Changes Planned to Boost Size of Lotto Jackpots, Keep the Dollars Flowing

SACRAMENTO â€”  In an effort to attract more gamblers, the state Lottery Commission has approved changes in the Lotto game designed to generate significantly larger jackpots, while lessening the odds of winning.

The commission also approved the introduction of two more lottery games to be called Topper and Decco, which are expected to appeal to players who prefer something that will give them a better chance of winning, even if the prizes are minuscule by comparison.

“We are trying to provide our players with lots of choices, lots of options in picking a game that has the odds they want. We want to be able to provide a broad range of games that appeal to all our players,� said Carolyn Walker, publicity manager for the California Lottery.

It is all part of a long-term strategy to get more people to play the lottery and keep a steady stream of dollars flowing to the state’s education system, Walker said. In the 1988-89 state fiscal year, the lottery contributed $1.05 billion to schools on sales of $2.6 billion.

Greatest Interest

Walker said officials found the greatest interest in the lottery was generated by the big jackpots of $20 million to $30 million, while sales seemed to slump when the pot dwindled to $5 million or $6 million.

To create bigger jackpots and cash in on the heightened interest they bring to the lottery, the commission has voted to add four more numbers to the field that players select from when they buy a Lotto ticket. Beginning in April, for each $1 ticket, Lotto players will pick six numbers from a field of 53 instead of 49.

With the extra numbers, the odds of winning will change from one in 14 million to one in 22 million. The odds of winning any cash prize in the Lotto game will go from one in 54 to one in 67.

Walker said officials expect the change in the game to produce more roll-over jackpots, or instances when there are no big winners, so that whatever is in that day’s pot is added to the jackpot for the next drawing.

“In order to maintain the excitement of the Lotto game, we needed to increase the field size so we would have more roll-overs,� Walker said. “Our sales increase very dramatically when we have a very large jackpot.�

California has not had a huge jackpot since March when eight winners divided a $44.8-million prize. The lottery accumulated its biggest pot in October, 1988, when it grew to $62 million.

“The Lotto game is so popular that well over 50% of the adults in California play Lotto on a fairly regular basis,� Walker said. “Because of the number of players, there were lots of people picking number combinations, so the jackpot was being hit frequently, keeping it low. It made our sales a little soft or unpredictable.�

Free Game

But for those who like a better chance of taking home some cash, the commission has created Decco, a new game that will debut in January or February. Players will pick a card from each of the four suits in a deck. The lottery computer will then also pick a card from each of the suits.

If the player holds the same four picks, he wins $5,000. If he can match three of the four, he collects $50. If he matches two of the four, he wins $5. For holding one of the four, he gets a free game. His odds of winning top prize in the game are one in 28,561.

Slightly different odds will be offered in another new game to be introduced in April. Called Topper, the game will piggyback on the Lotto game. After purchasing a $1 Lotto ticket, the player will be able to activate Topper for another $1.

Under the rules of the game, for each play the computer will automatically pick three California cities from a field of 100. At the twice weekly drawings for Lotto, there will also be a Topper drawing. Players holding a ticket with all three cities picked in the drawing will win $25,000. Those holding two of three cities will get $95 and those holding one will collect $2.

The odds of winning $25,000 will be one in 161,700.