do you play the lottery?

[Buster]

It sounds like people wanted a separate thread to discuss the merits or downfalls of lotteries. I haven't the first clue on how to make a poll, otherwise this would be one.

I find it genuinely curious that people buy lottery tickets. It takes time, lotteries have a negative return (in aggregate). It appears some people get entertainment out of it. I realize that this is a phenomenon, but I don't actually understand what component of it is entertaining to them. Is it the hope, is it fantasizing, is it anticipation of the draws?

[max_boost]

Only 50/50 at hockey games

Someone’s gotta win - is what those who buy lotto tickets say lol may the odds be ever in your favour!!

[ExtraSlow]

for the 50/50 at hockey games, fun to joke around with my buddies about what we are going to buy and that we aren't going to tell our wives. Good entertainment value for that $20. Similar with the occasional group buys I do with my buddies for the lottomax. We mess around looking at vacation properties, cars on kijiji, wilderness retreats on the BC coast etc while we pretend we've already won the draw.

I join some of Mario's lottery groups too. Under no illusion that it's a good investment, but spend less on that per year than alcohol, so don't think it's putting me in the poorhouse.

[Buster]

I actually will play a 50/50 at football games, but that's more of a charity thing. I should probably just give them the whole $10 as a donation somehow...but my laziness kicks in,.

[tirebob]

Once in a blue moon I will buy a lottery ticket, but definitely not as a regular thing. More just the random purchase where I happen to see the sign is a 60 million and I think "what the hell... Lets pay a little extra taxes this month" and drop 11 bucks. Shit, I will drink more than that in an ounce of scotch so the few times a year I actually buy a lottery ticket doesn't make me sweat.

[bjstare]

Once in a blue moon I will buy a lottery ticket, but definitely not as a regular thing. More just the random purchase where I happen to see the sign is a 60 million and I think "what the hell... Lets pay a little extra taxes this month" and drop 11 bucks. Shit, I will drink more than that in an ounce of scotch so the few times a year I actually buy a lottery ticket doesn't make me sweat.

I'm kind of in the same boat as you. I probably buy once every couple months when I'm buying gas. Never in my life have I gone out of the way for it, and only spend $10 (or whatever it is) each time. Every once in a while, I'll see someone checking >$100 worth of tickets and have a little wtf moment... but then I just make the (probably generous) assumption that they are checking the tickets that a group of people pooled for.

I routinely would play 50/50 when we used to attend sporting events. Odds of winning there are exponentially higher than a normal lottery, plus charity.

[dirtsniffer]

I am starting to think 50/50 draws are more canadian than tim hortons, which I can appreciate, because fuck Tim Hortons. No issues throwing down money for a 50/50 or for stars lotto.

I couldn't even tell you how to buy a lottery ticket like for 649 or lottmax.

[killramos]

No I don’t play the lottery. lol

[ThePenIsMightier]

Many years ago, I used to enjoy buying 6/49 tickets, but probably about $20/year. That's the square root of fuck all. I insisted on picking my own numbers, so that added complexity to the purchase. I don't think I ever won a dime. I think matching 3 numbers awarded $10 but I don't recall ever winning.
Now, that idiotic Lotto Max thing has taken away the market for the 6/49. Matching 6 numbers was impossible, so matching 7 is impossible plus getting hit by lightning, in winter that gave you The Rona, so I've never played that.

I definitely buy 50/50 tickets, but prefer to only buy the max if partnered with a friend.
And, if I go to Stampede and the Rotary Club is offering any sort of anything, I will max out on that because I've benefited a great deal from them, in the past, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to repay. Plus, they tend to not give away the $Trillion house that only a complete moron would accept as the prize. It's more cash or other hard goods.

Thanks for starting this thread.

[2Legit2Quit]

Pretty much only randomly and if it's above 50+ mill, a $6 lottomax ticket here and there doesn't affect me at all, and if I happen to luck out then sweet sauce.

[Tik-Tok]

I put in $2 a week for a work pool. As I've mentioned before, it's anti-suicide insurance. If they won big without me I'd want to fucking shoot myself.

