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Subject: TEXAS TWO STEP RIPOFF

Hello , I enjoy reading your web pages. They are full of information that appears to me the Texas Lottery does not want the players (PAYERS) to know about.

Last Friday the 18th. I played the Two Step , I had all but one number. Three on the regular pool and the bonus number. WELL BOY HOWDY, don't you just know how EXCITED I was to find out the next morning that I had won a GREAT FORTUNE, A WHOLE $ 45.00 DOLLARS. Man I was ready to call Houston/ Enron and invest the lump sum.

But seriously I do not think this is a just payoff. There was 61 winning tickets, with 3+1 , I totaled their pay out, and it came to roughly $495,000.00. (Correction - Players only held $206,595 in winning tickets - there was no top prize winner on this draw.) I have e-mailed Linda Cloud, asking only one question: "How many tickets were sold for the Jan.18th drawing for the TEXAS TWO STEP"? Well I'm still waiting Linda. (The answer: 817,190) Is this the way the OPEN RECORDS ACT IS CONDUCTED? I found the information on the Texas Lottery page, advising that you (THE GENERAL PUBLIC) may be charged for them to hit one button on a computer to give you ticket sales information. (They only charge when your request is over 50 pages. They probably state this on their web site as a way to deter people from obtaining information from them. The TLC doesn't really want people to readily know a lot of things.) Gee I wonder why they don't post TOTAL TICKET SALES INFORMATION???? I think I know, same reason as you stated on the status for the TWO STEP DRAWING last night Jan. 22. POOR TICKET SALES.

I'll close by saying this: "I'm no mathematical genius, but business is business. IF you do not have WINNERS, YOUR TICKET SALES ARE GOING TO SHOW IT. I HAVE ASKED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THAT THE TEXAS LOTTERY PAY MORE SMALLER PAYOFFS THAN SEVERAL MILLION TO ONE WINNER, IT SEEMS TO ME, A PERSON WOULD RATHER LIKE TO KNOW HE OR SHE HAD A LITTLE BETTER ODDS AT WINNING 100,000.00 THAN ZILCH, WHICH IS WHAT MOST OF US TRIED AND TRUE LOTTO PLAYERS (PAYERS) GET.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK , THANKS A MILLION !

Chip S.

I understand how you feel. I knew players weren't going to accept the payouts on the Texas 2 Step when they originally wrote the rule. And this is exactly why sales for the game is falling. It doesn't take players long to get angry and quit a game which is what is happening to the 2 Step game. The TLC will have no choice but to lower the "guaranteed" $200,000 pot because sales don't justify it.

Just so that you know it too, you do NOT have to make an Open Records request to find out what sales were for any drawing. When you call the TLC, Customer Service can answer that question jolly on the spot. Also, I post and keep posted total sales for Lotto Texas and Texas 2 Step so that players can know what is going on. I will be making a change for the 2 Step information in the very near future. There is something else players should see! Watch for it. For Cash 5, I keep the last 7 days of total sales posted on the "Drawing Results" page. While I have the Pick3 sales, at this time, I do not post the figures.

To see total sales for each drawing:
Click here for total Texas 2 Step Sales
Click here for Lotto Texas Sales Only
Click here to see Lotto Sales broken down - a VIP page!

Thanks for the kind words about my web site. Comments like yours keeps me going.


G'day. My names Mark B. from Sydney Australia. I'm a student minister and I'm writing a sermon for this Sunday, the 23rd Dec entitled "living in the 23rd." As an illistration I'm telling about differnt events in history over the last hundred years that occurred on 23rd Dec. Eg. The First Fleet etc. Would you be able to tell me whether there were any lotto winners on the 23rd Dec. over precious years? Really would appreciate your help. Cheers. Mark

 

On 12-23-95, Jesus Vega Amaya, from Bishop Texas won $25 million playing Lotto Texas. He is the only one who won on that date during the years of 1992 and 2000 in Texas. Others who won close to that date were:
12-22-95 - 2 winners - Oliver Dooley, Vidor & Earl Scott, Many, LA
12-25-93 - 1 winner - Randall L. Robinson, Flower Mound
12-24-94 - 1 winner - Nelson Martin, Houston
12-25-96 - 1 winner - AMR Ltd. Partnership, Houston
12-22-99 - 1 winner - Luisa M. Barlow, Austin


Dawn, I just had to write a note about the recent "Domain Name Bullying" that's been going on. What really aggravates me is the fact that people are providing a legitimate service and the TLC can't stand it. I agree with you about their page. Before finding your excellent page, I was using the "official" TLC page to check results. Not only was it not up-to-date, it was also very difficult to navigate through! I can't believe they paid somebody to design a page like that! I just wonder when someone is going to show the cajones and step in and stop this nonsense. The TLC needs a thorough house cleaning. Maybe their day is coming. I hope so. Good luck. John C.


Dawn: 421 that came up last night, Sat the 15th, was one of Don's numbers in his 11th Prediction. I just felt good about that number so I've continued to play it. I'm sitting here looking at 3 single tickets of 421 that I bought yesterday and that's a pretty sight. Just wanted to pass this along to you and say thanks to Don for all his hard work. Spence


Dawn, Thanks for Don's postings. I love winning!!! On Don's last prediction, I played each number in an any bet for .50. But, my favorite number was 694 and I bought it 5 times exact for a $1. You can't imagine how I felt when I saw those numbers posted on your web site. My family will have a wonderful Christmas thanks to you and Don. I don't know how the people could ever thank you for keeping us so well informed about the Texas Lottery too. They certainly have nasty tactics. The Pick3 is the only game going for me, they lost my business when they added the four balls. Merry Christmas to both you and Don and thank you very much for a fantastic and informative website. Lois, Odessa


Hi Dawn,

Really enjoyed your article about the Bullying Web Site Owners on your site.That was fantastic and very interesting!

