You like to play the lottery. It's fun. It's exciting. And you enjoy studying the past winning numbers. You're convinced there are trends and patterns in all that data that would give you an advantage, but they're elusive and seem to be just out of your reach. You know that all major businesses, industries and governments use computer software to make forecasts and predictions about tomorrow. So, why not you? You've decided to buy some lottery software and create a little luck for yourself.
Well, good luck. You're about to enter a minefield filled with hype-masters and hucksters, with dazzle and glitz, with outrageous claims and expectations. Welcome to the world of Lottery Software.
I'm not trying to dissuade you; I'm trying to alert you to what's in store. There actually are about 4 or 5 descent products out there, but which are which. Well, perhaps this checklist will help you with your quest.
Hype is the Standard
This shouldn't surprise you. We're surrounded and inundated with advertisements continuously throughout the day. The Internet is more like a seething cauldron than a market place. So, you're going to find page after page of lottery software companies hawking their wares. Here's what to look out for.
If they promise you that 'YOU Will WIN the Lottery in 1 Week, GUARANTEED!' you should be a bit skeptical. You won't win the lottery and, as far as that guarantee is concerned, you'll never see your money again. These charlatans are here today, gone tomorrow. They can form a new company and set up an internet site in a day. They scam as much money as they can until they feel some heat and, poof, they're gone. The next day they're open for business again under a new name. They're ghosts on steroids.
Experience and Confidence are Brothers
If a company has been in business a long time you learn 3 things:
1. They must believe in their product.
2. They have sustained a level of sales over the years to remain profitable.
3. They have been able to maintain a good reputation in the marketplace.
And, it is these facts that instill Confidence in the consumer.
Testimonials Aren't Necessarily Hype
Some would say that Testimonials have been over used and, besides, who believes that stuff anyway? The people probably don't even exist. They were made up just like the Testimonial. Unfortunately, the skeptics have a point. Why should you give any credence to Testimonials? Why? Because, you can learn much more by reading them than you can by not.
If a huckster made them up, his only motive was to get you to buy. If customers wrote them, they are thanking the vendor. Hucksters speak from avarice but satisfied customers speak from the heart. The next time you read some testimonials, keep this in mind and you might just learn more that you expected.
Help I Need Somebody
Boy, ain't that the truth. Ever need some help with some software and, when you click on Help, all you get is &$%^@#? Nada. Nothing. Ever read the Help screen and it just made you mad? Oh, here's one. Ever click on Help only to have it tell you to look in the Manual? These are all written by people who could care less if you get any help. They only care about getting it done quickly so they can take your money faster. Contrast that with the attitude of a company that actually has a good product that they are proud of.
Oh, here's another. Every click on Help and discover it was written by a person who knows the product backwards and forwards and, so, he wrote the help screen for someone who knows the product backwards and forwards? Microsoft is notorious for this and, rightly so, it has become the brunt of an unending torrent of internet jokes.
So, do a little investigation into the Help screens the product provides. It might save some of your precious household items from being broken.
Manual Labor Should Be Rewarding
Software generally is notorious for having schlock product manuals but the problem is even worse with Lottery Software. This is due, in no small part, to the unsavory characters that market on the fringe of our business. It particularly frustrates me because, undeservedly, some of that tarnish rubs off on the white hat guys in our business.
Here's a pet peeve of mine that I'm sure many of you share. The manual explains exactly how each part of the software works, but never tells you how, when or where to use it. What are you supposed to do; spend the next two years learning how to use the software by trial and error? You finally learn how to use it about the time the next version hits the market. So, find out what you can about their software operations manual before you purchase.
A Picture May Be Worth a Thousand Words - But a Video Is Worth the Whole Book
With all the technology available to companies today, there is no excuse for not providing the customer with Training or Tutorial Videos. Five minutes watching a training video can save hours of frustration and turn an angry customer into raving cheerleader. So, find out if the company provides training on their product?
What Are They Selling On Their Website?
Today, that's a good question. On many websites it is very difficult to determine exactly what they are trying to sell. You went there to buy Lottery Software and you're inundated with audio messages, pop-up advertisements and video pitches for things you don't want and had no intention of buying. You're surrounded, top, bottom, left and right, with ads selling everything from 'The Original Cave Etchings of the Dingbat Tribe of South of Nowhere' to 'Uncle Charley's Homemade Itch Cream'. If the company can't make up its mind who it is, you probably shouldn't reward their confusion.
Lotto Blog
Does the company love what it does? Does it have a passion for lottery software? Nothing demonstrates a company's commitment to its product more than a Blog. Why, you ask? Because a Blog is a lot of hard work. Making a Blog post every day is a major commitment by the company to support its customer base and engage the serious lottery playing community in discussions about their favorite topic.
Now, some vendors have blogs that they created for the sole purpose of being able to say 'We have a blog'. Maybe they make a post once a month if they remember. These are faux lottery enthusiasts. They have no love for the topic itself other than to create a revenue stream.
Beyond the Manual and the Help files, a Lotto Blog is an excellent place to learn more about your software, to learn new lottery strategies and to ask those burning questions you have. Nothing says a company is for real than a real Lotto Blog.
I hope these tips help you in your quest for some serious lottery software and, hopefully, save you some wasted time and money.
Good luck and I hope YOU Win the Big One.
