Diamond 7's Remains The Champ

I would have thought that the top rated game, Diamond 7's, would have been deleted from the OLG O/S prize list by now, but it remains for at least today. The game has an estimated 11% of its float left to sell and two Grand Prizes to cough up. Your chances to win one are 170,000:1. The game retains 265 of its 2391 top prizes. Both of the second prizes of $27,777 have been claimed. The third prize level is $900 which is the most you can win if you don't connect for a big one. The game was de-activated on 01 May which makes me almost certain the last hoorah for the game is just around the corner. Go get em, if you can find em.

Top Rated Games

1. $5 Diamond 7's #1822- going, going, .....
2. $3 Fruit Explosion #1834 - a steady climber based upon the one remaining Grand Prize
3. $3 Super Bingo #3018 - Second best low prize availability of any game for sale.
4. $3 QFG Crossword #3208 - Only 2.4 million:1 to win $50,000!
5. $3 Bingo #3016 - 7 of 10 Grand Prizes remain - 49% of the float remains.

Games to Avoid

1. $4 DBL Cash For Life #1170 - Opt for Lotto Max if you are leaning toward this game.
2. $2 Fast 200's #1817 - $200 is the Grand Prize.
3. $2 Black Jack #1804 - game has been moribund for months.
4. $2 CFL #1169 - Grand Prizes have been gutted.
5. $10 Bejeweled #1786 - Poor on both rating factors.

Games To Play If It Is Grand Prize Or Bust

1. Double Cash For Life
2. Diamond 7's
3. Extraordinary
4. Bejeweled
5. Hit Jackpot

Games Devoid Of Grand Prizes

• Words With Friends
• Wheel Of Fortune
• Cashingo
• Black Jack

Comings and Goings

We bid adieu to Crossword #3207. It was on the stinker list.

Personal Play

In a fit of excess I violated my budget limits when I stumbled upon a trove of Diamond 7's. Twenty-two of the suckers contained six winners totaling $58. The only good news is that I thought I had won $38 until I checked the tickets. It took me a while to figure out that a horseshoe meant that the prize was doubled. As a poster mentioned this past week, always always always check your tickets, even when you're sure that they were losers.

In Conclusion

The topic of Grand Prize distribution has been batted around this past week. Are those tickets randomly distributed in the full sense of the word, as some believe, or does the OLG ensure that all Ontarians live with the hope of winning by ensuring that those tickets are well dispersed?

We can form conclusions about this by studying winning tickets by zone versus the volume of tickets sold in the same zone. Of course, the sample size would have to be large. I don't have the wherewithal to undertake the task now but maybe next winter....

I leave you with a question that points to the difference between our rational minds and our emotional beings (no, not your example TMF). You enter your local slot palace and happen upon a machine that is displaying a jackpot winning combination. It's clear that the last person to play the machine hit the jackpot and left immediately. You,

A) Sit down at that machine because it's "hot".
B) Avoid the machine as the chances of hitting the jackpot twice is almost zero, squared.
C) Head to the bar to see if you can't find the lucky winner celebrating and assess if you can pick his pocket.


Enjoy.

Doug

Diamond 7's Rule - Get Em Now

With an estimated 12% of the float remaining, this game is becoming difficult to find. Posters report finding pockets of tickets but with the de-activation date now two weeks past, its becoming slim pickens. Only an estimated 20,000 tickets were sold last week leaving 370,000 either in the distribution warehouse or in a batch that will never be printed. The game has two of its seven Grand Prizes left to claim. Twenty-one percent of the money allocated to prizes of $107 or more is left to be claimed versus 12% of the float. The positive ratio of 1.71 is the best of any game currently for sale and your odds of snagging a Grand Prize of 185,000:1 are the best of any game outside the new Fast 200's.  This game is a clear choice but it's time is limited. The OLG is about to credit those two Grand Prizes to their column very soon.

Top Rated Games

1. $5 Diamond 7's #1822 - The clear choice.
2. $3 QFG Crossword #3208 - Good numbers but the 2 million:1 to win $50,000 leaves me cold. 
3. $5 Cross Tripler #1810 - Well rated on both scales. CL66 won $100 on the game last week. 
4. $3 Keno #1416 - A game with potential but still early. 
5. $3 Bingo #3016 - Prefer this game to the two $3 games rated ahead of it. 

Games to Avoid

1. $4 DBL Cash For Life #1170 - If you like this game, buy Lotto Max instead. 
2. $2 Fast 200's #1817 - If you don't mind $200 Grand Prizes, go for it. 
3. $2 Blackjack #1804 - Has been a dog for two months. Sales are a trickle. Bye bye, 
4. $2 Cash For Life #1169 - Very bad on both rating scales. 
5. $10 Bejeweled #1786 - Trying to climb out of the dog house. 

