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From: ran@ho95e.UUCP (RANeinast)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: Question about Sweepstakes
Message-ID: <367@ho95e.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 31-Dec-85 09:04:53 EST
Article-I.D.: ho95e.367
Posted: Tue Dec 31 09:04:53 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 1-Jan-86 01:01:47 EST
References: <474@iheds.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 33

> Well, it's the time of year again when our mailboxes bulge with those
> Sweepstakes entries from magazine and book clearinghouses.  One company
> is advertising a 10 million dollar grand prize!  My question is this:
> How can a clearinghouse afford to give away prizes of such magnitude??

Helfino.

>    .
>    .
>    .
>
> As for me, I will not even bother to submit my sweepstakes entry, even
> though I don't have to subscribe to anything. With my luck, the only thing
> I stand to win for my 22 cent investment is the dubious honor of
> having my name placed on 100 new junk mailing lists!  (Well now, maybe
> THAT'S how they generate all the revenue ......)
>
> E. Rieback  


A while back I figured out the payback on these sweepstakes,
based on the odds of winning that are included in the sweepstakes.
Sure, they're free, but you still have to pay the 22 cents
for a stamp.  On average, you can expect to get back about
5 cents for every dollar you spend entering.  Compare this to the
approximately 45 cents on the dollar that most state lotteries
pay, and the generally even higher payoffs associated with
Las Vegas or Atlantic City.
-- 

". . . and shun the frumious Bandersnatch."
Robert Neinast (ihnp4!ho95c!ran)
AT&T-Bell Labs