[RX_EVOLV]

Never buy them, but if someone asks me to be in a group buy for those $60M draws I always say yes because FOMO. The thought of everyone else I know winning the lottery at the same time except for me is enough reason to flush $10 or whatever down the toilet.

[sabad66]

For those that justify 50/50 purchases because it goes to charity, did you know that 6/49 and other lotto also sends some proceeds to charities? I don't know the exact details, but i've volunteered for a church at a casino a few years ago and they got a decent enough donation out of it. Or maybe it's just casinos that donate to charities and 6/49 and other lottos only go to gov't revenue? :dunno:

Maybe Mario can chime in, i think he used to work directly in the industry.

[Disoblige]

I'll only play if I organize a big pool on Beyond or other. Usually $5000 or $10k pools with 50 to 100 people.

[SKR]

I buy lottery tickets and then I look for farms and land to buy. Then I don't win and life goes on as usual.

[dj_rice]

Every few months while grocery shopping I'll grab a quick pick. But otherwise nah, I've made more money through casino than lottery winnings.

[swak]

Very scarcely. I think my dad buys one every week, but I can't be bothered... I guess if he win's I hope i'll get some :poosie:

If i ever buy something with cash, and I know I will get $10+ in change I usually put it towards a lotto ticket now that I think of it.... The amount of times I buy anything with cash is 1 in a million though....
Heh - better odds than winning the lottery. So they're still winning on me I guess...

[spikerS]

We don't buy weekly tickets or anything on a regular basis.

I think on average we buy a 6/49 or the equivalent once every 2 months or so?

[killramos]

Back to the premise of the question.

“Play” the lottery. Do people really think it’s a game? Do they think it’s fun?

[Manhattan]

Prof used to call it the stupid tax...which it is. In aggregate it disproportionately takes away money from the poor & uneducated. Although I do understand why people buy. You're basically pay a few bucks for a chance to keep the dream alive.

Never bought a lottery in my life but 50/50 ticket are a lot more enticing especially the recent pots for hockey games. I'd much rather have a higher likelihood (1 in a few hundred thoustand) of winning 1-5 mil than next to zero odds of winning $100+ mil. I never understood the infatuation with huge lotto pots anyway. What's the difference between winning $20M and 100+mil?

[swak]

Back to the premise of the question.

“Play” the lottery. Do people really think it’s a game? Do they think it’s fun?

From the people I have stood behind at gas stations, spending 5-10mins asking for every lotto ticket imaginable, i'd say yes some people definitely find it fun / a game.

[Manhattan]

If you're playing for a return on your money you're a degenerate. If you put a few bucks down as a way to fantasize about being ridiculously rich I can understand that.

[Sentry]

I don't think I've bought a single ticket in my life. I do gamble occasionally, poker game here, go in on a waffle there, that's about it. Annoying when Im getting my morning shitty gas station coffee and stuck behind someone cashing in and buying a bunch more tickets.

[Buster]

Ironically, I have a win-the-lottery dream about once a month. Those are cold dark mornings.

[AndyL]

"poor taxes" my parents called them.

I should really play as a result. But I don't... Although the work pool I was into just for the same reason as others - but I even dropped out of that after starting to question NEVER ever winning. Like not even the occasional 5$/free play - after a decade you have to wonder how you can never win ANYTHING.

[eglove]

Not after seeing how much Mario’s lottery thread fails.

[max_boost]

I enjoyed scratch and wins back in the day

[ThePenIsMightier]

If I went to a better school, I'd be an Investment Banker. They'll tell you that "there's no reward without risk".
Well... Lottery is the ultimate risk/reward scenario, so obviously, a significant part of your properly diversified portfolio should be in lottery tickets.
Because Investment Bankers no best.

[killramos]

An investment banker would drool at the opportunity to take 50% off the top like the lottery companies do.

Ibankers take much more austere cuts off the top of the transactions they enable.

Lottery tickets have no part in any diversified portfolio. Now if I could invest in the lottery companies on the other hand...

[eblend]

I joined a work pool back in the day, $20 a month. Did that for about a year with 8 people until the person who ran the pool got shitcanned, so I took over running the pool at work. It's just 8 people in my team, and it's $20 per person per month, insignificant. We buy $40 worth of tickets every single week, and it's a losing game that's for sure. I know the chances are slim to none, but for less than a dollar a day keeps the dream alive.

