Dear Mark,
I've got a dinner riding on this. My husband believes that you, being conservative
when it comes to casino gambling, would never play the lottery. Do you?
Sandy P. San Clemente, CA
I once asked a friend of mine if he ever played the lotto and he fired back,
"I play occasionally, twice a week." Slightly different than my
personal approach, mainly because I come from a background of evaluating
odds in every playing situation. So yes, I'll come clean and confess I play,
but only when the jackpot is close to the true odds of hitting a (California)
6/51 ticket-which happens to be one in 18,009,460.
Now as for lotto strategy, I just play quick-pick numbers. Quick-picks provide
a more random spread of numbers coupled with the fact that the pot isn't
divided up as much as when you play birthday or sequence numbers. Obviously
this will result in a much larger payoff if you win.
Here's what I mean, Sandy. One of the most popular number combinations in
every state lottery is 1-2-3-4-5-6. Illustrating this, I'll use the September,
1990, Florida $106 million jackpot as an example. Won by six players, the
jackpot netted the chosen few $17 million apiece. Sure, we'll all take that
without complaining, but for that same jackpot, more than 52,000 people
played the numbers 1-2-3-4-5-6. See how playing a sequence combination of
numbers will affect the payoffs to eventual winners? The same can be said
with those lucky birthday dates as well. Over 65% of the numbers played
in most state lotteries are under 31.
So, Sandy, you win the dinner, and that's how I play. Close to true odds,
and random numbers.
Dear Mark,
One thing I like about the casino I play in is the way they handle coins.
They don't. You insert bills and play on credits only. When you cash out,
the machine prints a ticket and you take it to the cashiers cage (within
2 hours). It really is cleaner. Do you agree? Donny L. Escanaba, MI
Donny, you didn't mention the casino by name, but I suspect it's on an Indian
Reservation because many operate using this method of coin exchange--for
which I firmly give two thumbs down! Why? Because you become prisoner to
one machine-which has a huge built-in mathematical edge-putting the casino
in position to grind the $20 right out of you.
Let's get realistic here. Who really has the discipline to get up from that
cushy seat, walk over to the cashiers cage, turn in the credit slip for
cash, and then find another suitable machine? Far too many undisciplined
players just won't free themselves from this ball and chain scenario and,
unfortunately, will play their credits down to nothing. So $20 inserted
most likely becomes $20 for the casino.
Before I Shuffle:
Living in Nevada, a state without a lottery, it helps to have a friend working
at a convenience store across the border in California, who'll call you
when the jackpot approaches $18 million or rolls over from the previous
drawing. But when it comes to Lotto knowledge, I get that from an exceptional
book called Getting Lucky by Ben E. Johnson, Ph.D. Making it a habit
of reading at least two books on gambling per week, I can tell you that
Getting Lucky is definitely on my top 10 list of gambling books-plus
it's priced right at $6.95. Using the same format as Deal Me In (Q&A's),
this book tells you everything you need to know about the big money games
people play every day. Well worth the price for the lottery disciple.
Got a question about gambling? Write to: Deal Me In, 774 Mays Blvd.
Suite 10, Incline Village, NV 89451 or e-mail:winners@winner.com
· To order Mark Pilarski's "Hooked on Winning" audio cassettes--laminated
win cards package ($12.95 plus $2. S&H) call (800) WINNERS.
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