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The Elasticity of Demand for Lotto Tickets and the Corresponding Welfare Effects

Author

Listed:
  • Paul M. Mason

    (University of North Florida)

  • Jeffrey W. Steagall

    (University of North Florida)

  • Michael M. Fabritius

    (University of Mary Hardin-Baylor)

Abstract
The results of an analysis of lotto demand for the state of Florida during the first 254 weeks of its lotto suggest that the price elasticity of demand is near unity when employing a measure of lotto ticket price that is superior (at least for the state of Florida) to that used by others. The results imply that, relative to other states, Florida's lotto has room for increases in the odds to increase the price elasticity of demand to the revenue-maximizing level. However, revenue maximization is not the goal that the state should seek. Rather, the data indicate that Florida could poten tially improve social welfare through increasing the odds, thereby expanding the consumer surplus of ticket buyers and reducing the excess burden associated with the lottery tax.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul M. Mason & Jeffrey W. Steagall & Michael M. Fabritius, 1997. "The Elasticity of Demand for Lotto Tickets and the Corresponding Welfare Effects," Public Finance Review, , vol. 25(5), pages 474-490, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:pubfin:v:25:y:1997:i:5:p:474-490
    DOI: 10.1177/109114219702500502
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lany DeBoer, 1986. "Lottery taxes may be too high," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 5(3), pages 594-596.
    2. Scott, Frank & Garen, John, 1994. "Probability of purchase, amount of purchase, and the demographic incidence of the lottery tax," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(1), pages 121-143, May.
    3. Scott, Frank A, Jr & Gulley, O David, 1995. "Testing for Efficiency in Lotto Markets," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 33(2), pages 175-188, April.
    4. Charles T. Clotfelter & Philip J. Cook, 1987. "Implicit Taxation in Lottery Finance," NBER Working Papers 2246, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Shapira, Zur & Venezia, Itzhak, 1992. "Size and frequency of prizes as determinants of the demand for lotteries," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 307-318, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Thomas A. Garrett & Russell S. Sobel, 2004. "State Lottery Revenue: The Importance of Game Characteristics," Public Finance Review, , vol. 32(3), pages 313-330, May.
    2. George Geronikolaou & George A. Papachristou, 2007. "On the Demand for Lotteries in Greece," International Journal of Business and Economics, School of Management Development, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan, vol. 6(3), pages 255-259, December.
    3. Kent Grote & Victor Matheson, 2011. "The Economics of Lotteries: A Survey of the Literature," Working Papers 1109, College of the Holy Cross, Department of Economics.
    4. Chen, Shu-Heng & Chie, Bin-Tzong, 2008. "Lottery markets design, micro-structure, and macro-behavior: An ACE approach," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 463-480, August.
    5. Michael A. Trousdale & Richard A. Dunn, 2014. "Demand for Lottery Gambling: Evaluating Price Sensitivity Within a Portfolio of Lottery Games," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 67(3), pages 595-620, September.
    6. Jen-Hung Wang & Larry Tzeng & Junji Tien, 2006. "Willingness to pay and the demand for lotto," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(10), pages 1207-1216.
    7. Luke P. Rodgers, 2020. "Don’t Tax My Dreams: The Lottery Sales Response to Gambling Tax Changes," Public Finance Review, , vol. 48(5), pages 627-649, September.
    8. Alejandro Díaz & Levi Pérez, 2021. "Setting The Odds Of Winning The Jackpot: On The Economics Of (Re) Designing Lottery Games," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 39(1), pages 168-177, January.
    9. George Papachristou, 2006. "Is lottery demand elasticity a reliable marketing tool? Evidence from a game innovation in greece," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 53(4), pages 627-640, December.
    10. Chin-Tsai Lin & Chien-Hua Lai, 2006. "Substitute effects between Lotto and Big Lotto in Taiwan," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(10), pages 655-658.
    11. Will E. Cummings & Douglas M. Walker & Chad D. Cotti, 2017. "The Effect Of Casino Proximity On Lottery Sales: Evidence From Maryland," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 35(4), pages 684-699, October.
    12. Kent Grote & Victor Matheson, 2011. "The Economics of Lotteries: An Annotated Bibliography," Working Papers 1110, College of the Holy Cross, Department of Economics.
    13. Richard A. Dunn & Michael A. Trousdale, 2015. "Estimating the Demand for Lottery Gambling," Public Finance Review, , vol. 43(6), pages 691-716, November.

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