WELCOME to BEST BET: -------------------- Welcome to BEST BET, the affordable Lottery software package. BEST BET is the newest in PC-based lottery information software from LOTTO SOFTWARE, LTD. We continue to develop BEST BET, adding features and functions. We continue to work diligently to keep our costs of development low, product quality high and usefulness to you equally high. We hope you are pleased with BEST BET. If you have suggested improvements or new features that you would like to see in future releases of BEST BET, please write us. Written suggestions are easier for us to process. As our Customer, we take your feedback seriously. Thank you for your purchase. LOTTO SOFTWARE, LTD. 16421 Cornwall Houston, TX 77040 (713) 896-6829 **************************************************************************** NEW IN RELEASE 2.0 of BEST BET: ----------------------------------- Release 2.0 of BEST BET contains the following major changes or additions: 2.1 Multi-state Lottery Support -------------------------------- BEST BET was originally developed for the Texas Pick 6 Lotto only. This release of BEST BET supports over 100 popular state lottery games across North America. It also provides a game definition feature which enables new lottery games to be added to BEST BET if not already included in the standard supported lotteries. BEST BET will support lotteries with the following range of criteria: * 2 to 6 balls are selected in a lottery drawing * Numbers are in the range of 0 to 100 * Numbers can be drawn multiple times or only once per drawing If BEST BET does not already support your favorite lottery, then you can add support for it easily, making BEST BET capable of supporting most any lottery in the world! Also, for our existing Texas customers, BEST BET now supports the Pick 3. 2.2 SMART-FILTER Statistical Filter ------------------------------------ A new feature known as SMART-FILTER(tm) was added to control the range and characteristics of the numbers which BEST BET selects. Use of the filter is totally optional. In addition to wheeling numbers and BEST BET's other number picking systems, SMART-FILTER can now be used to control the range of number combinations that BEST BET will pick for you. For example, in a Pick 6 lottery it is uncommon to see an unbalanced odd/ even ratio selected (for example, 6 odd and 0 even numbers). SMART-FILTER can be used to "tune out" statistically bogus combinations such as these! SMART-FILTER provides you with six tunable parameters which can be used to control the sequences of numbers BEST BET will provide. A typical wheel of 12 numbers for the Texas Pick 6 produces 924 different combinations (and costs $924 to cover all the combinations!). This is not feasible for most of us to play. Using SMART-FILTER's ability to tune out statistically undesirable combinations, the same 12 number wheel can now be "filtered" statistically to produce from 10 to 50 combinations! Of course, the amount of filtering that occurs depends upon how you select the tuning parameters. BEST BET will default the tuning parameters based upon selected recent drawings, simplifying setting up the tuning values. By using SMART-FILTER with the random-number picking systems, BEST BET is now better than just another random-number generator. It now allows you to control the types of combinations that will be selected. 2.2 Improved Statistical Analysis Information ---------------------------------------------- Additional statistical analysis information is provided for each drawing: * AVG GAP: the average "gap", or distance, between each number. * CUM AVG: a 10-drawing, running average of the sum's of the last 10 lottery drawings. These additional parameters are now available as SMART-FILTER parameters. 2.3 Out of order history data now sorted automatically -------------------------------------------------------- In the first release, if you missed several lottery drawings, then entered a recent drawing, then later entered the drawings that were missed earlier, BEST BET did not reorder the out-of-order drawings. This release of BEST BET always sorts all history information by drawing date when it is saved to the disk file. 2.4 History Filename changed ------------------------------ The history file name of BASEDATA.TX for Texas Pick 6 was changed to TEXAS6.HIS for consistency with the other lotteries supported. Each history file name is selectable, but typically begins with the state and the number of balls selected in the lottery, with a file suffix of ".HIS". For example, the California Pick 5 history file is "CAPICK5.HIS". About TECHNICAL SUPPORT: ------------------------ BEST BET is sold through retailers. The retail store operators and sales people DO NOT support BEST BET. If you experience a problem with BEST BET, please DO NOT CONTACT THE RETAIL STORE where you purchased BEST BET. They are not equipped to support you. Instead, you should contact LOTTO SOFTWARE after reading this README.TXT file and attempting to resolve the problem according to the instructions shown below. If you have tried the suggestions below and you are unable resolve a given problem with BEST BET, please feel free to contact LOTTO SOFTWARE for more assistance. Please try reinstalling BEST BET BEFORE calling LOTTO SOFTWARE. Thank you. LOTTO SOFTWARE, LTD. (713) 937-0355 About 3.5" MICRO and 5.25" FLOPPY DISKS: ---------------------------------------- BEST BET is distributed on either 3.5" and 5.25" media. If you want to use BEST BET on media other than that you purchased, simply copy all files from the purchased BEST BET diskette onto a formatted diskette of the desired type and format. For example, you purchased 5.25" double-density media and wish to use 3.5" high-density media. If drive A is your 3.5" drive and drive B is your 5.25" drive, the following MSDOS command will handle the copy: COPY B:\*.