Lotto and group play

[Prelude008]

Hi,

I am not sure if this is the right part of the form for this post, but it does deal with lotto and probability.

I usually play lotto 1-2 times a week in California. I play 3 sets of the same regular numbers (never changes) plus 1 or-2 quick picks.

When the lotto gets really big (over 80 mil), I remind my friend and she then runs a lotto pool at her firm.

My question is this...the owner of the firm wants everyone who participates in the pool to play only in the pool and not outside of it. This applies mainly to me and my friend since he knows we are the only regular lotto players and she is in charge of it. So that means we would have to put our regular numbers in with the group picks to play.

Do you think I am giving up too much putting my 3 sets of regular numbers in the pool? If my numbers wins, I will have to give up over 90% to the group on something I would have won on anyways. The flip side is that if the group wins, then I would be included and win.

Any thoughts or opinions.

P.S. The group lotto numbers are always copied and distributed before the draw.

[tylerdurden]

[ QUOTE ]
the owner of the firm wants everyone who participates in the pool to play only in the pool and not outside of it.

[/ QUOTE ]

So what? Just play your own numbers on the side. What's the problem? You're not damaging the EV of the pool as long as you are playing different numbers than they are.

[K C]

You're all splitting the money, so you're simply multiplying your chances. It's an even up proposition, as the odds are increasing in the same proportion as the payoff is decreasing.

KC
http://kingcobrapoker.com

[niin]

"the owner of the firm wants everyone who participates in the pool to play only in the pool and not outside of it"

In a word, retarded. If I played the lottery and was in this situation, I'd either just not play in the 'office pool', or tell the owner to f-off. What you do on your own time is none of their business.

Just play other numbers in your office pool, and play your own numbers on your own.

[gaming_mouse]

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If I played the lottery and was in this situation, I'd either just not play in the 'office pool', or tell the owner to f-off.

[/ QUOTE ]

What's he going to do after you win the lottery, anyway? Fire you? You can just buy his company and fire him back.

[rdu $teve]

[ QUOTE ]
What's he going to do after you win the lottery, anyway? Fire you? You can just buy his company and fire him back.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly what I was thinking

[Prelude008]

Well,

I did play and I did put my regular picks in with the office pool. Needless to say, none of our tickets came close to the 87 million jackpot. I think we won about 40 dollars total on a purchase of 198 tickets.

My friend ususally copies all of the bought tickets and distrubutes them to the players before the drawing. So we do have a official record of what was bought and who participated. I think the "firm owner" is over focusing on the fact that my friend runs the pool and even though I don't work there I am connected to running it by association.

Oh well, back to the drawing board

[niin]

"Needless to say, none of our tickets came close to the 87 million jackpot."

How do you almost win? That's like almost being pregnant, heh.

And you don't even work there, and you're somehow obligated to contribute to their office pool? Uh... yeah.

[Prelude008]

ok, so we were FAR from winning, not even remotely close. Actually, I am the one that encourages them to play the pool since they have the players but never get the ball rolling. Now, it's back to trying to win a little $$ from poker :-)