My math teacher in High School called it a tax on people who are bad at math, and I agree, but with such small amount invested, it's really for shits and giggles. Can't win if you don't play haha. Our single biggest win was like $162, and about couple of times a year we win enough small change to get a month free play.

If I go to a game used to get $20 worth of 50/50 and occasionally support the Stars and Foothills home lotteries (only because i know a fucker who won a home in Edmonton....), but i usually only buy 1 ticket.

Yah not exactly fun, but to me it's small change that doesn't impact me any, but has a possible very high upside, however small the chances. Someone has to win.

[ThePenIsMightier]

That reminds me. I think one of the members on 780tuners (before it was nothing but a Facebook page of "which cat back is best" stupid nightmare) won a Dream House and maybe a car and boat etc etc.
I can't recall the detais, but I don't know anyone personally who has won much of anything.

[AndyL]

That reminds me. I think one of the members on 780tuners (before it was nothing but a Facebook page of "which cat back is best" stupid nightmare) won a Dream House and maybe a car and boat etc etc.
I can't recall the detais, but I don't know anyone personally who has won much of anything.

Sounds like a friend of mine, was one of the stampede draws - house xterra and I think he was trying to sell the boat for years after - nobody wanted that wake boat.

[The_Rural_Juror]

I have been known to WSB on rare occasions.

[ZenOps]

Pursuit of happiness is what its all about, you don't actually have to achieve it. Same with money.

[ThePenIsMightier]

Back to the premise of the question.

“Play” the lottery. Do people really think it’s a game? Do they think it’s fun?

I just remembered when those complicated Scratch & Win tickets first came along, I enjoyed buying one of those maybe every few weeks. They're essentially a game that you play for a few minutes before you find out that you have set your money on fire. I guess that's "playing" the lottery, to some extent.
The novelty wore off for me because I was paranoid to throw loser tickets out in case I had made a mistake and it was actually a winner. It was a pain in the dick to remember to take them back to whatever store to get them scanned/checked, so somehow I escaped the clutches of this extremely powerful and financially devastating addiction.

[ZenOps]

Personality trait of gambling is not necessarily bad. If you had put $100 into "Flooz" it would be worth nothing today. If you had put $100 into Bitcoin, you'd be laughing right now. As with everything, you need to know when to fold 'em.

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-friday-edition-1.5875363/this-man-owns-321m-in-bitcoin-but-he-can-t-access-it-because-he-lost-his-password-1.5875366

[Disoblige]

Personality trait of gambling is not necessarily bad. If you had put $100 into "Flooz" it would be worth nothing today. If you had put $100 into Bitcoin, you'd be laughing right now. As with everything, you need to know when to fold 'em.

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-friday-edition-1.5875363/this-man-owns-321m-in-bitcoin-but-he-can-t-access-it-because-he-lost-his-password-1.5875366
Suddenly, the password "Password123!" ain't so bad after all...

[haggis88]

I buy tickets when I'm in places that I don't go to normally, IE when I drove down to Brooks to deliver something I got a $20 quickpick when I stopped for gas

When I was traveling for work I would buy tickets in random buttfuck towns

I was down in Texas when the powerball reached that $1bn or whatever and all the guys on my training course put in $20 (so about 400 bucks all in) and we got a pool of tickets :lol:

[civic_stylez]

My lottery buys are usually impulse when buying gas. Standing in line waiting to pay for a red bull."oh, lotto max is 50 schmilly..." ill throw $20.00 for a ticket. Once or twice a month max... lotto max that is.

[killramos]

I mean, buying a few tickets a month $20 bucks each is as much as I spend on my cell phone bill. Way more than I pay on credit card fees, close to what I pay for my internet bill. Would cover liability insurance on a car.

I’d go as far as to say that’s a fair amount of money.

And there are what? A dozen threads a year on trying to save that $.

I’ll be quiet now, I’ve been told questioning the efficacy of the lottery is a no touch topic on here.

[Buster]

I've decided I'm going to start my own lottery group.

But I'm going to make it even more convenient. Instead of waiting for the draw, I'm simply going to take peoples' money, and then immediately refund them the expected return on the lottery.