* A:\*.* Once all files are copied to the 3.5" media, you may proceed to install and use BEST BET as usual. If you want different media or have difficulties, LOTTO SOFTWARE can provide BEST BET on 3.5" or 5.25" media upon special request. Just clip out the "bar-code" located on the back package cover and send $2.00 along with your proof of purchase (to cover media, handling, shipping and tax) to LOTTO SOFTWARE. We will ship you BEST BET on the specified diskette media type and format. Be sure to be specific as to the desired media type and format. Thank you. INSTALLATION: ------------- Installing BEST BET is easy. The INSTALL.BAT batch command file is useful for installing it on the hard disk. To install BEST BET on drive C, for example, enter the following commands: C:> A: C:> INSTALL C: The above commands change the current drive to drive A (where the BEST BET installation diskette should be inserted). Next, the "INSTALL C:" command tells the BEST BET installation command to place BEST BET on the hard disk drive C. BEST BET installs into a directory named "\BB". The installation procedure copies all necessary disk files on the hard drive. BEST BET personalizes itself to a computer when it is installed. If you plan to run BEST BET from a diskette drive, you should first make a copy of the original diskette. When you run BEST BET, it examines the computer hardware upon which it is running and personalizes itself for that machine only. If you change to another machine, you will want to make a copy of the original BEST BET diskette. Therefore, DO NOT RUN BEST BET FROM THE ORIGINAL DISKETTE; keep the original diskette in a safe place. BEST BET installs into a directory named "BB" by default. If you do not plan to install BEST BET into its default directory named "BB", then you can copy the BEST BET files onto a hard disk directory of your choice. Then, run the "setup" program. You may then run the BEST BET program as described below from your particular directory. Note: Version 2.0 of BEST BET comes compressed in a self-extracting executable file named BB20.EXE. BB20.EXE contains most of the BEST BET files used during installation. RUNNING BEST BET 2.0 from a Floppy Diskette: --------------------------------------------- Because BEST BET does not fit completely on a 360Kb 5.25" floppy, it is advised that you install and run BEST BET from your hard disk drive, if possible. If you prefer to run BEST BET from a floppy, then the following is for you. If you want to run BEST BET from a floppy, you should first copy all of the files from the original floppy to a floppy with at least 720 Kb of free space. Then, run the file named BB20.EXE while your current drive is set to the floppy drive. Example: ( starts with BEST BET diskette in drive B ) C:> A: A:> COPY B:*.* A: ( copy all files to drive A: ) A:> BB20 ( extracts BEST BET files to A: ) A:> SETUP ( run the SETUP program on A: ) A:> BB ( run BEST BET on A: ) SETUP Program: -------------- After the installation batch file copies the BEST BET files, it runs a program named SETUP.EXE. SETUP asks whether you have a color monitor or not. Answer 'y' if you want color (and you have a color monitor; no, we can't make monochrome monitors do color!). Setup then examines your system, determines the types of devices attached, such as CRT monitor, ANSI.SYS settings, etc. and then exits. At this point, you are ready to run BEST BET. In Version 2.0 or later, SETUP prompts you for which lottery you want to run most of the time. You can change the default lottery selection at any time. RUNNING BEST BET: ---------------- To run BEST BET, enter the following commands (assuming it's installed on the C: drive): C:> cd \bb C:> bb BEST BET contains on-line help information. Just press "?" or "h" at most any menu for on-line help screens. If you are not sure what to do, just experiment until you get some experience with the program. Remember, you can create a hardcopy of any or all of the program at any time by using the MSDOS print-screen (Shift-PrtScr) keys or by turning MSDOS printer logging on via Ctrl-P. You can also print the online help files from MSDOS. For example, to print the main menu help file, enter the following MSDOS commands: C:> cd \bb C:> print main.hlp RUNNING BEST BET FROM MICROSOFT WINDOWS: ---------------------------------------- BEST BET has been tested and is compatible with Microsoft Windows. Of course, since BEST BET is actually an MSDOS executable, it must be run within a "DOS Box" under Windows. BEST BET installs a file named "bb.pif". This "bb.pif" file contains the necessary program profile information for BEST BET to be operated from within Microsoft Windows. To use BEST BET from Windows, you must first create a program icon. The following steps can be taken to create the BEST BET icon in Windows: 1) Click the mouse on the "group" of icons that you want BEST BET to be placed into (double-click, if necessary, to open the group of icons up and show the icons on the program manager's window). This is the group of icons where BEST BET will be placed. 