The experiment involved purchasing a $2.00 lottery ticket on Monday of each week for a year. Over the course of the year, beginning on October 10, 2005, and concluding on October 9, 2006, I purchased a lottery ticket at a convenience store located about a half mile from my house. I spent $104.00 on lottery tickets. According to a predetermined plan, every penny of winnings (such as they were) went the treasury of the Indian Baptist Church in Watonga. I did not expect to win $104.00 and wasn't surprised when the experiment concluded and I came up short.

Of the 52 $2.00 tickets I purchased, I had a return of 66.6% on the money spent. At the end of the experiment, I contributed all winnings ($68.00) and added the amount necessary to equal $104.00 ($34.00) to the church. Below is a record of the lottery tickets purchased and a visual copy of the check I presented to the church.

I don't plan ever to purchase another lottery ticket. And I am not in danger of becoming a candidate for Gamblers Anonymous. Playing the lottery in Oklahoma does not pay. It's foolish. There's an incredible number of foolish people in Oklahoma, I'm ashamed to say.

From 10/10/2005 to 6/12/06, I purchased the Oklahoma Gusher scratch ticket. In the third week of May, 2006, the my source discontinued the Gusher ticket. It was replaced with a new ticket, the Daily Double... From 5/22/06 to 6/12/06, I purchased Daily Double scratch tickets. On  6/19/06, my source resumed carrying the Oklahoma Gusher. I won nothing with the Daily Double.

                                                  (Click on ticket images for larger views)