Lottery curiosity

[maisiemog]

I occasionally play, usually when its a big one or has to be won. I sometimes buy a scratchcard too but never one of the expensive ones. Used to play by direct debit but cancelled that when we had to make huge cuts to our budget a couple of years ago.

 

[homie]

Not played it for years. Only ever won the odd ten pound here and there. Didn't they change it a while ago to make it even harder to win, adding more balls or something

 

[The Reverend]

I occasionally play, usually when its a big one or has to be won. I sometimes buy a scratchcard too but never one of the expensive ones. Used to play by direct debit but cancelled that when we had to make huge cuts to our budget a couple of years ago.

Scratch cards hold no interest to me.

When they explained that even after the jackpot is won, they can still sell the cards, I felt they were a massive con!

I used to have a DD for the lotto. The email you got saying you were a winner and then you went into it and saw you’d won £2.70!

 

[InItForTheMoney]

I forgot to say that I did win about £300 on it once; so by my calculations I'm probably only several hundred pounds away from breaking even.

 

[MuchMoreWithLess]

I don't do the lottery, apart from very occasionally (once a year?) if there's some massive Euromillions jackpot and I buy a ticket to dream. But realistically the odds of winning are so miniscule it feels like throwing money down the drain. I've always been too mean to try scratchcards either.

 

[Jon]

I don't do the lottery, apart from very occasionally (once a year?) if there's some massive Euromillions jackpot and I buy a ticket to dream. But realistically the odds of winning are so miniscule it feels like throwing money down the drain. I've always been too mean to try scratchcards either.

 

[The Reverend]

I don't do the lottery, apart from very occasionally (once a year?) if there's some massive Euromillions jackpot and I buy a ticket to dream. But realistically the odds of winning are so miniscule it feels like throwing money down the drain. I've always been too mean to try scratchcards either.

My brother pointed out that whether you buy 1 ticket or 100 tickets for the lottery, you have 100 times more of a chance of winning but that still means it is more than a million to 1 shot.

I still buy a ticket occasionally though.

 

[tinker0159]

I always get tempted when I go past the lottery kiosk in the supermarket, or when buying petrol so I am a mug, especially silly when it’s a roll over or something. I do know of someone who won £300k, it really was life changing so I always fell that it is Possible however unlikely.

ha yes I know what you mean, this is where being my financial mess goes in my favour, basically I pay my credit cards and then live off them so you can't use credit cards for this lol x

 

[tinker0159]

For me, I only play when the jackpots are larger. For some reason £50million+ interests me but £3million doesn’t.

that's so interesting, there must be some psychology at play there

 

[tinker0159]

My brother pointed out that whether you buy 1 ticket or 100 tickets for the lottery, you have 100 times more of a chance of winning but that still means it is more than a million to 1 shot.

I still buy a ticket occasionally though.

yes, i also enjoy it less these days because it feels so far away

 

[tinker0159]

I’ve changed my lottery playing strategy. Previously I’d buy tickets for draws as and when. Sometimes I’d buy 50 tickets+ (eek!).

Now I try to buy tickets only for

1, mega jackpots (max 5 tickets)
2, where there is increase chance in winning (extra 1000 £20k winners/that kind of thing)
3, Jackpot which has to be won
4, More UK winners in the Euromillions guaranteed.

But I can go for weeks without buying tickets.

at the risk of being too nosy, do you see a better return on your money doing it this way?

 

[tinker0159]

Does anyone remember the time Alan Dedicoat called 2 of the numbers out before they left the lottery machine? kind of put me off it after that

Oooh I didn't know about that!!!

 

[tinker0159]

Gah, I know it's a total mug's game, but I still buy a ticket occasionally when the jackpot is huge... although I try to off-set the frivolous spending by reining in on something else like a treat.

The bit I don't understand is my in-laws, who play almost every draw week-in, week-out, yet always claim that they're short of cash. Apparently a fortune-teller once told them they they'd win money. Clearly the crystal ball gazer had shares in Camelot.

awww I think that is super sad when people are influenced by something like that.

 

[tinker0159]

It's the big life change that's tempting.

ahhh yes the idea of not 'having' to go into work on Monday morning

 

[The Reverend]

at the risk of being too nosy, do you see a better return on your money doing it this way?

Whats the difference between 50 x 0 and 1 x 0!



I tend to win nothing when I just buy 1 ticket but when I buy 20 I might win £2.70 - overall I'm worse off when I buy more tickets.

 

[katykicker]

I still play.

I've had 5 numbers twice so I'm good on the profit/loss column for maybe another 8-9 years !

 

[InItForTheMoney]

I still play.

I've had 5 numbers twice so I'm good on the profit/loss column for maybe another 8-9 years !

Ah but knowing that just getting one extra number would have added another zero to the end of the prize is a pain.

 

[The Reverend]

Ah but knowing that just getting one extra number would have added another zero to the end of the prize is a pain.

1 extra number would have added more than another zero.

Match 5 balls = £857
Match 5+ Bonus = £42,000
Match 6 = £1,800,000

That for me is where the balance for the lottery prizes are all wrong.

 

[marriedmeeples]

I've never played the lottery but my husband plays monthly or so and just reuses his "winnings" to buy tickets in future months so i guess we're even haha

 

[InItForTheMoney]

If he's consistently winning enough to be breaking even then he's doing very well!