Lottery Segment Definitions

(For more information on segment definitions, click here.)

Optimists
This is the most affluent of the segments who play the Lottery. These are avid Lottery players. For the Optimists, playing the Lottery, and gambling in general, is a fun and exciting part of their lives. They feel that they have as good a chance of winning the Lottery as anyone else and they believe they have a good chance of winning a large prize. They also enjoy fantasizing and daydreaming about the day they will win one of the big jackpots.

Dreamers
Dreamers are also avid players. For Dreamers, playing the Lottery represents their best chance to improve the quality of their life and change who they are as a person. Many believe that the only way they will ever become rich is through playing the Lottery and they love to dream and fantasize about what their life will be like after they win the big jackpot. They feel that winning the Lottery has a lot of prestige and if they won, it would prove to their critics that they were not foolish for playing.

Managers
Play of Lottery games by Managers is low compared to avid players. Managers appear to like having more control over their destiny than playing the Lottery would allow. On one hand, they feel that their chances of winning the Lottery are as good as anyone else's and their lives would be better if they won a big jackpot; but "deep down," they do not believe that they could win the Lottery. They believe that those who are active Lottery players are throwing their money away and they often berate themselves after playing and losing. They prefer playing games of skill where money is not involved.

Pessimists
Pessimists are not avid players, but they have a moderate level of play compared to the other segments. Although Pessimists enjoy playing the Lottery and other games of chance as well as dreaming about how different their lives would be if they won, they do not feel that they have much chance of winning at all, even if they were to play the Lottery more often. In fact, they feel that their chances of winning are not as good as other people's. They are somewhat embarrassed when they are seen buying Lottery tickets. They like to prolong the anticipation of winning as long as possible. They would rather hang on to the feeling that "this may be the one" than be disappointed again. When they do have a non-winning ticket, they often chastise themselves for being foolish enough to play.

Analysts
Analysts have low interest in Lottery games. The foundation of the relatively negative view of the Lottery and gaming, in general, among the Analysts is the belief that the odds of winning are stacked against them. In their view, it is highly unlikely that they, or anyone else who is a player, will win a significant amount of money in the Lottery.

They do not see a challenge or excitement in playing the Lottery or gambling in general. They are more interested in things and events that they can control and predict.

Critics
The Critics are the oldest, most educated and most affluent segment. Critics also have low interest in Lottery games. The negative attitudes of the Critics are not driven by the perception that the odds of winning are low, but rather by their belief that there are better ways to invest their money and be successful. They acknowledge that they would have a better life if they were to win one of the big jackpots, but they feel that even if they would play the Arizona Lottery more often, they would never win a big prize. Because of their belief that playing the Lottery is a waste of money, they also "kick" themselves after they lose when they are drawn in to play one of the games.

NOVEMBER 2000 Answers:
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