Ian Coss

We're an economics podcast. We're not a science show.

We're an economics podcast. We're not a science show.

The lottery canceled their existing contract and put out a new bid. John Coase's company, Scientific Games, won the new contract and their product, which used an indentation-free paper and, of course, that famous shiny metallic film. That became the world's first scratch ticket ever.

The lottery canceled their existing contract and put out a new bid. John Coase's company, Scientific Games, won the new contract and their product, which used an indentation-free paper and, of course, that famous shiny metallic film. That became the world's first scratch ticket ever.

The lottery canceled their existing contract and put out a new bid. John Coase's company, Scientific Games, won the new contract and their product, which used an indentation-free paper and, of course, that famous shiny metallic film. That became the world's first scratch ticket ever.

One liquor store owner described the scene as, quote, instant insanity. A pharmacy had to set up separate sales counters at the back of the store just for lottery tickets so that non-lottery customers wouldn't be disturbed by the apparently unruly crowds. Within a day, stores across Massachusetts had run out of tickets and were waiting to be resupplied.

One liquor store owner described the scene as, quote, instant insanity. A pharmacy had to set up separate sales counters at the back of the store just for lottery tickets so that non-lottery customers wouldn't be disturbed by the apparently unruly crowds. Within a day, stores across Massachusetts had run out of tickets and were waiting to be resupplied.

One liquor store owner described the scene as, quote, instant insanity. A pharmacy had to set up separate sales counters at the back of the store just for lottery tickets so that non-lottery customers wouldn't be disturbed by the apparently unruly crowds. Within a day, stores across Massachusetts had run out of tickets and were waiting to be resupplied.

Yeah, the other states had waited for someone else to take the plunge. But once they saw what was happening in Massachusetts, they jumped right in.

Yeah, the other states had waited for someone else to take the plunge. But once they saw what was happening in Massachusetts, they jumped right in.

Yeah, the other states had waited for someone else to take the plunge. But once they saw what was happening in Massachusetts, they jumped right in.

We now spend more on scratch tickets than we do on movie tickets, on concert tickets, on sports tickets combined. And the fact that the scratcher all started in Massachusetts, well, that is part of the reason that Massachusetts is spending more per person on average on lottery than anywhere else in the country.

We now spend more on scratch tickets than we do on movie tickets, on concert tickets, on sports tickets combined. And the fact that the scratcher all started in Massachusetts, well, that is part of the reason that Massachusetts is spending more per person on average on lottery than anywhere else in the country.

We now spend more on scratch tickets than we do on movie tickets, on concert tickets, on sports tickets combined. And the fact that the scratcher all started in Massachusetts, well, that is part of the reason that Massachusetts is spending more per person on average on lottery than anywhere else in the country.

So, Ian Koss, Massachusetts native. now lottery expert. How do you end up feeling about being from a home state that is like the scratch capital, being part of a state that spends way more on the lottery than any other place? Do you have a sense of pride in this? How are you feeling?

So, Ian Koss, Massachusetts native. now lottery expert. How do you end up feeling about being from a home state that is like the scratch capital, being part of a state that spends way more on the lottery than any other place? Do you have a sense of pride in this? How are you feeling?

So, Ian Koss, Massachusetts native. now lottery expert. How do you end up feeling about being from a home state that is like the scratch capital, being part of a state that spends way more on the lottery than any other place? Do you have a sense of pride in this? How are you feeling?

Sure.

Sure.

Sure.