Looking for luck - survey from Maritz Marketing Research, lottery players are attracted by size of jackpot, instant games

American Demographics, Jan, 1998 by Matthew J. Cravatta

Who feels lucky? Well, if it's the lottery we're talking about, it's a good bet the person in line for a ticket is a man, and he probably doesn't put much emphasis on his odds of success. More than 74 percent of U.S. adults--both women and men--say they aren't influenced by the astronomical odds at winning the big booty, according to an October 1997 survey from Maritz Marketing Research, Inc. Instead, they're drawn to play the game of chance by the size of the jackpot.

Forty--two percent of men and 34 percent of women report playing the lottery at least once a month, whether it be the scratch-off variety or the daily numbers. One-fourth of men say they play weekly, compared with 15 percent of women. Of the 43 percent who confessed they never play the lottery, those over age 65 and young adults aged 18 to 24 reported the highest levels of non-participation (59 percent and 56 percent, respectively).

Instant games, a.k.a. scratch-offs, are the most popular type of lottery chance, followed by the Wednesday and Saturday lotteries. Instant games score biggest with 18 to-24-year-olds. More than 57 percent of young adults who play the lottery choose instant-win/lose games, compared with 32 percent of all lottery players.

Most lottery players favor convenience stores and gas stations to buy their tickets of chance--more than six in ten purchase there. Twenty-two percent buy at supermarkets and 8 percent at liquor stores.

For more information, contact Maritz Marketing Research, Inc., 1297 North Highway Drive, Fenton, MO 63099; telephone (800) 4461690; Internet http://www.maritz.com/apoll/.