Winning Streak Cherry Picking Contestants

goz83

So I was dying with a cold on the weekend and for some reason I was watching winning streak. I was addicted to it years ago and I used to send a few 3 star cards in from time to time.

Anyway, I know you need to put a stamp on the envelopes you send, but I noticed, for the first time, that none of the entries in the case had stamps fixed to them. I know people who send in 5, or 6 of these things every week and I wonder now, what's the point in trying, if they're only going to bin your entry anyway and select 2, or 3 from each county. It makes marketing sense, because years ago, there were 3, or 4 people from Dublin on the show every week, which must have been discouraging for people in the other counties to enter. I hear you don't see the same numbers of Dubs and I recall catching the end of a show last year (I sometimes sadly tune in for the spinning of the wheel) and heard Marti say "and who says Dubs never get on the show" after pulling two Dublin tickets.

I think it's wrong that entries are opened and then selected and placed into new envelopes. What on earth is the point in entering twice for the same week? Those in the less populated counties would seem to have better odds, than entries from more densely populated counties, if only a couple of tickets are selected from each county. Shame on the National Lottery. It would seem that a Dubliner sending in 5 tickets has less chance than someone in Sligo sending in their first scratch card. Maybe, i'm wrong here, but it does seem strange that the envelopes have no stamps on them when they are drawn from the case. Any other theories?

Note:

This thread is not a Dublin v The rest of Ireland, so please don't turn it into one of those threads I see so often. Dublin is my example as the county with most living in it.

d1975

I know they have to open them so they can check if it has the 3 stars also check if the name and address is on it, hence the reason why envelopes are new, they record the show on the day itself so they want to record it without any problems ie someone's name not being on it or not a 3 star

stargazer 68

I would find it hard to believe that they check all of those envelopes for a location - maybe they do. I just thought they pulled out 100 (or however many are in the drum) check that they have 3 stars and an address and re-envelope them. Maybe Im wrong

brian_t

AFAIK the entries are opened and the Names and Addresses are recorded on computer.
Then replaced in new envelopes.
When the five envelopes are then picked on the day their details can be almost immediately flashed up on the screen.

squonk

Where are you getting this from OP? the way I understood the process was that they get say 10,000 entries in on a particular week. They throw all the entries into a massive drum and then pick 100 tickets from that to be entered into the drum on the show. The reason they replace the envelopes is that the original envelopes are destroyed by the picking process.

I am pretty sure they get thousands of entries per week. I guess for simplicity and to make a good show, it makes sense to have some pre-picked tickets in a small drum that Marty can pick from. I'd be highly surprised if there was some sort of weighting system in place like you describe. I think it's a straight forward pick.

Besides, how many Dubs do you think do the lotto? There might be more dubs but a smaller proportion of them might actually buy tickets. In any case, there never seems to be a shortage of contestants from Meath, Kildare, Louth & Wicklow who I would also add as part of the Dublin catchment area. I have no figures to back up any of my views and they're based on my own perceptions only but I don't think there's any great conspiracy going on like you claim. In any case, I'd recommend you ring or write the National Lottery seeking further information on their ticket selection process. I'm not sure anyone here can really answer your questions completely.

Skid

goz83 wrote: »

I wonder now, what's the point in trying, if they're only going to bin your entry anyway and select 2, or 3 from each county

That sounds like nonsense to me.

Have you a source for this theory?

goz83

As I said, it's my theory and I am sure there are many holes that can be poked in it. Dublin catchment, is not Dublin, so I don't see that counting. I know lots of people who buy these things, including myself on the odd occasion. I am sure Dubs buy the scratch cards as much as the person in the next county. I would love to see an independent person filmed, to be shown at the beginning of each show, verifying the selection process. Is it really as many as 10,000 per week? Thats a lot of entries haha. And thats only the ones who sent in stars.

brian_t

To enter the Winning Streak TV Gameshow, players must submit a 3-star ticket in one of the special 3-star envelopes, which are available from all National Lottery Retail Sales Agents. Each Thursday in National Lottery offices, 100 3-star entries are drawn randomly in a preliminary draw that takes place under the supervision of KPMG. From these 100 entries, the five players for the following show are drawn and their names are featured on the Gameshow.

http://www.lottery.ie/en/Games/How-to-play/How-to-play-Scratchcards/Winning-Streak/

brian_t

The players for 'Winning Streak' TV Game Show on this coming Saturday 21st January 2012 are:

Miriam Purcell
Mooncoin
Co Kildare

Peter J Gallagher

Achill
Co Mayo

Mary Fitzpatrick
Bishopstown
Co Cork

Mary Sexton
Newbridge
Co Kildare

William Murphy

Watergrasshill
Co Cork

This week's lucky Dream Maker Player:

Gareth Park
Drumcondra
Dublin 9

patwicklow

Its a rip off 3 euro a ticket, were as years ago it was a punt a ticket and the prize money was much better big money racket thats all it is

noveltea

I find that it is always old people or teachers on it.

I actually bought a ticket today and was hoping for 3 stars but won €8 instead. I reinvested €3 of the winning €8 in another ticket and won €5.

Also the quality of ticket it is not as good quality as it was in the past. The scratch stuff is not like the scratch stuff that was on it in the past.

dublinman1990

The design of the scratchcard has definitely changed this year. It now has a grey colour. You now have the strach near of the very bottom of the card.

Before that you had to scratch on the right hand side.

The card itself still has the dream maker stub on it.

It is very rare for BTW to get three stars on it.

JonathanAnon

Skid wrote: »

Have you a source for this theory?

?

benmad

patwicklow wrote: »

Its a rip off 3 euro a ticket, were as years ago it was a punt a ticket and the prize money was much better big money racket thats all it is

someone has to pay for the RTE,jobs for the boys family. have you noticed that the National Lottery hardly gets a mention on winning streak,the way that D....head! marty whelan goes on any stranger in town would think that they were handing out the money

patwicklow

benmad wrote: »

someone has to pay for the RTE,jobs for the boys family. have you noticed that the National Lottery hardly gets a mention on winning streak,the way that D....head! marty whelan goes on any stranger in town would think that they were handing out the money

could,nt put it better myself!! yes pure scam with jobs for the boys the likes of that twat marty what an arse hole how the fook he got on tv i will never know what 100% pure bull****

stargazer 68

I posted my 3 stars yesterday! :D

brian_t

Dovies wrote: »

I posted my 3 stars yesterday! :D

Best of luck to you.

Mr E

I think this thread has run its course.