Some info that's all..
About half of all lottery ticket sales take place on the day of the draw, Pister said, and half of that comes between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., when the terminals are shut down.
MacLaren said he doesn't often buy lottery tickets, nor is he the type of person whose retirement strategy is based on a major lottery payday.
"It's just that it's hard to resist when it's that much," he said. "It's bus fare, so who cares?"
These days, the Internet provides true lottery buffs with a wealth of information, from simple tips to complex, esoteric formulae designed to maximize one's chances of picking winning numbers.
For the mathematically challenged, there's also an endless array of computer software packages available for download that are designed to help the bewildered choose a set of can't-miss digits.
But anyone looking for a leg up will be disappointed, Pister said.
"There is no way to maximize your chances," he said. "It really doesn't matter how you pick your numbers, because it all comes down to 47 rubber balls bouncing around in a Plexiglas sphere."
Sheba..