Best Games If You Only Want A Grand Prize

1. $2 Fast 200's - Yeah, but the Grand Prize is only $200 and the low prize churn is the worst. 
2. $4 DBL Cash For Life - 4 million:1 to win the GP, but its a doozy. 
3. $10 Bejeweled - Low prize churn is poor. 
4. $5 Diamond 7's - sitting in the sweet spot.
5. $20 Extraordinary - over a year old and more than 50% of the float remains!

Games With No Grand Prizes Left

• $3 Words With Friends
• $3 Wheel of Fortune
• $3 Crossword 
• $3 Cashingo
• $2 Black Jack

Comings and Goings

Fast 200's was introduced this week. These types of games play havoc with my rating system. The game has 3791 Grand Prizes of $200. One has to get down to $10 prizes to find a category that has more prizes than the Grand Prize. 12.5% of the revenue of the game goes to the Grand Prize winners which is more than even the Double Cash For Life game. The trade off is the low prize area where only 34% of the game's revenue is returned to people who win more than the cost of the ticket and less than $100. That is the worst such number by 10%!

No games were retired this week.

Personal Play

Managed to find a trove of Diamond 7's. Only bought eight hoping that some would be left for this week. Won on three of them for a total of $31. Not bad. Fingers crossed that some remain today.

In Conclusion

Today's gripe is with this story in the Sault Star.

http://www.saultstar.com/2015/05/12/more-jobs-available-at-olg .

The local MPP, David Orazietti, is heralding the addition of two senior positions to the OLG corporate office in the Sault. I'm sure that Mr. Orazietti is a fine representative and I am a big supporter of Government distributing its operations whenever possible. I believe firmly that the OLG benefits from having a part of its operation located in the Sault. People who grow up there have an opportunity to stay in their community and the OLG is able to attract high quality staff who are likely to remain in their positions for extended periods of time. The OLG loves to trumpet the trickle down benefits of slot places and casinos in communities. Those benefits are questionable at best but there is no denying that the OLG jobs do provide that benefit.

What Mr. Orazietta fails to address (he is understandably compromised) is that there are, as of the 3rd Quarter 2014/15, 274 people who work at the Casino in the Sault. Those 274 people earn, on average, $50,000 per annum. Those are also important jobs for the Sault --- far more important than the two Sunshine List positions being added to the community. When the OLG sells the existing casino to a private operator, that company will only be contractually required to maintain those positions for one year. After that, those people can expect to have their positions and their salary level threatened. Mr. Orazietti should be concerned.

Good Luck to all.

Doug

Diamond 7's Now A Strong Choice

Another 40,000 Diamond 7's tickets were purchased last week without losing a Grand Prize. Despite the fact that I can't find any, there are an estimated 380,000 tickets left for sale and two Grand Prizes left to be claimed. The game has the best Top Prize Cash ratio and the fifth best low prize availability of the games currently offered for sale. Over eight cents of every dollar spent on a ticket now goes to the two outstanding Grand Prizes. That is the second best of any game.

There is no downside to this game except that the OLG placed the game on the de-activation list on 1 May. That means that sellers are going through open packages only and only if they have chosen not to return lose tickets to OLG HQ. I have been scouring different sellers here in Ottawa without success. My search will continue and I am headed to Toronto this weekend where I'll do some more scouring. It's now or never.

Top Rated Games

1. $5 Diamond 7's #1822 - The sun is setting. Two outstanding GP's. 
2. $3 QFG Crossword #3208 - Very good low prize game. Positive ratio, Still, 2 million:1.
3. $3 Keno #1416 - new game hits my criteria. Prefer to watch for a while. 
4. $5 Cross Tripler #1810 - Decent choice. 550,000:1 to win $100,000.
5. $3 Bingo #3016 - Reasonable choice if you can't find either $5 game. 

Games to Avoid

1. $4 DBL CFL #1170 - 4.6 million to 1 with an expectation to get a 50% ROI. Prefer Lotto Max. 
2. $2 Black Jack #1804 - Worst Top Prize ratio by a country mile. 
3. $2 Cash For Life #1169 - Negative ratio, poor low prize churn, 2 million:1. 
4. $10 Bejeweled #1786 - Worst of a bad group of expensive tickets. 
5. $5 20X The Money #1841 - New Game, terrible low prize churn. 

Games to Buy If You're Grand Prize Hunting

• $4 DBL Cash For Life
• $10 Bejeweled
• $5 Diamond 7's
• $20 Extraordinary
• $10 Fortune

Games with No Grand Prizes Left

1. $3 Words With Friends - No second prizes either. 
2. $3 Wheel of Fortune
3. $3 Crossword #3207 - Largest prize left is $100.
4. $3 Cashingo 
5. $2 Black Jack 

Comings and Goings

One of the top games, Super Bingo, was dropped this past week. The game had one Grand Prize of $50,000 and an estimated 880,000 tickets left to sell.

