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$7 Million Payout for Pick 4 Players

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

4-4-4-4 Breaks the Bank

Despite the fact that they’re drawn no more or less often than any other combination, quadruples have long been a favorite with Pick 4 players.  They may come once in a blue moon, but players and Lottery officials alike will tell you this about quadruples: when they do come, they come big.  Not only did Saturday night’s 4-4-4-4 break the bank, but it tied the Lottery’s payout record for daily games.

The drawing took in $458,358 in sales and paid-out exactly $7 million total to the 2,800 players who played quadruple 4’s that evening.  While players fare well when Pick 4 drawings result in four-of-a-kind, payouts for the game often top the charts as the Lottery incurs its maximum liability of $7 million.

Per Lottery officials, 4-4-4-4 sold-out around 9:00 a.m. Saturday when sales of that combination brought the potential prize total to the largest permitted.  According to Lottery records it’s not at all unusual for specific Pick 3 and Pick 4 combinations to “sell out.”  It happens, in fact, just about every day.  What doesn’t happen every day, is a sold-out combination being drawn.

  • Anonymous

    what about subscriptions, how can people be drawn to purchase subscriptions when they never hit.

  • Anonymous

    what about subscriptions, how can people be drawn to purchase subscriptions when they never hit.

  • Anonymous

    Jasoncry: A computer is not involved in the drawings. What you see on Lottery drawings (you can view past drawings on MDLotteryTV) is what you get. Every time a ball is drawn, it is an independent and unique event, completely unaffected by what ball was drawn seconds, hours, days, or weeks earlier. In addition, each ball drawn has the same exact chance of being drawn as any other ball in the machine, at any point in time.

  • Killanigan

    Theres a SERIOUS situation, with the Lottery-powers that be,, !!! this is it.. For some unknown reason to me , ?? and Possibly other players,,   YOU are NOT< publishing  in YOUR Archives,, the  # 's that have been drawn on SEVERAL<  SUNDAYS-past,,, Do tell me , YOUR reason for this,,,  Sincerely.. a Gambler,,, by the name of Seamus Fogarty,, MD-Amdassador,,

    • Anonymous

      Killanigan: If you can let us know which dates are missing I can have them added. In no way are we looking to deceive anyone.

      Also, please keep in mind that Pick 3 evening drawings did not start until Sunday, September 24th, 1989 and Sunday midday drawings did not start until Sunday, May 23, 2004.

  • shorty

    I just wish that the lottery would allow more of the quads to come out . When you look at how frequently these number come out it is shame. Many people play these number 1111,2222,3333,and so on every day. I just think these number should come out a little more frequent.

    • mdlottery

      shorty: Thanks for writing in. We have no influence over the results. Winning numbers have always been – and will continue to be – purely the luck of the draw and a matter of random chance. Numbers drawn for each of the Lottery’s daily drawing games are arbitrary. Every time a ball is drawn, it is an independent and unique event, completely unaffected by what ball was drawn seconds, hours, days, or weeks earlier. In addition, each ball drawn has the same exact chance of being drawn as any other ball in the machine, at any point in time.

      Although every ball has the same exact chance of coming up per draw, random drawings do occasionally produce unusual results. Because of this, similar numbers, the same numbers, or even what appears to be a pattern or sequence may be drawn from time to time. I assure you, however, that drawings conducted are fair and random.

      • shorty

        TMI, Thanks for your Reply

  • Rosa

    You can’t beat a man at his own game the lottery. They know what numbers are hot and I bet you they have a way of knowing what number is being played heavy and have a way of keeping that number from not coming out/or cutting it off for the that day. It is computer generated.

    • mdlottery

      Rosa: Our daily (Pick 3, Pick 4, Bonus Match 5, and Multi-Match) and national games (Mega Millions and Powerball do not incorporate and computer generated results.

      Winning numbers for these have always been – and will continue to be – purely the luck of the draw and a matter of random chance. Numbers drawn for each of the Lottery’s daily drawing games are arbitrary. Every time a ball is drawn, it is an independent and unique event, completely unaffected by what ball was drawn seconds, hours, days, or weeks earlier. In addition, each ball drawn has the same exact chance of being drawn as any other ball in the machine, at any point in time.

      Although every ball has the same exact chance of coming up per draw, random drawings do occasionally produce unusual results. Because of this, similar numbers, the same numbers, or even what appears to be a pattern or sequence may be drawn from time to time. I assure you, however, that drawings conducted are fair and random.

  • Diana

    I would lke to see MD Lottery update their machines to post the Pick 3 & 4, date & night on the same ticket as the DC lottery..this will save paper and cut down on cost.

  • http://google william ward

    i wonder if 4444 will break the bank in dc

  • E Carter

    Limiting sales of an approximate 50% payout numbers game is foolish. Maryland lottery would make millions more in the long run by selling unlimited numbers. I stopped playing 3 and 4 digit daily numbers more than 25 years ago b/c of this policy. The smart thing to do is keep more of the profits on hand to pay large payouts. But alas, our elected officials always spend it faster than it comes in. A note: playing a 50% payout game should always be more for fun than for any hope of winning money.

