Well the official thread is officially here so I officially called up and made my official T&C reservations official. :)

Relieved to hear they still have rooms available, actually, I think I reserved much earlier last year.
Also the rate was only $75 if you mention minisontop...I think they are up to $115 now or so that you can't beat that!

I wish the T&C had a frequent flyer program, I've certainly stayed their more than any other hotel by a factor of ten! And always very satisfied.

Just reserved our room as well! That is pretty cheap considering how much it could be!

Already one step closer to MINIs and summer!

Wow, this thread is off to a fast & furious start! We eagerly await for the registration papers...we'll stay over at a nearby relative's house. ;)

Ang and I booked our room when we checked out last year. We'll be back in the front row.

Steve glad your back man.:D

Ang and I booked our room when we checked out last year. We'll be back in the front row.

Steve glad your back man.:D


Thanks! :smile: Are you in training for MOT yet?

http://www.marriedtothesea.com/050106/beer-before-bed.gif

Darn...I am going to miss MOT this year....its the parents 40th anniversary that weekend. Next year, I will definitely make it!

Excellent, Steve. Can that now officially kick off the traditional off-topic MOT banter?

Feedback Wanted

I have been approached by a MINI dealership with an idea for an interesting event at MINIs On Top. I was wondering if your could give me some feedback.

It is a game of chance for ownership (not a lease) of a 2007 MINI Cooper or $20,000 credit toward a purchase of the 2007 MINI of your choice. A cash prize cannot be given.

It is, essentially, Yahtzee on steriods. There are six, six-sided dice; only one facet of each die has a winning "symbol". A player rolls the six die and if all six (in a single roll) come up with the winning symbol, the player wins a MINI. There may be other, secondary, winning symbols for MINI swag.

The MINI dealership will underwrite the entire cost of this event, and will provide all equipment and staffing needed for its running. The cost to MINIs On Top is $0.00, so Rosie's Place would be the beneficiary of all entrance fees.

Does this sound like a fun event for the Loon/Base lots? Considering all entrance fees will go toward the 2007 MOT Charity, what would you be willing to pay per roll? Is $5.00 a roll fair for the chance to win a new MINI?

Thanks in advance for your constructive feedback!

Theo :yellow:

I would be in for at least 20 rolls. I thnk a fiver is good $$ for this type of chance.
Question: While statistically not probable what happens if the first gamer up rolls the biggee and wins the game? Does MOT then have a whopping fiver to give to Rosies Place?

Good point. Nevertheless, I'd think it'd be a fun idea. Would certainly be exciting to watch.

We know Theo is all about the details and has probably worked out a way to coral the cash ahead of time - but it would be like the fight on PPV that lasts 12 seconds before someone hits the mat...
But I'd still like to watch, too!

I would be in for at least 20 rolls. I thnk a fiver is good $$ for this type of chance.
Question: While statistically not probable what happens if the first gamer up rolls the biggee and wins the game? Does MOT then have a whopping fiver to give to Rosies Place?

Well, that is yet to be decided. I have asked that the MINI dealer consider including a secondary winning facet (SWF) on each die that would be used to win MINI swag. The prizes would be tiered in value:

1 SWF = no prize
2 SWF = MINI mug or small prize
3 SWF = MINI pen or other better prize
4 SWF = medium cost MINI swag
5 SWF = upper end MINI swag


There would be multiple prizes with many at the low end and a few at the high end. Bear in mind that this still needs to be worked out with the dealer so nothing is yet set in stone!

By adding the SWF, we would keep interest alive and the "one and out" scenario would not be of concern.

Thoughts?

Theo :yellow:

If people are winning even small bits of swag , it'll certainly generate more activity at the table.
Sounds like a great idea to raise more cash for Rosie's.

This might be a stupid question considering it's the "Live Free Or Die" state, but is there any kind of permit needed for this type of 'game of chance'? I'm pretty sure this isn't legal in NY, but we're more stodgy here. :D

This might be a stupid question considering it's the "Live Free Or Die" state, but is there any kind of permit needed for this type of 'game of chance'? I'm pretty sure this isn't legal in NY, but we're more stodgy here. :D

Good question, Cathleen! We'll look into this.

Theo :yellow:

The used to do this at the local village fete where I grew up (cue jokes about villages and idiots). I'm willing to put down a big sum (but not $20K) that no-one wins the car...! It's a big enough prize though that many people will try - just look at the lottery for proof of greed over logic.
I think adding secondary prizes would make it much more appealing.

Theo, When we did the MOT raffle for KDC I had to pull a permit here in the town of Dennis because one of their two locations was Dennis. This isn't a raffle though is it? Definitely need to check w/ NH on this one.