[ExtraSlow]

killramos don't be butthurt. This is the perfect thread for that conversation. The person who started it should be commended.

[killramos]

Can a thread be perfect if it isn’t a mega thread?

[lasimmon]

I might buy a $5 ticket once a month.

Spend more than $60/year on a lot of useless shit.

[Buster]

killramos don't be butthurt. This is the perfect thread for that conversation. The person who started it should be commended.

Dont applaud, just throw money.

[ExtraSlow]

Need more mega, that's true.

[JfuckinC]

No, big facebook waffle guy though :rofl:

Trying to stop though. Bad habit.

[ExtraSlow]

Aren't the waffles illegal?

[JfuckinC]

Aren't the waffles illegal?

I think some of them have found loopholes, Selling stuff and adding the raffle on as a perk of what was "sold" and paying taxes on it. one I was on recently disappeared, so I assume CRA came knockin or something haha.

[ThePenIsMightier]

I mean, buying a few tickets a month $20 bucks each is as much as I spend on my cell phone bill. Way more than I pay on credit card fees, close to what I pay for my internet bill. Would cover liability insurance on a car.

I’d go as far as to say that’s a fair amount of money.

And there are what? A dozen threads a year on trying to save that $.

I’ll be quiet now, I’ve been told questioning the efficacy of the lottery is a no touch topic on here.

I ain't against ya. That's too much money to spend on lottery tickets.

[tirebob]

I used to be part of a lottery pool many years ago and we all got to pick a number (rather than quick picks). I used to piss everyone off because I would always pick something like 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06. They would all be giving me shit saying that I was ruining it because there was no chance I would win Haha! I'm like it is the exact same chance that mine will win as your bullshit numbers.

[vengie]

I've decided I'm going to start my own lottery group.

But I'm going to make it even more convenient. Instead of waiting for the draw, I'm simply going to take peoples' money, and then immediately refund them the expected return on the lottery.

This man is an entreprenur.

I also love the utilization of all these "raffles" for a car (Omaze, etc...).
Its actually brilliant - Buy our apparel, gets you an entry into a draw for a $200,000 car - Sells $500k in apparel.
Or just straight up sell tickets.

Brilliant.

[civic_stylez]

I mean, buying a few tickets a month $20 bucks each is as much as I spend on my cell phone bill. Way more than I pay on credit card fees, close to what I pay for my internet bill. Would cover liability insurance on a car.

I’d go as far as to say that’s a fair amount of money.

And there are what? A dozen threads a year on trying to save that $.

I’ll be quiet now, I’ve been told questioning the efficacy of the lottery is a no touch topic on here.

Ya but youre buying a piece of the dream man.... cant win of you dont play.

[killramos]

I like to think I win every time I don’t play, the math supports that conclusion

[Disoblige]

I used to be part of a lottery pool many years ago and we all got to pick a number (rather than quick picks). I used to piss everyone off because I would always pick something like 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06. They would all be giving me shit saying that I was ruining it because there was no chance I would win Haha! I'm like it is the exact same chance that mine will win as your bullshit numbers.
I think Mario would have a rebuttal against your thought process.

[Buster]

I think Mario would have a rebuttal against your thought process.

Mario missed his calling, he should be running a hedge fund somewhere.

[sabad66]

I think Mario would have a rebuttal against your thought process.

The funny thing is there is actually a completely valid rebuttal to that. While he is correct that the odds of hitting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 are the same as any other 6 random numbers, you are much more likely to be splitting the jackpot in the case you do win.

[dirtsniffer]

Nvm

[brucebanner]

No, big facebook waffle guy though :rofl:

Trying to stop though. Bad habit.

I really calmed down on those versus when they first popped up. Way better odds than the lotto max or whatever though. I actually won something last night (1k gc). Of course I wouldn't be lucky enough to win a bigger $ item though haha.

I buy lotto tickets randomly throughout the year. Can't win if you don't play type deal.

Also when there's a work group, as mentioned by someone else, no way those guys are winning and I'm not included. I don't know if I'd get over that.

