Lottery Fever has struck the New York metropolitan area, with a jackpot of $252 million at stake on Tuesday.

Millions of people will buy tickets, even though the odds are long and there is no way for them to influence the outcome.

That’s the strange fact about lotteries and rooting for sports teams. People spend their time, money, hopes and energy on something over which they have no control.

Champions are fundamentally different. They don’t spend their time, they invest it. They put their energy where it can make a difference. They don’t sit around and HOPE to win; they do things that can improve the odds.

When running the bases, Hall of Fame baseball player Ty Cobb often took what seemed to be foolish chances. After his retirement, he explained why. His recklessness
on the bases made his opponents worry. They began to hurry. When they hurried, they made mistakes. This constant pressure improved Cobb’s chances of success.

Opponents recall with awe how hockey legend Jean Beliveau would always seem to lose on-on-one battles early in the game, but then win them in the crucial third period. He was setting his opponents up.

For champions, the search for an edge never ends. Skip Bertman, former baseball coach at LSU, says winning the big game involves a constant push for improvement. He would work hours to refine a detail that could help his team win a game.

Life brings many different ways to improve your odds. Good diet, good habits and good friends all give you an edge. It’s better than sitting around hoping to win the lottery.