• themeatbridge@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      A lot of people understand how unfair the math is, and still buy the tickets because “you never know.”

      Source: I buy tickets sometimes because you never know…

      • verysoft@kbin.social
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        11 months ago

        If you can afford it, then it’s no harm really. I’ve made a profit from the lottery myself, albeit a minor one. Depending on the lottery, it’s not the worst thing you can give pocket change away to for a bit of fun. So I never understood this “you’ll never win” mentality/gatekeeping hobbies, people know the chances, but it’s fun either way.

        • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          I think the big problem is that people who are addicted to gambling are being suckered several times a week. It’s not really gambling, it’s buying a daydream. If a casino gave you similar odds in one of their slots, it would likely be illegal based on the odds and the payout. So people who think of it like gambling are getting the worst of it. The expected value never approaches anything close to fair, even at rhe highest jackpots.

        • brbposting@sh.itjust.works
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          11 months ago

          people know the chances

          This article agrees. Huge caveat:

          …Osmond…obtained a database from the Connecticut Lottery containing 21 years’ worth of winners. What did he find?

          They are largely poor, largely minorities, and often addicts.

          The lottery preys on these people.

          Vox, “4 ways the lottery preys on the poor”, 2016

        • pyrflie@lemm.ee
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          11 months ago

          If you win you still lose cause most places publish your name. This really is a field where wining is losing.

          The money just make you an easily identified target or mark for the audience.

      • Phen@lemmy.eco.br
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        11 months ago

        I would sometimes buy one just to have something to wait for. It’s cheaper than buying trash online.

        • Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de
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          11 months ago

          whip up some pizza dough and spend the week waiting for it to proof, then at the end you get a delicious pizza to look forward to

      • Honytawk@lemmy.zip
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        11 months ago

        No, we do know. You will not win once.

        Somebody might win a huge amount, but that one will not be you. I can guarantee that.

        You will put in more money than you will get out. Somebody needs to pay their shareholders.

        • Maalus@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          How can you guarantee that? The chance is close to zero, but not zero - ergo you cannot be 100% sure that they won’t win.

          And that’s the point they are trying to make - you don’t need to be 100% logical to enjoy life. Sure, they probably won’t win. But thinking they might, the anticipation of scratching the tickets, etc, is worth it to them.

    • Jonny@kbin.social
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      11 months ago

      I always feel it’s more of a tax on hope. I know a few folks who play and the understand the odds very well… but what if!

      ‘What if’ can be very appealing for only £2, even if it is incredibly, incredibly, (repeat incredibly a thousand more times) unlikely.

    • Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
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      11 months ago

      What a silly belief. Everyone knows the odds are ridiculous. It’s just that people are still hoping they’d win