As the probability of actually rolling all 6 , 6 sided dice with the winning side up is staggering(1,679,616 to 1) to say the least, what happens if NO ONE rolls a winner????(very likely actually) This sounds like a game of chance and I agree that the sovereign state of Cow Hampshire should probably be consulted on this one. Considering the odds, I think $5 a throw is a little steep, maybe not as all the proceeds go to our designated charity, but personally I think the idea of a system that provides for a definate winner is better all around. JMHO. Jock

PS .interestingly enough, I play a game using 6 dice where scores are calculated using 5's as 50, 1's as 100 , 3 of a kind = the face value x 100 (all rolled at once of course) . in the 20 odd years I've been playing this ,I have NEVER.............NEVER......... seen 6 dice rolled at once with all the same value, let alone singling out one side of the dice, as the ones that have to come up at once

Are you still playing Dungeons and Dragons, Jock? :p

Are you still playing Dungeons and Dragons, Jock? :p

never have............never will.:hmph:
No, this game was originally called "five dice" , but we upped the ante and started playing it with 6 a while ago. I actually made some really cool 5/8" square tool steel dice which I hardened and ground ..........Stunning!

The chance of throwing a six with one die is, obviously, 1/6
The chance of throwing two sixes with two dice is 1/6 * 1/6 or 1 in 36
The chance of rolling six sixes with six dice is (1/6)^6 or 1 in 46,656

At $5 a roll, chances are that the pot will be $233,280 before the car is won..! That's a lot of MINIs!
Of course, probability being what it is, the very first person could be that 1 in 46,656 and walk away with the car, but these things are always insured against having to give away the car and it's a safer bet for an insurance company than most of the things they insure. ;)

Even at $1 a roll, the pot will be more than double the prize, but the extra winning combinations will add to the pay out. Chances of winning are:
Two sixes : 1 in 36
Three sixes : 1 in 216
Four sixes : 1 in 1,296
Five sixes : 1 in 7,776

So at $5 a throw, five sixes should be more than enough to win a prize of $20,000...

Not trying to be a kill joy here - just trying to put it in perspective. Obviously, if the money is going to a good cause, that throws everything out the window. Then you're just asking people how much money they'd like to donate, with a very small chance of having something to show for it.

While we're on the subject of permits etc, what would be the tax implications for winning? I know that if you win the lottery here, you don't get anything like the headline amount once all the taxes have been paid and they work out the future value of money if you choose a lump sum. Would this have very different implications from winning a two year lease...?

At least it's better chances than the Mega Millions - the chance of winning that first prize is 1 in 135,145,920...!!!

135 Million..!! To win 43 million... hmmmm

edit

Chance of being killed by lightning : 1 in 2,320,000
Chance of becoming a pro athlete : 1 in 22,000 (there's hope for me yet! ;) )
Chance of becoming a saint : 1 in 20,000,000 (i.e. better odds than winning the car!)
Chance of getting a royal flush with the first five cards dealt : 1 in 649,740
Chance of having the same bithday as the next person you meet : 1 in 25,000

Chances that anyone read this list : 1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 :D

I agree with Jock - there needs to be a definite winner.

I just booked my room at the T&C.

You got a room- That makes you a winner ;)
See how easy it is???

From a player perspective, it sounds like fun, and well worth $5 a roll.

From an organizational perspective, you have to think how you will organize this...live everyone up? (long line!) How do you organize the spectation? And what time of the day can it be shoehorned in?

From a business perspective, the chances of winning are 1 in 46656 per roll. So most likely, no one will win, and you won't get the publicity of giving away a mini. Then again it is possible but not probable that everyone rolls a free mini--are you prepared to give away multiple?
Probably need to say once it is won, it's gone, and six sixes just wins some other top prize.
But still, the high chance of no publicity does not make a good business decision.

That's why a raffle is better, it is easier to organize and you are guaranteed to give away one and only one grand prize.

I do, however, highly encourage all dealers attend throughout the day and set up big booths in each of the parking lots, I think previous efforts have been lacking as far as presence goes (not of course in prizes or donations).

You got a room- That makes you a winner ;)
See how easy it is???

What do I get, what do I get?!? :eek:

I've been wondering if there is some way to tie in fund raising at MOT with the Bill's Bills project. It just seems like it would make the effort more near and dear to our hearts. Just a thought, as our thoughts are with Bill and Libby.

What do I get, what do I get?!? :eek:

a room.

Bill's Bill is a big one and would need more than just the MOT attendees. The Cod has put the word out to every MINI dealer and every MINI club and every MINI website in a Cod like effort. Buy a duck for the BABE run - Buy a 1000 ducks for the BABE run - Why a duck? (insert Marx Brothers routine here) - Because MINI owners do take care of each other!!!!
The MOT charity (for this year -it's Rosie's Place) has always been chosen to help outside our own group to make us good citizens of a bigger world -
But philosophy aside - http://www.mini2.com/forum/2856062-post129.html

All good thoughts on the dice throwing folks (except Jock, where did you calculate those odds! I'm with Gavin & Josh a 1:46656).

The issue here is that an insurance company would underwrite this venture, paid by New Country. Their rules would control the event. Their rules currently include: only one winner, limit of 300 rolls.
Charging less than a minimum $5 per roll makes it almost pointless - you'd probably raise less than the insurance cost for running the event!
Yes, it's probable that no-one will win (300/46656=1/2%); even though, we'd need a plan of action if a win happened - stop throwing? split the prize if a second winner occurred?

I do agree with Jock that the previous two years excellent donation from Herb Chambers MINI was much nicer in many ways - we knew that someone would definitely win. Of course a lease isn't as valuable as an outright car ...


This is why we need lots of discussion! :)