[haggis88]

I really calmed down on those versus when they first popped up. Way better odds than the lotto max or whatever though. I actually won something last night (1k gc). Of course I wouldn't be lucky enough to win a bigger $ item though haha


My bro-in-law won a Polaris Sportsman ATV for a $50 ticket on one of those waffle pages...used it twice then sold it for $3k lol

[DustanS]

.

[SKR]

Bump from the dead.

I kept track of my spending for the year to see what it costs. I played every 6/49 and Western 649 in 2023. That's 103 draws, plus 1 more draw because the lady at the Co-op printed off two tickets with the Extra and the person buying them didn't want the Extra. Total spent on that was $624. Of those 103 draws I won 30 free plays, and I always bought the Extra for $1, so my total spent on the year was $654. I won back $117 for a net cost of $537, or $44.75/month.

Depending on people's financial situation and how realistic they are about winning, that's either a lot of money or not a lot of money. But since no actual data of the cost of playing has ever been posted, I thought I'd collect it and post it here for review.

[Buster]

So do you just consider it entertainment dollars?

[max_boost]

Where did wario go

[Tik-Tok]

Where did wario go

Still fighting for their totally legal and not a scam winnings.

[ExtraSlow]

I greatly appreciate the detailed accounting. That's Neato.

[SKR]

So do you just consider it entertainment dollars?

Yeah that's it. I don't consider it to be a real investment strategy, and I don't feel like I'm gambling with a serious amount of money.

[max_boost]

So do you just consider it entertainment dollars?

Buster is like
That’s illogical
Meanwhile the rest of the world
Well someone wins Every time
Y’all can’t win without a ticket
Buster is like
I can’t with you humans lol
Buster is basically a robot

[suntan]

About $40 year.

[jutes]

Only get a $6 lottomax when the pot is above $40mil and I happen to be inside a gas station, so maybe half a dozen times a year total.

[Buster]

Buster is like
That’s illogical
Meanwhile the rest of the world
Well someone wins Every time
Y’all can’t win without a ticket
Buster is like
I can’t with you humans lol
Buster is basically a robot

flattery will get you nowhere

[D'z Nutz]

Depending on people's financial situation and how realistic they are about winning, that's either a lot of money or not a lot of money.

When I was in Idaho in August, the Mega Millions jackpot was over $1.5 billion. Sure I put in my $3, but people at the gas station were saying customers were dropping $500 or more on lotto tickets. The winning ticket was sold in Florida hahaha

[dirtsniffer]

Couldn't even tell you how to buy a lottery ticket

[D'z Nutz]

Couldn't even tell you how to buy a lottery ticket

Haha yeah me too. Each time there's a big jackpot and friends want to pool in together, I have to make sure to know what I'm asking for at the register.


Also, almost every time I'm at the grocery store there's someone cashing in their scratchie winnings. ...to put towards more scratchies :facepalm: And these look like the type of people who could really use that extra $10 or whatever they're supposed to be getting back.

[killramos]

lol

I play fantasy football, that’s enough gambling for me

[Gman.45]

If the Lottomax/whatever hits 50 or especially when it's jacked to $70m, I'll buy a $20ish dollar ticket pack if I'm at the grocery store and there isn't a line at the lottery kiosk of tards scratching shit or writing out their gay numbers. So not very much yearly, probably 60 to $100, and it's mostly just to appease my pops as I give him the tickets and it keeps him happy dreaming about the "big win".

[max_boost]

flattery will get you nowhere

live long and prosper :werd:

[CompletelyNumb]

I kept track of my spending for the year to see what it costs. I played every 6/49 and Western 649 in 2023. That's 103 draws, plus 1 more draw because the lady at the Co-op printed off two tickets with the Extra and the person buying them didn't want the Extra. Total spent on that was $624. Of those 103 draws I won 30 free plays, and I always bought the Extra for $1, so my total spent on the year was $654. I won back $117 for a net cost of $537, or $44.75/month.

Depending on people's financial situation and how realistic they are about winning, that's either a lot of money or not a lot of money. But since no actual data of the cost of playing has ever been posted, I thought I'd collect it and post it here for review.

I do all of mine online now, so easy to see the numbers.

In 2023, I spent $355 on lottery tickets, and I won 13 free plays and a cash total of $53. Net loss of $302.

Just throwaway/fun money like buster said.