ACCD News & Events

SAC Math Professor and Class Make Lottery Impact

For Immediate Release
October 19, 2006
Contact: John Hammond, Director of Public Relations, San Antonio College
210/733-2147
jhammond@accd.edu

San Antonio College Mathematics Professor Gerald Busald and his statistics classes have for years prodded the Texas Lottery Commission to be more truthful in their advertising. Now his students have developed a website (http://www.SACStat.org) that contains the "true value" (statistically expected value) of various Texas Lottery Games.

"The website was created as part of a class project where students were divided into groups to look at each specific game," said Busald. "The information should be informative both to players and non-players of the Texas Lottery."

Last year, Busald was named to the Search Committee to advise the Texas Lottery Commission in identifying qualified candidates for the position of Executive Director, a position that went to Anthony in June.

Now the commissioners have supported several of Busald's recommendations, including disclosing on the ticket of the top prize the true odds of winning (1 in 25.8 million chances of winning the $10 million jackpot) instead of the overall odds of winning any lottery game (1 in 71 chances).

In addition, the commissioners agree to put on the front of the ticket and on the website the actual cash value, which is currently 40 percent less than the annuitized amount paid over 25 years.

For more information, contact Busald at 785-6451 (office).