  • Ozzie Neff

    I think 1011 HAS never hit “straight” & only hit once “boxed” in all the (Maryland’s) PICK 4 history. Please correct me if I’m WRONG! Been playing it everyday this year. I can remember when 001, 720 and some other Pick 3 Numbers were advertised as NEVER HITTING “straight.” This was before computers were a big thing. Are there any PICK 4 &/or PICK 3 numbers out there that have NEVER hit. Please let us know. They’re DUE.

    • mdlottery

      Ozzie: I just did a search on our new numbers archive feature and you’re right. Feel free to check it out to do some research of your own.

      However, keep in mind that there is no computer involvement in these games. Winning numbers have always been – and will continue to be – purely the luck of the draw and a matter of random chance. Numbers drawn for each of the Lottery’s daily drawing games are arbitrary. Every time a ball is drawn, it is an independent and unique event, completely unaffected by what ball was drawn seconds, hours, days, or weeks earlier. In addition, each ball drawn has the same exact chance of being drawn as any other ball in the machine, at any point in time.

    • Need Sum Luck

      I have been playing pick 4 number 3274 everyday midday and evening ( along with my other 39 numbers ) $ 5 straight and $ 5 box for 20 years and never has this number (3274) came out straight .. Im ready to give up because in 20 years I have only won straight on pick 3 five times and never on a pick 4.
      I also bought 3 Books of $ 20 scratch off tickets last month each book cost me $ 600 and on all 3 books I lost “exactly” the same amount on each book $ 220 .. Not 1 book was differnt all 3 books and only got $ 380 back off each book.. That really had me thinking ” Is this for me ? I just dont think Im ever going to win !

  • Shirley

    I just can’t understand my family and I play
    the lottery all the time and out of 30 faimly
    member no one have won any thing.

  • http://blockquote lamont wilkins

    i would like to know why you say brock the bank when only one nember comes out. what aboiut the hunders of other numbers that miss.if you say you only took in lest say 400,00 on 4444 what about the other quadrupl that missed. i know that all quadruples sell out every day so 400,00 a day on those X 9 adds up to a lot of money.i thank that the quadruples that did,t hit adds up to about 3,600,000 along with the others numbers adds to a hell of a lot of money. you say only 2,800 players played the 4,s what about the tholsens of people who played the others numbers. brake the bank ya right.

    • mike

      isnt itn true that you cnt win the state lottery because it is fixed that you will lose much more than you will win and thats why people dont win these jackpots in maryland because the lottery is nothing more than an avenue to rip off honest and dishonest citzens of there hard earned money i mean why not just go head and sell crack or weed and tax it the resutls are the same

      • mdlottery

        mike: Thank you for your message. Please understand that lotteries are games of chance – or luck. A player can play the same number once or every day for 20 years and they have the same chance of winning a prize. It truly is a gamble.

        Just as with any gambling establishment, the “house” will always win and it is no different with the Maryland Lottery. The Maryland Lottery is a state agency and the bulk of its proceeds go right back to citizens – just last year the Lottery contributed paid $1.03 billion dollars in prizes to players and $510.6 million dollars to state-funded programs. Click HERE to see a breakdown of Maryland Lottery revenue.

        Also, the Maryland Lottery is a regulated state agency that is held to the highest standards. All Lottery drawings are audited on a regular basis by independent companies and it would be virtually impossible to “rig” or predetermine a drawing.

        • mike

          how eazy is it for a dishonest cashier to give wrong information to a a person checking a winning ticket to tell a person not knowing that he or she has a winning ticket that they have won and then not telling them that person that they had a winning ticket and then the cashier keeping the money for them self (keno,mega,multi,powerball) and if so could someone press charges for fraud or would the lottery just be caught with there pants down and the issue just be swept under the rug

          • mdlottery

            mike: Unfortunately, there are cases of retailer fraud from time to time. They do get crafty. If you or any player ever feels that they have come across a dishonest retailer, please call the Lottery immediately at 410-230-8800 and ask for the security division. They will work with you to investigate the matter fully.

            There are a couple of things to remember: Always sign your ticket, listen for the fanfare music on the Lottery terminal and/or ask the retailer to point the terminal sign towards you so you can see the totals.

  • james

    how many tickets did anyone person have. was it like the 15 that one person had on the match 5

  • RICHN HAPPIE

    WELL MS.BRENDA NEXT TIME YOU HAVE A DREAM TELL ME I WILL PLAY IT!!!

  • greg

    the promotion called $2 million Logo Hunt
    my question is why call it that, when you are only giving away $450,000 total. can someone explain?

    • mdlottery

      Greg: It is called $2 Million logo hunt because during the promotion we will be giving away a total of $2 million dollars in prizes including the logo hunt drawing and instant free plays.

  • Brenda Smith

    Yeah i went to get that 4444 in around 11am and i couldnt get them in. I dream alot and i saw them in a dream. congrats to every one that got them in. Better luck for me next time.

    • RICHN HAPPIE

      HEY MS BENDA NEXT TIM YOU HAVE ONE OF YOUR FANOUS DREAMS CAN YOU TELL ME WAT YOU ENVISIONED! PAY IT FORWARD WE ALL CAN BE BLESSED.



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