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Wednesday, December 17, 1997

Lottery proposes new on-line game

By JUAN B. ELIZONDO Jr. / Associated Press Writer

AUSTIN (AP) -- In an effort to turn around dragging sales, the Texas Lottery Commission on Tuesday proposed a new on-line game that could begin next spring.

Lottery staffers told the three-member commission that sales in November and December, usually banner months, remained lower-than anticipated.

But lottery staffers also said they believe the new on-line game, a new instant ticket game and a renewed advertising campaign would help boost overall revenues for the state.

The lottery currently is running $60 million short of the $1.4 billion it was expected to make for the state in the current two-year budget cycle, which ends Aug. 31, 1999.

"It's not going to make up for what we have lost," acting executive director Linda Cloud said of the new game. "It is going to help."

The proposed weekly game, to be called Texas Million, would offer a top prize of $1 million a week and additional prizes down to $10.

In the game, players would pick one set of four numbers out of 100 possible numbers ranging from 00 to 99. A correct guess would bring a $1 million prize.

At the same time, the on-line computer system also would give players six more sets of four numbers -- much like "quick pick" numbers in lotto -- for a total of seven possible chances of winning some prize.

While players would receive seven sets of numbers, only one set -- the four numerals selected by the player -- would be eligible for the $1 million top prize.

Two of the six sets selected by the computer would be worth up to $25,000. The other four sets would be worth up to $10,000 if they matched all four numbers randomly drawn by the lottery.

Players matching three of four numbers in any set would win $300, while matching two numbers in any of the sets would be worth $10.

Each seven-play ticket, which would be purchased at retail locations where lotto tickets are sold, would cost $2.

The overall odds of winning any prize would be 1 in 20. The odds of winning the $1 million prize would be 1 in 3.9 million, lottery officials said.

"There's a lot of play action," said Pam Udall, the lottery's director of on-lines games.

The newest game has been on the drawing boards for more than an year.

Lottery Commission Chairman Harriet Miers said she wants the agency to speed up the game's introduction, but said she wants to be sure it doesn't cut into the number of people who play other games.

Ms. Udall said tests have shown the proposed game would be popular both with players of other on-line games, like lotto and Pick3, and with people who most often buy instant tickets.

Ms. Udall added that as the number of instant game players continues to fall, she hopes the new on-line game will keep them playing at least some lottery game.

Regarding sales, Commissioner John Hill told lottery staffers not to "sweat it."

"Don't sweat it if your doing the best you can everyday," he said. "Tell it like it is. The result will have to be whatever the result is."

Hill said he believes lawmakers' decision to cut overall prizes from about 57 cents per $1 in sales to 53 cents probably was not a good idea, adding that many players and former players believe the cut went far deeper.

"It may well be that if we don't change this back legislatively, we won't get back" to anticipated sales, he said.