2) From Windows, select "File", then "New". A dialog box appears with the title "New Program Object". Select the item labelled "Program Item" by pressing 'Enter' or selecting the "OK" button. 3) The dialog titled "Program Item Properties" appears. This dialog box contains the information necessary to run a program from a Windows icon. Enter the Description, Command Line and Working Directory, as follows: Description: BEST BET Command Line: bb.pif Working Directory: C:\BB The above entries tell Windows to run the program described by "bb.pif" and to use the "C:\BB" directory. 4) You can optionally choose an icon for the BEST BET program by selecting the button labelled "Change Icon" (Note: you will have to choose from among the default icons provided by Windows). From this point onward, you may run BEST BET from within Windows by simply double-clicking on the BEST BET icon just like you would any Windows-based program. Note: To change the BEST BET program between "full screen" and "windowed" display modes (that is, from a full screen MSDOS program view to a window view in Windows), simply hold the "Alt" key while pressing the "Enter" key. This "Alt-Enter" key combination will switch BEST BET between the two display modes. To permanently change the display mode, use the Windows "PIF Editor", select the "bb.pif" file and change the display mode to your preference. PRINTING WITH BEST BET: ----------------------- There are two ways to get your printer to operate with BEST BET: 1) Print log of what shows on the screen to the printer. To turn printer logging On, hold the "Ctrl" key while pressing the "P" key once. All program actions from that point onward will be directed to the printer. Note that if your printer hangs up for some reason (such as out of paper or off-line), using this option could slow or stop the program. To turn printer logging Off, hold the "Ctrl" key while pressing the "P" key once. All program printer logging should now stop. You may use Ctrl-P to turn printer logging On/Off as many times as you wish and at any point in the program. 2) Print the current screen contents to the printer. To print the current screen image to your printer, hold the "Shift" key down while at the same time pressing the key marked "Print Screen" (also marked "PrtScr" or something similar on some keyboards). The screen contents will now be printed. NOTE: IF YOU ARE USING CERTAIN LASER-JET PRINTERS, YOU MAY HAVE TO CAUSE A PAGE-EJECT IN ORDER TO GET SHORT PRINTOUTS (LESS THAN ONE PAGE) TO BE PRINTED. This is because laser jet printers print one page at a time and do not actually print the page until they receive a page eject or enough lines of print to fill up a page. COLOR PROBLEMS: --------------- BEST BET works correctly with or without ANSI.SYS. BEST BET has been tested and is known to operate with monochrome, CGA, EGA, VGA and SVGA displays. You must run the SETUP program and answer 'Y' when prompted about whether you are using a color monitor (SETUP runs automatically when you first install BEST BET). BEST BET determines whether or not you are using an ANSI-compatible display driver and makes the appropriate configuration changes. If you experience color problems, try running SETUP again (from the BB directory). Refer to the above section entitled "SETUP" for more information on running SETUP. PROBLEMS WITH BEST BET NOT RUNNING: ----------------------------------- First. Please DO NOT contact your retailer for technical support. The store personnel are not responsible for supporting BEST BET and are not equipped to do so. If you cannot resolve a problem with BEST BET, you should contact LOTTO SOFTWARE. Again, do not contact the retail store for support. Instead, contact LOTTO SOFTWARE at (713) 937-0355 if you cannot resolve the problem using this information. If you experience a problem with BEST BET and see the following message: "This copy of BEST BET has either expired, your computer's date is set wrong, or you need to reinstall BEST BET from the original diskette." The above message is most likely caused by: 1) You have changed your system hardware configuration, -or- 2) You ran BEST BET from the original diskette and it personalized itself to the machine on which you first ran it. If you see the above message, then the following steps are recommended: 1) Check your system date (use the MSDOS "date" command). Make sure your computer is set to the correct date. BEST BET uses the date in its calculations, so it needs to be correct. 2) You may have changed your hardware configuration; for example, you added or subtracted serial ports, parallel ports, changed the type of CRT monitor you are using, or some other configuration change occurred. You may reinstall BEST BET from the original diskette and it should operate correctly again. If you should experience the above problem, the first and best cure is to reinstall BEST BET from the original diskette. If you do not have the original diskette, chances are you did not purchase your own BEST BET license and should therefore obtain your very own licensed copy (BEST BET's really not that expensive, so please purchase a legitimate copy from a BEST BET retailer near you). Contact LOTTO SOFTWARE for the latest list of retailers.