Las Vegas, NV

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

By Gail Howard

So, you think you could use an extra $148 million?

What would you do with all that money? Buy a yacht? Buy an island where you can park your yacht? Buy a private jet (with crew)? Hit all the IN hot spots, dripping in bling and precious gems? Hit the casinos and double it or gamble it away? Buy a castle in Europe? Buy a sports team? Run for public office and save our country from corrupt politicians?

If your answer is "No," to all of the above, then why chase 100-plus million-dollar Mega Millions jackpots when the odds against you are 175 million to one?

Ask some people why they chase 100-plus million-dollar jackpots and you wonder if they know how many zeros are in 100 million: "So, I will have more time to spend at home with my children" "Because I need new carpeting upstairs" "My truck broke down"

For realistic answers, ask thousands of lottery players and 97 percent of them will tell you the real reasons they want to win a lotto jackpot -- in this order of priorities:

1) To pay off all their debts;

2) To help loved ones in need;

3) To travel;

4) To buy a new car for self and/or their children;

5) To buy a new house (but not far from the old neighborhood).

If these are your priorities, you can reduce the odds by millions and have an easier -- and much more likely -- chance of winning a cash prize of $100,000 or more.

Every state that offers Mega Millions also offers the low-odds, easier-to-win Cash 5 game (called, in different states, Fantasy 5, Take 5, Hit 5, Bonus Match 5, Little Lotto, Mass Cash or Rolling Cash 5). All but one of those games have odds of one chance in half a million of winning the first prize jackpot, with payouts upwards of $100,000 in a cash lump sum.

Did you know that it is much easier to win $100,000 in a cash 5 lotto game than it is to win a measley $10,000 in Mega Millions?

The odds of winning a first-prize cash jackpot in a 5/39 game are one chance in 575,757.

The odds of winning a fixed $10,000 payout in Mega Millions are one chance in 689,065.

You have better odds and a better chance of winning ten times more money in almost any cash 5 game in which you pick 5 numbers from 1 to 39.

A cash 5 jackpot will not make you mega rich, but I guarantee that when you win one, you will be very, very happy.

My Web site has six pages of free lotto tips and strategies for playing smarter each of the cash 5 games. No sign-in is required. Go to: http://smartluck.com/strategy.htm and click on: Choose YOUR Lotto Game Now. Then select your state and choose your favorite game.

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Gail Howard is the author of "Lottery Master Guide" and other quality lottery books as well as lotto software with scientific strategies and easy-to-use systems to help the lottery player bet smarter.

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Gail Howard

Las Vegas, NV

800-945-4245