XX was started as a "PERSONAL" web site and I know there exists a few entities that want it completely off the Internet. In my opinion, it's just a matter of time before they start coming after personal web sites too.

I wonder WHY? Is it because they don't want any sites competing with them?

If I can, I will always link to sites that provide useful information about the lottery, such as yours.

Keep up the great work!

I'm not posting a name on this one.


Dawn,
FYI
You misspelled the word "scratch" in the first sentence of the section you ask people to cut and paste. ttp://www.lottoreport.com/help.htm

Just looking out for you because I believe in what your doing and thank you for bring to light the truth about the Texas Lottery. I share your website with everyone. :-) Gary

Thank you very much for telling me. I proof this stuff til I'm blue in the face and still find errors. So I really appreciate all the help I can get!


Hope everything is going great. First of all I want to wish you a Merry Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

I have noticed that you notify us of "weight ball changes." What does that mean to me? Why does Linda Cloud change the balls on a whim or is this an official change or is it based on too many winners and the officials in Austin want to make it harder again.

I want to know these little bits of vital information. I know if you don't know the answer, its quite possible the TLC would tell you. I am quite sure, I would get "spin" and wouldn't or couldn't verify what they told me.

I still read your wonderful comments, and I think you should up for some kind of an award. Again, Merry Christmas and I hope you get everything that you asked Santa to Bring. Respectfully yours,
C. J. D.

The law says they have to weigh the balls twice a year to make sure they are all close to the same weight. When they do this, they pull one ball set at a time and send it out then continue this process until all the balls have been weighed.


Your story about the TLC being bullies was on target. The TLC would not win this case in a court of law and I'm speaking from experience. Tell your friends to ignore the TLC until they are served with papers then I'm certain legal help will be nearby. Just notify the major news outlets first. For whatever it is worth, most large entities don't go after small businesses in this manner.

By the way, I want you to know I was very impressed with your research, presentation and journalism on this story too. You did well and your accuracy was notable. No name please.


The message below date back to July 2001


Ed's 1st e-mail ...

I'm neither for nor against the Texas lottery. All aspects of the lottery are listed under the Texas Penal Code as gambling. How can the state of Texas be involved in gambling activities that is in violation of its own penal code? I would very much appreciate your comments. Thanks. Ed M.

I wrote back and ask for more information. This was his response ...

Ed's 2nd e-mail
Search - Texas Penal Code Gambling - Look at Title 10, Sec. 47.02 (a) (3), forbids gambling devices. (c) (3) says it is a defense(note not an execption) if participating in the state lottery. This is self contradictory, not admissible in any court. Sec. 47.03 (a) (5) specifically forbids all aspects of gambling by lottery, without exception. This is the one that totally contradicts the Texas lottery. Sec. 47.06 forbids gambling equipment. A judge in a court proceeding cannot base findings on conditional, contradictory statements, and will reject those as invalid. Thanks, Ed

Hum .... very interesting! Can somebody out there shed some light on this for us? Come on lawyers, instead of telling me how I amuse you and how you love to read my writings, how about giving us some input on how this can be. We need input. OK?

A Response to Ed's Message:

I am not a lawyer so this is not legal advice. It is based on my training as a police officer and the way I read the laws. Of course, the first advice I always give is to get an attorney if you want a legal opinion, and then get a different attorney if you want a different opinion :}

I just read the e-mail about the gambling being illegal. The participation in the lottery is a defense to prosecution, as is participating under the Bingo act or a private, honest poker game in your house. This means that the charge could be filed and the prosecutor would not have to mention your defense in filing the charge, but if you could show the jury that you were participating in one of the activities, then an acquittal must be provided.

This is not contradictory and would be admitted in court, as are all defenses. This is the same as claiming self-defense in an assault case and being able to prove it. In reality, a defense means that the item is allowed. I suggest that Ed M. needs to read the beginning chapters of the penal code, such as Chapter 2 which covers defenses, affirmative defenses, and exceptions. He also needs to read the Code of Criminal
Procedure which tells what evidence is allowed and all sorts of other things that govern trials.

I do agree that it should be worded as an exception or as not applicable instead of as a defense, but a defense or an affirmative defense have the same effect in the long run.

Hope that helps clear things up a little.

S. R.

Thank you for helping us understand this a little bit better!


Concerning the 'Attorney General' ruling on asking the partner's names in a 'Jackpot Pool Corporation'. Very nasty of the TLC as usual, also wonderful for you to go around them. Maybe you should ask the Attorney General to rule on their obstructive practices. Use of a government office facilitate private agendas and vendettas has got to violate a few hundred pages of legal code!

This is regarding my open records request for the May 19, 2001 claimants names - the TLC is asking for a ruling on this from the Attorney General's office before releasing the information to me. The want to prevent me from acquiring this information!

The AG won't respond until they actually receive a request for an opinion from the TLC. I am anxiously awaiting to hear the commissions reasons too. I tried to call Diane back but she was out until Monday. As a matter of fact, there are some other folks who are anxiously awaiting to hear about this one as well!

For those of you who didn't read the story, after being "temporarily" rejected by the TLC, I was able to obtain this information immediately from the Secretary of State and the Comptrollers office.

 


I just read the editorial in the Caller Times on-line edition. They pretty much have it dead on. They call the lottery an "embarrassment" which is pretty accurate. Steve R.

 


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