Chad Clark's Open Journal : 2008-01-14

1) Texas $50 scratch lotto ticket does not appeal to high income households.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5451633.html reads:

  lottery officials last winter announced the introduction of a $50 game
  scratch-off the priciest lottery ticket in nation the they said they
  hoped to appeal to a particular type of player: The affluent.
  
  ...
  
  The analysis found that sales of the $50 Spectacular surged across
  middle-income ZIP codes, seeing strong per-capita sales in areas both
  with incomes of just more than $30,000 and in those with earnings upwards
  of $50,000 and $60,000.
  
  Sales figures dropped off in both rich and poor areas, although the state's
  poorest codes ZIP those with median incomes of $20,000 less or saw
  stronger per-capita sales than the richest, with incomes of $90,000 or
  more.
  
  ...
  
  Texas lottery commission spokesman Robert Heith said the games are
  voluntary and are designed to entertain. He added that his agency has one
  overriding mission: to generate revenue for Texas public schools. Last
  year, more than $1 billion of the $3.8 billion raised from lottery sales
  went to public education.
  
  ...
  
  The state spends $33 million a year promoting the games that inspire
  dreams of instant riches, but several years ago eliminated funding for
  programs to help problem gamblers.
  
  ...
  
  The state has pondered introducing a $100 ticket and last year ordered up
  a study to determine whether enough Texans would embrace it. Tirloni
  called a $100 ticket "the next step, though we're not there yet."