I play occasionally,
twice a week
3 December 1999
By Mark Pilarski
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? Rachel P.
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, Rachel. 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, Rachel, 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 cashier's cage (within 2 hours).
It really is cleaner. Do you agree? Donny M.
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 cashier's 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.
Dear Mark,
What is the difference between a soft comp and a
hard comp? Leta R.
Before you try strong-arming a casino to get
your fair share of comps, it behooves you to
know the difference between a hard comp and a
soft comp. One is much easier to get from the
casino than the other. Hard comps are
reimbursements for airline tickets, golf,
concerts, off-site casino shows or anything else
that would cost the casino real out-of-pocket
dollars. Soft comps are cocktails, restaurant
expenses and shows that the casinos produce
themselves. Whales (high limit players) can get
anything their hearts desire, but if you're a
low-limit player, go for a soft comp because
casinos technically purchase them wholesale and
bill them to a comp account retail.
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