Ector and Midland County Lotto Sales Some of the Tops in Texas

With more than $20 Million in lottery sales in Midland County and $20 Million in Ector County, the two Permian Basin regions rank among the top 30 in Texas.

Since the first lottery ticket in Texas was sold in 1992 the games have raked in billions of dollars for the State.

Fast forward to 2009 at which point Ector and Midland counties are tallying major lottery sales numbers.

"I actually know a lot of people who come out here and play quite a bit and spend a couple hundred dollars on them as a matter of fact", says west Odessan, Lauren Carver.

Beau: "Really? Per week?"

"No actually at a time as they come through", says Carver.

Carver has cut back her lotto spending.

But why others continue to spend hundreds on the lottery is difficult to answer.

So we visited psychologist Brian Edwards.

"It's easy to do, it's cheap. You can go to 7/11, you can go to different places to get it and there's always this possibility of winning even though they know the changes are very low", says Edwards.

"I generally think I'm never going to win so if I win a couple it's just kind of... fun", says Carver.

Edwards, who's studied addiction for 20 years, says everything from the process of scratching a ticket to the sounds related to the lotto, can trigger desire to play, almost like the effect of a drug.

"With lotto it's the same thing. You're getting a release of neurotransmitters and that endorphin feeling. Some say there's a similarity between the same receptor site cocaine gives of dopamine to the brain", says Edwards.

"There's an immediate response to knowing if you won or not. You can do it again and again and again".

While it's somewhat insulated, the Permian Basin has felt the effects of the struggling economy.

But lotto sales remain unaffected.

Some believe it's because those with little money are risking it on the chance to win big.
But UTPB Dean of Business, Jack Ladd, says otherwise.

"Where the large sales numbers are I think is probably mostly accounted for by the population in those particular areas", says Ladd.

Lauren says some of her friends play for the chance to get themselves out of debt, but it's possible they're only falling in deeper.

"They hope that maybe they can win something big and possibly get themselves out of debt later. I would like to but the odds of winning are slim to none so, it's just kind of a lucky shot", she says.

According to Mr. Edwards, there is nothing wrong with playing the lotto here and there but if you believe you may have become addicted, it may be wise to seek professional counseling services.

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Entertainment

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• Ector
• Midland
• County
• Lotto
• Texas
• Lottery
• Sales