A full suite of multiplier games were introduced this week. The marketing gimmick is (5X, 10X, 15X, and 20X). These games are fairly typical and each includes a multiplier for any prizes won. The 15X and 20X each has good middling prizes (> $100) which means that I'm not going to like them very much. Each offers a wide variety of prize levels for the cost which I guess is a good thing. Of the four, I rate them, in order of preference: 15X, 5X, 10X, 20X.

Also new this week is Keno #1416. Any evaluation system differentiates games based on criteria that one is looking for in a game. For me, it is the ratio of Top Prizes remaining when compared to the value of those top prizes and the amount of revenue returned to low prize winners. This game hits my second criteria right on the head and as such begins its life high up in my ratings. The bad news is that you have one chance in a million to win $50,000. I may pick up a few for fun. If you do likewise, be careful to get Game #1416 and not Game #1415.

Personal Play

A good week with four different games played. A total investment of $40 returned $44. In response to the poster who asked what the biggest prize ever won by folks who read this blog, mine is $75 and that was on a $10 game. One wonders why I spend any time at all on this subject.

In Conclusion

An amusing story in Niagara this week caught my attention: http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/5605098-casino-workers-get-pay-raise/ .

Indeed the folks who work at the Casino are not public sector workers. The ones at the OLG Slot Palaces are part of the greater public service in Ontario. That is an important part of the entire "Modernization" plan ie- shed the responsibility of having employees and instead collect a percentage of all profits without actually having to manage anything. The Casino tough guys are no better when they imply to their employees that its the Provincial Government who has denied them the ability to raise the wages of their employees over the past three years. Either way it is the folks providing the elbow grease on the floor of the casino that get the short end of the stick. The folks who are working in OLG run facilities are on the clock as the OLG will only require private companies to keep those workers on strength for one year after they are awarded the contract to run the facility. What happens on day 366 will not be good for the staff.

Good Luck to All. We have survived winter.

Doug

Diamond 7's Still Looking Good

The top rated game plowed through an estimated 45,000+ tickets without surrendering a Grand Prize last week. Your odds to win one of the two remaining outstanding prizes are now just under 300,000:1 compared to the 437,000:1 at the outset of the game. The game also sports the best revenue return to small winners of any $5 game. I know, the Grand Prize is disappointing at $77,777.

Top Rated Games

1. $5 Diamond 7's #1822 - Good all round choice. 
2. $1 Wild 8's #1813 - A $1 game in 2nd place? An unusual circumstance. 
3. $10 Classic Ruby #1792 - Working its way back up after coughing up a Grand Prize. 
4. $3 QFG Crossword #3208 - Good numbers but 2 million to one to win a $50k GP!
5. $3 Bingo #3016 - Playable, if you don't like the others. 

Games to Avoid

1. $4 Dbl CFL #1170 - Horrible small prize availability. OTOH, better than Lotto Max. 
2. $2 Black Jack #1804 - All GPs gone long ago. Still sold 65,000 tickets last week, 
3. $10 Bejeweled #1786 - Lowest small prize return of any $10 game. Negative Top Prize ratio.
4. $3 Wheel of Fortune #1809 - All Grand Prizes claimed. 
5. $2 Cash For Life #1169 - 4 good Grand Prizes left for $2. Negative Top Prize ratio.

Best Games if Your Priority is the Grand Prize

1. Double Cash For Life
2. Bejeweled
3. Fortune
4. Extraordinary
5. Diamond 7's

Games With All Grand Prizes Claimed

• Crossword #3207 - Most you can win is $100. Sold 90k of them last week!
• Words With Friends - Top two prize categories claimed. 
• Wheel Of Fortune - Pat and Vanna are laughing
• Cashingo
• Blackjack

Comings and Goings

Nothing to report. That may be a first!

Personal Play

Another bad week returning $22 on a $48 investment. Also lost $10 on the Gatineau Olympiques 50/50 draw. Go Ol Go! That Rimouski team looks awfully good.

In Conclusion

A CBC piece on the subject of on-line gambling. http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/online-gambling-is-it-worth-the-risk-for-governments-1.3001653 .

The OLG is simply following the path forged by similar organizations in districts across the US and Canada. They use the same tired drivel to explain their vision and the benefits that they provide to all Ontarians. We do know that Electronic Bingo has been a bust to date. That was one of the first planks of their so-called "modernization". Not surprising. People who go to Bingo halls go with friends and enjoy getting game sheets and daubers lined up for the action. Replacing that with touch screens is not going to do the trick.

