Powerball tickets go on sale Saturday night! Think you can win? There's a whole cottage industry that tries to sell players on the idea you can improve your odds to win all kinds of lotto games.
Eric Tolliver of Little Rock plays lottery scratch-off tickets everyday.
Goins says: "What's the most you've ever won playing the lottery?" Eric Tolliver says: "So far I've won $80. I'm trying to win that $100,000."
A lot of people are trying to win. Instant lottery sales for the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery hit nearly $40 million in just the first month.
Some scratch-off players believe there are ways to increase your chances of winning like targeting the busiest stores.
"I just try different stores and see which ones are paying off,” lotto player Donny Hood says. A lot of times people will tell you which ones are paying off."
There are even on-line products touting lottery secrets to win draw games like Powerball. They say knowing past numbers betters your future odds.
"Oh yeah they sell books," says lotto player Richard Morgan. Goins says: "What's your thought on that whole thing?" Morgan says: "Most of the winners that I notice are quick picks."
In Powerball for example, 70% or more of the players do quick pick.
But the people trying to sell you lottery secrets claim "winning" tickets are split 50/50... Meaning if you pick your own numbers you have a greater chance of winning.
"No I don't have any strategy for the Powerball. There ain't no rhyme and reason to that one (laughing)," Craig Dwyer said.
When it comes to scratch-off players, some winners say they never buy the first ticket on a roll. And if you win, never buy the next ticket in that game.
Also keep checking
the lottery website to see how many top prizes are left in a game. Other players will even buy an entire roll of tickets, $300 worth for dollar games.
"I wouldn't bet the house on that particular procedure," Lottery Director Ernie Passailaigue said.
Passailaigue says if you're using any of these lottery secrets to win a prize you're going to be disappointed. "About 1 in every 4 lottery scratch off tickets is a winner. Does that mean if you buy 4 tickets you're going to get one winner? No, because it's a random event."
Checking the fine print on the lottery secret sites, you'll find "there's no guarantee you will earn any money using any of these techniques"
Eddie Felicitas says: "Just two tickets a day." Goins says: "you have a limit." Felicitas says: "Yeah, I have a limit."
Most players we talked to do too. Richard Morgan says: "oh, probably about $11. Goins says: '"that's not too bad." Morgan says: "that's cheap entertainment."
For Tolliver, his strategy of 3-tickets at a time, scores him $20. "I'm calling it quits for today, before I go lottery fever.” But says he'll be back again.
