Lottery: Curse or blessing?

[Penguin_Woman]

Working at my new job, we sell a lot I mean a LOT of lotto tickets. Both scratch-offs and the regular lotto. Some are winners, some are not. Most the people who come in to buy these aren't people who look like they have a lot of money to throw around. But they spend what little they have chasing that elusive dream. That's truly what they are buying...a dram, a wish a faint hope...that maybe they could be the lucky one.

It saddens me to see, really. I've bought one or two scratch offs in my time, but don't really anymore. When I did...I'd do it only for fun. Well, for some it becomes addictive. They win small amounts here and there and that seems to keep them hooked.

Ok, my question is..what do you all think of the lotto? Innocent fun? Foolish waste of money? Investment plan? lol Have you ever played? Have you ever won anything?

[~Teej~]

I have set up a subscription online recently to play the lotto..£10 a month and I play every wednesday and saturday..They just email if I win anything..I keep the same numbers every week so It all gets done for me..I just kind of forget about it to be honest and If they ever email me with a winning it'll be a nice surprise.

I haven't won anything yet, but you never will if you don't try. It's only £10 and i'm sure i'd only spend it on beer if I didn't play.

[mashmac]

I've never won anything! Even when kids sell me tickets in order to collect money for the school hols or similar I don't even win a candy! Did a few scratches and lotto tickets.. But really once in a blue moon. I often think it would be nice to win but as I don't play - it's not on the cards! I guess it's nice for those who win.

Gambling is a severe addiction and it seems too be affecting a huge portion of well developed countries so I would say if you can't do without it, it's like every addiction and will poison your life not to mention ruin you financially. I am talking serious gambling - spending most of your money on it - not like what meerkat does - that seems pretty harmless. can you give us a bit if you win meerkat?

[~Teej~]

Maybe?.

If your really really nice to me

And you buy me a cookie :p

[mashmac]

Heck - I'll bake an entire tray of cookies for you!

[~Teej~]

If they are chocolate chip then you've got yourself a deal :eating:

[aussiecoffee007]

i like virtual gambling with virtual money since you never lose anything :) but i buy scratchcards on virtual sites and theyre fun... id never do it in real life though becasue id never win! im very unlucky with those sorts of things.

the one time i did, was at this casino night... i am a blackjack master so i won a bunch of money which turns into tickets because its a fundraiser... i put all ONE HUNRED of my tickets in the disneyland tickets fund, but the person who won? WANT TO KNOW?? she put in 2 tickets. it was my 100 and her 2!!!! because no one wanted to put tickets it when someone put in 100. and i lost. so id just never do it with my own money :(
im still bitter lol

[~Teej~]

Aww thats bad luck aussie..Disneyland is awesome..She was one lucky lucky gal

[aussiecoffee007]

lol i know, it was horrible luck. i am the unluckiest person except in the actual card games *cry* i know, and it was my friend too, so i had to be happy for her but i was so bitter. two tickets thats like 200 dollars i saved, with 50:1 chances. (i dont know if you can tell but i dont gamble a lot is that how you say it? 100 tickets to 2?)

[~Teej~]

I don't know either..Karma was on her side that day for sure..I have never won the lotto either though, not even £10..don't know why I even bother really..but you never know..one day, maybe..

( thinks about her yacht in hawaii - slaps herself to come back to reality )

[Penguin_Woman]

Wow, Aussie...that is really unlucky. What do y'all think of people who gamble when they can't really afford it? What would you do if it was a loved one?

[~Teej~]

Wow, Aussie...that is really unlucky. What do y'all think of people who gamble when they can't really afford it? What would you do if it was a loved one?

My dad's a classic example of this..He ruined his marriage because of it..My mum would work 7 days a week so she had enough to pay bills, buy food etc. All my dad would do his gamble his money, on fruit machines, horses, dogs etc. I know it's the truth. My mum finally left when I was 11. I have 3 memories of my dad before then. One he took us horseracing, one dog racing and one banger car racing. ( Not sure if the last one is gambling though ).
He now lives at home still with his mum and dad. Pays no rent. Spends all his money gambling.
I don't have a lot to do with him to be honest. I think he's a very selfish person to take advantage of a) my mum like he did when we were together ( we lost the house coz of him ) and b) still sponging off his parents when they should be enjoying their retirement and not have two useless 50 something sons at home ( yeah my uncles the same ).

Sorry to rant..It's kind of a sore spot :(

[aussiecoffee007]

i think i would try getting some help for that person, i mean he cant just use the people around him, like meerkat said... meerkat im sorry your father did that... it can be an addiction so id try to get help for that person like any other addiction...

[Penguin_Woman]

I'm sorry, to here about your dad too, meerkat. It's a shame. No need to apologise. Rant away. :)

[Tuxie]

My Mom is a frequent lottery purchaser. She's in her 80's and on a fixed income. Sometimes I think she spends too much on it, but it's not nearly at mega levels. I think she does it for the thrill of the possiblity of winning big money... very rarely does. :)

[Penguin_Woman]

Yea that's pretty much what it is...they are buying a dream. A fantasy of "hitting it big". People come into the store where I work and buy up to like $70 worth of lotto (about 35 british pounds...I don't have the symbol for that lol) These aren't people who look like they can afford it. Yet the same people come back day after day. They may win a bit here and there. But not much. Most anyone has won since I started is $150 and that was with the regular lotto. I jst know it's crazy. I guess it's just another addiction I don't understand

[Riggs]

I know. :rolleyes: You work so hard for it, take a lot of beep for it and turn around and give it away. :eek: It's like cashing your paycheck and flashing it down the potty. :confused:

[EC]

It's more difficult than getting a dinner date with Nicole Kidman :)

[Riggs]

Yeah, you're right.

[Lorna]

Riggs, try to answer the topic.
if you daddy me, i'll mum you! :p

[Lorna]

It's more difficult than getting a dinner date with Nicole Kidman :)

Why you tried both, and didnt win the jackpot, but had dinner with Kidman?

Thats interesting..:rolleyes: what lottery company was that? :p

[Penguin_Woman]

I know. :rolleyes: You work so hard for it, take a lot of beep for it and turn around and give it away. :eek: It's like cashing your paycheck and flashing it down the potty. :confused:
Yep exactly what I see it as. Someone I once knew calls it "idiot tax". (No offense to those who play) I dunno if I'd go that far. If you can afford it, i guess it's ok...once in a rare while. But if you can't afford it and you continue anyway...welll, you may not be an idiot but you are ill-advised and entering dangerous territory

[Riggs]

Yep exactly what I see it as. Someone I once knew calls it "idiot tax". (No offense to those who play) I dunno if I'd go that far. If you can afford it, i guess it's ok...once in a rare while. But if you can't afford it and you continue anyway...welll, you may not be an idiot but you are ill-advised and entering dangerous territory

Idiot tax..TOO FUNNY !