Tim May said, ...As for lotto, simple calculations tell anyone that the best way to win is not to play. The return _at best_ is 30 or 40 cents on the dollar, with the rest going to all the various programs the lotto is supposed to support. The more you play, the more you lose. Actually, if memory serves, the CA Lotto claims to return 50% of income in prizes with the remainder divided between schools and "administration." Better than 30-40, but still worse than odds on any casino game or even the "numbers racket" run by organized crime. However, one can improve the percentage by only playing lotto after 1 or more games where there was no perfect match, as often happens, where some of the prize money is carried over to the next game, and so on, until eventually somebody wins the grand prize. After some number "x" of passed games, the odds turn in favor of the player; but not by too much since this is just when large numbers of people play and if more than one perfect ticket is played, the prize is split. Calculation of "x" is not "simple", since you also have to figure in the 20-year (with no interest) payout of large prizes. One other tip for lotto players: Never mark your ticket with any recognizable pattern. The random "quick pick" is probably best. Reason: A pattern is equally likely to be picked at random as a "quick pick" but much -more- likely to also be picked by some other schmuck. So if your pattern pick wins, you're more likely to have to split the prize. -- edgar@spectrx.sbay.org (Edgar W. Swank) SPECTROX SYSTEMS +1.408.252.1005 Cupertino, Ca