# New York Lottery 9-11-03 **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 18, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-lottery-9-11-03/202306 "2003-09-18T05:00:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-lottery-9-11-03/202306/1 "2003-09-18T05:00:42Z")
If memory serves me correctly, it seems that 911 came up in Various lotteries in 2001 and 2002 on the tragic day. So much so that I think they had to stop people from playing those numbers last year. What about this year… I havent heard anything. What should I make of that? ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-lottery-9-11-03/202306/2 "2003-09-18T05:13:33Z")
That was the winning number in one of NY’s drawings last year, however it wasn’t for one of those mega-million jackpots. At any rate I don’t see why a lottery would stop people from choosing any given set of numbers - generally the prize money is predetermined and it’s split amongst all those who hold a given number, so if 1000 people win they just don’t get much money each. This happened in IL many years ago IIRC, a slew of people got 5 out of 6 numbers in a big draw (many tens of millions of dollars), so many that each person wound up with a few hundred dollars each instead of the thousands it would have been if only a few folks had 5/6. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-lottery-9-11-03/202306/3 "2003-09-18T05:36:48Z")
I think you’re talking about Pick 3, not the lottery. Pick 3 and Pick 4 not parimutuel like the lottery. If you win you get the same amount no matter how many other winners there are. Sometimes they do close some numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-lottery-9-11-03/202306/4 "2003-09-18T13:25:33Z")
I remember that at least one lottery (NY?) stopped sales on the number 444 on the day the Iranian hostages were released because so many people were playing it. No cite unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![NYR407](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@NYR407](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NYR407)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-lottery-9-11-03/202306/5 "2003-09-18T14:17:59Z")
Yes they close numbers every so often once the limit is reached on the number of times it is played. Besides 911 many people play 317 and 0317 on St. Patrick’s Day. I believe you can play your numbers within two (or is it one?) week(s) prior to the drawing. I read a few days ago that 911 for the 9/11 drawing closed out on the first day it went on sale. However there was a computer glitch that allowed some people to buy them on 9/11. I have been trying but can 't find the article from the NY Daily News on this. I am guessing that the limit still allows Pick Three/Four to at least break even if the number is hit. Or perhaps it just maximizes it’s potential losses. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-lottery-9-11-03/202306/6 "2003-09-19T02:31:53Z")
I understood that a Pick 3 game has three seperate chambers as it where each with 0-9 I used the word lotto as a convention. It is after all run by the NY Lotto. ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-lottery-9-11-03/202306/7 "2003-09-19T02:56:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Meeko \* > \*\*I understood that a Pick 3 game has three seperate chambers as it where each with 0-9 I used the word lotto as a convention. It is after all run by the NY Lotto. \*\* That explains everything. (???)