LOTTERY COMPANION 4.03

Why would anyone need another computer program to select six numbers from between 1 and 49? There are already a number of lottery programs freely available from Public Domain libraries and bulletin boards. Unfortunately, some of those were designed for State lotteries in the U.S.A. They tend to be simple, one-stop developments. Lottery Companion 4 on the other hand is 100% designed for the UK National Lottery, contains a wealth of embellishments and features and to top it all, is under very active development, with the offer of a results support service for registered users.
As a shareware program, Lottery Companion 4 is completely functional apart from one or two more esoteric features. That said, it does throw a "Hey, you...register!" dialog at you from time to time which is best described as a typing exercise from hell. With registrations from five pounds, I'd start reaching for your cheque book if only for your sanity.
Creating a random number generator is easy: some pocket calculators can do it, you can do it in a few lines of BASIC code. Creating a program that will actually be useful to people organising lottery syndicates or just determined to take a more scientific approach to obtaining their own Ferrari involves a mite more work.
Registered owners will benefit from a printed version of the superb manual--I found this infinitely more comfortable than trawling through the 140K of the equivalent disk document--that covers every aspect of playing the lottery in detail, all in a very sensible and highly-informative manner that allowed a maths drop-out like myself to get a grip of things.

Menu Pull Down Shot
The drawn numbers can be analysed in a huge range of ways.

Lottery Companion 4 works on several levels--at its simplest it allows you to randomly select your numbers with no fuss and the minimum of parameters, while at the Steven Hawking end of the scale you can select your numbers, still randomly, but with a variable bias towards the most frequently-occurring numbers. In addition, you can ask your Atari to tell you which number is most likely to be picked based on past results. I'll let you into a secret--it's 28 at the moment!
In order to get the most from this program, you need to be prepared to log ALL the lottery results since Week 1. Don't panic, Captain Mannering, the author maintains a list of all the draws for registered owners, either by post or Email, and he even tells you how to phone Camelot to get back draws.
If you're in a syndicate or organising one, there's a database to list all the members and their numbers. The program also has an option for additional mid-week draws, which are planned for the near future.

: Syndicate Membership Editor.
All the details of your syndicate's members can be recorded in this simple database.

To get the most from this, you need to be a dedicated Lottery-goer. Other factors which can be taken into account include Roll-Over weeks, the names of the Camelot machine used for each draw, and the ball set used. LC4 will even sort your chosen numbers into numerical order for you, with blistering speed.

: Draw data Filer.
Never mind those all-important numbers, there's a mind-boggling set of factors you can record with each week's draw.

The program is written in GFA Basic and Assembler and it quickly betrays its programming heritage. No graphics or fancy fonts, just plain text, the odd bit of bold type, and the occasional beep or buzz (although, if you win the jackpot, you'll receive a natty tune, but this will probably go unappreciated as you'll have fainted by that stage) Presented in a GEM-style window, (I say "style"; it's non-moveable) it's a bit like a TOS program. But it'd be wrong to go on about this too much, the program is very fast and very efficient. Simply enter the drawn numbers on the night, and LC4 will analyse them against your chosen sets of numbers--no matter how many there are--and tell you there and then if you've won anything.
As for compatibility, Lottery Companion 4.03 works flawlessly with straightforward Atari systems.
I tested it successfully on my 1988 STFM in both mono and medium resolution, and on my TOS 4.04 Falcon using resolution expanders like ScreenBlaster 2.
Multi-tasking OS?
Aw, you spoiled the party, it was going so well.
No, LC4 has strife with the popular MagiC operating system. It'll function accurately, but be prepared for messy, jumbled-up screen displays, and that non-moving GEM window suddenly becomes a real pain. Also, the program grabs all the memory it can get its number-crunching hands on, so no other applications can get in on the act. Don't despair, however, for help is at hand. Author Mark Butler is a determined bloke, so by the time you read this the memory problem should be fixed, and the MagiC disagreement shouldn't be far behind. Apart from a more modern and attractive interface, my personal wish-list for future versions would include a modular add-on to cope with the Irish Lottery, which is gaining popularity in Britain because of the ability to gamble on individual numbers via bookmakers.

: Back Issue Draw Information.
The program comes with a near-complete listing of previous draws.
Getting up-to-date information means registering or searching through a lot of old newspapers!

I've used Lottery programs in the past and discarded them. I approached this one with genuine suspicion, and have come away with an urgent desire to use it on a regular basis. There is a distinct feeling that using it to its full potential could be extremely good for your health and your bank balance.
The jackpot is out there...somewhere.

• Lottery Companion 4.03
• Author: Mark Butler,
• 8 Brookside,
• Hinckley,
• LE10 2TL

• Pros:
  • Very fast
  • Highly featured
  • Simple to use
  • Actively being developed
• Cons:
  • Grabs all available memory
  • Unhappy with MagiC
• Score 90%