The OLG estimates that it loses $400 million  to off-shore gambling sites. How much of that is coming back with the advent of www.playolg.ca? Not much, in my estimation. Pokerstars and the likes of Betfair are not worried in the least. What it may do is cannibalize casino returns as some players will choose to play slots at home rather than drive in to the casino. That fact, of course, has the effect of lowering bids from private companies who are vying to run facilities in the province. We'll see how it all unfolds but I will not be surprised if the whole thing turns into nothing other than shedding payroll for employees currently working and paying taxes to the province.

Spring is here and we can all think of better things to do than scratch tickets.

Doug

Diamond 7's Ascends To The Throne

Last week's games of choice, Classic Ruby and 20X Lucky, each lost a Grand Prize knocking them down the list. Percolating to the top is Diamond 7's. This game has two of its original 7 Grand Prizes left and an estimated 23% of its float left. There is a positive ratio of 1.19 when comparing the number of Top Prizes remaining and the prize money associated with those prizes. 60.6% of the revenue for the game is returned to players who win less than $100. You have one chance in 437,000 to find one of the $77,777 Grand Prizes.

Top Rated Games

1. $5 Diamond 7's #1822 - Luke warm top choice. A poster has had good luck with the game. 
2. $3 QFG Crossword #3208 - Lots of small prizes and a positive ratio.
3. $1 Wild 8's #1813 - Mrs. Vader's favourite game after a $100 win. 
4. $5 Cross Tripler #1810 - Decent choice.
5. $10 Classic Ruby #1792 - Took a hit last week. 

Games to Avoid

1. $4 Dbl CFL #1170 - Great Grand Prize; nothing else. Negative ratio. 
2. $2 Black Jack #1804 - Worst ratio of any game. 
3. $10 Bejeweled #1786 - Poorly rated on both factors
4. $3 Wheel of Fortune #1809 - Devoid of Grand Prizes
5. $2 Cash For Life #1169 - Nice Grand Prize for a $2 game. Nothing else to recommend. 

Top Games If You Only Want The Grand Prize

1. Double Cash For Life
2. Classic Ruby
3. Bejewelled
4. Money Multiplier
5. Extraordinary

Games With All Grand Prizes Claimed

• Black Jack
• Crossword #3207
• Cashingo
• Wheel of Fortune
• Words With Friends

Comings and Goings

No games were retired this week.

Welcome to Fruit Explosion #1834. An earlier version of the same game was the top rated game for a while and ultimately retired with the OLG becoming the winner of unclaimed Grand Prizes. It is a bread and butter $3 game. Check CL66's review in the comments to last week's blog entry. He rates the game as 11th overall; I have it at 10th.

Personal Play

After two good weeks of results I took a predictable drubbing last week. I expect that I felt a lot like the Maple Leafs do this morning. I have also begun to include all "lottery" games in my overall results. That includes the LTL games for which I won nothing after a $30 investment, and even the $10 worth of 50/50 tickets I bought at the Gatineau Olympiques playoff game this past week. If you enjoy hockey, a playoff game at the Robert Geurtin arena should be on your list of places to visit. It's wild!

In Conclusion

An interesting article in the news this week involved "surprise" fees that credit card companies charge if you use your credit card to either deposit money at www.playolg.ca or purchase lottery tickets at the same site. The credit card company treats such purchases as cash advances which entails a fee in the $3-$5 range plus interest effective from the date of the transaction at the typical usury rates. Transaction fees may also be applied for debit card transactions. The OLG advises customers to check with their bank to be sure.

Also noteworthy is the number of shindigs being staged lately when the OLG makes good on their contracted payments to municipalities who house slot palaces. The OLG's head honcho even issues press releases speaking to the wonderful partnership and all the good deeds that are possible thanks to the OLG. If you look behind the curtain you'll find that throwing an annual party in honour of the OLG is mandated in every host contract. What a heartwarming spontaneous outflowing of emotion!

Finally, it is noteworthy that Mayor Tory is open to expanded gaming at Woodbine. You will recall that Toronto City Council previously voted it down but only after it was presented as a fall back position by the OLG who had tried to straight arm city council into approving a downtown casino. After that gambit failed, the OLG tried to salvage something but the council voted 24-20 against the previously unavailable second option.

In his comments Mayor Tory speaks of job creation but we already know that such statements have already been discredited. Any new jobs at Woodbine would have to be offset against people presently employed who would lose their jobs when ownership of the present slot palace is passed from the OLG to the selected contractor and jobs in surrounding municipalities would be cannibalized in order to expand the Woodbine facility. Still, it's up to council to make the best decision despite the chicanery of the OLG.

Best to all.


Doug