New Jersey United States
Member #1
May 31, 2000
27,936 Posts Online
Have you guys seen all the promotion going on in the lottery world as of right now. So many states are uping the ante.
PA: Buy 5 PB tickets and PP get one free
NY: Increased the payouts by 20% for their Daily 3 type game
GA: October Specatular
Are they hurting that bad for sales or are they just in the mood to give away?
Brad
Many states are reporting that increased gas prices have hurt sales. So yes, they are hurting that bad. They are recognizing that their fall sales period is going to be down from last year, and that looks very bad to the politicians in their state.
Sparta, NJ United States
Member #18,330
July 9, 2005
1,977 Posts
Offline
Have you guys seen all the promotion going on in the lottery world as of right now. So many states are uping the ante.
PA: Buy 5 PB tickets and PP get one free
NY: Increased the payouts by 20% for their Daily 3 type game
GA: October Specatular
Are they hurting that bad for sales or are they just in the mood to give away?
Brad
Many states are reporting that increased gas prices have hurt sales. So yes, they are hurting that bad. They are recognizing that their fall sales period is going to be down from last year, and that looks very bad to the politicians in their state.
I'm not convinced gas prices are hurting that bad. Most people buy locally, and gas has only been an issue for a short period. I'm inclined to believe that it is based on the amount of money available. Every one I know is worried about their future income at work. The numbers are being pushed that the economy is back, but the hiring is not. Layoffs are still happening in the thousands. Corporations are not upgrading equipment or software. Outsourcing is becoming more of an option. Fewer people working longer hours. Still no security. Every industry employee is being wacked.
I think people are thinking twice about spending several hundred dollars a year on a lottery system that is working against them. The lottery continues to increase the odds. The scratch offs are hitting less; read the back of cards - their odds are also increasing. People are becoming smarter, they are starting to realize $250M advertised is not $250M take home. A lot of people have other things screaming for their money. Gas increases just happened recently, they weren't around until the hurricanes. The losses to the lottery have been increasing for a long time.
Magnolia, Delaware United States
Member #18,794
July 20, 2005
789 Posts
Offline
Economics is the reasons for the increases in the prize amounts. The higher the top prize the more people will play! But we have to remember one thing! The states that run these game are not happy with the current sales figures, so they need to do something to bring up the revenue to the level they can live with! What this means is, they need more money to pay the state employees they have employed so they keep their current medical benefits without any more cost to them in the form of higher co-pays. And don't forget the top butt wipes need their big fat raises every year, while the little guy (piss ant) gets their wages cut!
Keep dreaming the impossible dream, it just may come true!
New Mexico United States
Member #12,305
March 10, 2005
2,984 Posts
Offline
Economics is the reasons for the increases in the prize amounts. The higher the top prize the more people will play! But we have to remember one thing! The states that run these game are not happy with the current sales figures, so they need to do something to bring up the revenue to the level they can live with! What this means is, they need more money to pay the state employees they have employed so they keep their current medical benefits without any more cost to them in the form of higher co-pays. And don't forget the top butt wipes need their big fat raises every year, while the little guy (piss ant) gets their wages cut!
Whatever. If the reasons they're doing it are those I hope they find some more so's to encourage the plague to spread to my own state. To Powerball, for that matter.
United States
Member #2,338
September 17, 2003
2,063 Posts
Offline
My favorite promotion of all time was in WA state. For an extra buck you could double the jackpot. I don't remember if it doubled the other prizes but it would double the jackpot of Lotto if you played. The only major winner during the promotion won 10 million but didn't spend that extra buck to double his jackpot.
New Jersey United States
Member #1
May 31, 2000
27,936 Posts Online
Have you guys seen all the promotion going on in the lottery world as of right now. So many states are uping the ante.
PA: Buy 5 PB tickets and PP get one free
NY: Increased the payouts by 20% for their Daily 3 type game
GA: October Specatular
Are they hurting that bad for sales or are they just in the mood to give away?
Brad
Many states are reporting that increased gas prices have hurt sales. So yes, they are hurting that bad. They are recognizing that their fall sales period is going to be down from last year, and that looks very bad to the politicians in their state.
I'm not convinced gas prices are hurting that bad. Most people buy locally, and gas has only been an issue for a short period. I'm inclined to believe that it is based on the amount of money available. Every one I know is worried about their future income at work. The numbers are being pushed that the economy is back, but the hiring is not. Layoffs are still happening in the thousands. Corporations are not upgrading equipment or software. Outsourcing is becoming more of an option. Fewer people working longer hours. Still no security. Every industry employee is being wacked.
I think people are thinking twice about spending several hundred dollars a year on a lottery system that is working against them. The lottery continues to increase the odds. The scratch offs are hitting less; read the back of cards - their odds are also increasing. People are becoming smarter, they are starting to realize $250M advertised is not $250M take home. A lot of people have other things screaming for their money. Gas increases just happened recently, they weren't around until the hurricanes. The losses to the lottery have been increasing for a long time.
Let's just say we agree to disagree on this one. I think the gas prices have had a lot of impact on several areas of the economy, because I believe it's a natural tendency to cut back in all areas of life when you start to realize that gas is at a premium.
Also, gas prices were going up long before the burricane season kicked in this year. Gas prices first started the trend of increases last October, when prices hit $46/barrel. There was a slight downward dip in December 2004, but then it's been going up ever since then. This is not something started by hurricanes. It is a mixture of factors that culminated in our dependency upon foreign energy sources.
Whether it's real or perception, I DO believe that gas prices area hurting that bad.