1000 winner sitting right behind that one?
also, do you not play $3 tickets? what would be the best amount to play with these? i'm thinking 8 since the odds are usually 1 in 3.xx\
sorry i have so many questions lol. just trying to maximize my odds at winning.
Little Elm United States
Member #145,980
August 20, 2013
15 Posts
Offline
Quote: Originally posted by HondaITR on Sep 18, 2013
I usually only buy one ticket at a time. All my big wins except one were off a single ticket; once I was a little intoxicated at a gas station buying tickets and there were 3 GRT left and I said eff it. hit $20, $500, $20. *edit* I also wait till im at my destination to scratch. No need to rush things.
But like I said, I perfer one at a time. If im gonna start dropping cash im going to drive to the casino where my odds are better imo.
i agree. i believe if you're gonna get extremely lucky, it's gonna be sitting right there for you. but i mean like you said, 3 in a row could be winners as well. i guess i'll just stick to spending $20 total unless i have $100 to spend. if i spend $100, i think i'll do 3 $20, 2 $10, and $4 5. i think this would be the best way to win...
yeah, i've been waiting until i get home most of the time recently. that way i don't end up chasing a win that is most likely ticket value after wasting a lot of money. plus, if you win a nice amount, someone can't jack it from you or anything like that.
i would love to go the casino more often but i would drop too much money there and don't wanna get addicted to the slots. i'd rather go to the casino every once in awhile and not with the intention to win money but instead to have a good time with my friends and maybe have a few drinks while i'm there.
Pennsylvania United States
Member #74,094
May 2, 2009
24,135 Posts
Offline
Quote: Originally posted by topmid on Sep 19, 2013
@dr65
i like what you have said. i think i'll take your advice. in the past few weeks i have been winning more than usual and i believe that is because i have changed up my playing style to pretty much what you have just said.
i am guilty of feeding the machine or chasing wins and i don't believe i have ever gotten lucky this way. i have also found a LOT more luck scratching my tickets in my room compared to scratching at the counter or in my car. from now on i will spend my $20 and just wait until i get home to scratch my tickets. now, if you take home your $20 ticket and win some money, say, $50 or $100. do you immediately go back to the store and cash out? or do you wait a day or 2 and then go back? also, would you spend all your winnings on more tickets, or just another $20?
i like your strategy of only going to 2 or 4 stores as well. i used to just go to every place i could but i have been finding myself winning more often than not at 2 particular locations close to my house. one is the machine at kroger and the other is a 7-eleven. i have won quite a bit at a racetrac close to me but the only reason i buy tickets there is because that's where i get my cigarettes and then i get tempted. there is a new tom thumb that just opened up and i have yet to try their machine but i might start going there to test my luck as well.
also the right time, right place thing is correct, i believe. today, i went to my kroger and put $20 in the machine. bought 4 of the same $5 tickets and went home. 2nd one hit $50. so i go back to the kroger to cash out but the guest service line was so long i decided to go over to 7-eleven. i go to cash my ticket out and on the computer the screen is still up from the previous winner. it said $200 on it. the clerk said the guy that just left just won $200 on this new $10 ticket. i had it in my mind that i was gonna buy a couple of that exact one before i came to the store! so if i had originally gone to 7-eleven instead of kroger i would've been there 5 mins before this guy and won that $200! i ended up buying a single $20 and lost. at least i'm still up $10, but still!
anyways, my question here is, would you have still bought a couple of that $10 ticket? do you think it could've been a hot pack? like maybe there might have been another $200, or maybe a $1000 winner sitting right behind that one?
also, do you not play $3 tickets? what would be the best amount to play with these? i'm thinking 8 since the odds are usually 1 in 3.xx\
sorry i have so many questions lol. just trying to maximize my odds at winning.
Hi topmid...I didn't get over here to check out later posts until now.
Your questions..
If I find a winner from one that I took home, I won't go right back out and cash it, I'll wait til the next day when I'm out.
If I find a winner while I scratch it in the store, I'll cash it and buy a few more of the ones I haven't tried yet and see if they
win. If the one out plays don't work with $20's I'll trickle down to $10's, $5's and $2's..I don't like $3's but if I do try them
I get one and scan it at the store. I've bought 3 at a time in the past but find they just don't win often.
I have favorite stores that win often and finding them was by trial and error - going to multiple stores and testing which
were the best ones for wins. Giant, Redner's, Weis don't usually do well for me...most beer distributors don't, gas stations
like Hess are good for me and so are Top Stars...Valero's stink and so do Sheetz. It takes awhile to find your handful of
stores but once you do, you're set...keep on going there.
I don't know why some places are consistently better than others...Top Star I can always count on to have good tickets. Not
sure if it's traffic or ticket hawks or the lottery having a hand in controlling what stores get what winners.
WTG on your $50 hit that's a good one! and you might test that store with a few more small purchases to see if it's a keeper.
Be aware of when the new tickets come out...I'd buy only those in the first couple days...multiples on $10 and down is a good
plan for the new releases...one outs still for the new $20's though, there will be enough packed winnings in the first couple
days where you'll certainly nab a good one trying different stores.
I've been in those shoes concerning the just missing the $200..I've been the one to go to the right place and get the bigger
winner and have someone behind me say: wow! and I've also been the one held up or somewhere else and coming in on
someone just cashing one I was going to play. Glad I saw it and could avoid that ticket but still wished I got there just a
minute earlier.
Oh and no, I wouldn't have bought the one right after a $200. I've seen posts here about back to back winners but I'd
be more willing to buy one after a winner when the winner is $10. Hot packs, hmmm...I can only go by what I've seen
here on that too...I've read once in a blue moon here someone buying a pack and making out for more than the pack
cost...so that means to me that if you find a $200 you're at 1/3 of the cost for the $20's and $10's tickets. I might be
wrong and missed a better ticket not playing anymore from that pack but I just stay away from that one for a few days
if I find a $200 and up. I've read more instances here where a back to back winner did happen...maybe one for $100 and
one for higher or one for $20 and one for $100, so it's up to you really and what you feel about it.
I hope you can do the store test and see which 2 or 3 you should stick with..I believe that there are just some rotten stores
out there that never win but if you can find a couple that keep winning, even if it's your money back most times, definitely
CHERRY HILL, NJ United States
Member #130,207
July 9, 2012
387 Posts
Offline
Heres some tips you may find useful:
1. I read it here (LP) first and I tend to agree from my own personal observations, that the BIG PRIZE on each roll are mostly found in the middle of the roll. Someone advanced the theory that after splitting the pack, chasers are always willing to finish off the roll.
2. On average, a roll returns about 55% of the cost of the roll. In NJ, a roll costs $300. So, its Ok to assume that each roll will have winners on average about $165. For a $5 game, that would be split into 1 $150 or $100, and the remainder in smaller prizes, $20, $10, $15, $5. If you hit any of the smaller wins, you can still hope for the bigger prize. Otherwise, it would be better to stay off the game until they open a new roll.
3. In my many years of playing scratch-offs, I noticed this. Retailers orders the rolls in bulk. Several rolls at a time and somehow by computer magic, each batch of order is balanced to favor the lottery. 1 or 2 rolls may have extra winners and the rest less generous. So its good to increase your awareness by maintaining relationships with the retailer. If you come upon customers handing out big winners on one game, its best to play some other game. You can also ask on which one have had recent winners and by how much. Most retailers are honest and wont mislead you.