Is playing national lottery smart or waste of time?

[Ojima-ojo]

it is not just waste of time but also waste of money and expectation , the feeling of being expecting for nothing? this will come eventually when you finally realized that you are betting for nothing to impossible .

I rarely bet in Lottery but yeah sometimes I am also one of those fool who wanted to be a instant millionaire lol .

Should we consider the lottery as a total waste of time and money, just like you made it look it isn't that bad and some people still get lucky to hit it big at some point?

Take the story of the CEO of FedEx for example,  the company had its turnaround from the money the CEO won from lottery tickets when the company was almost out of the capital to keep the company running.

So to some extent lottery is not a total waste of time and money, and if luck is on your side, the lottery can be the fastest way to hit it big.

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[OgNasty]

As I’ve stated before… National lotteries are basically a tax on people who are bad at math. That’s the only way it should be viewed. In the US, our lotteries raise money for the school system, which is ironic considering that it is a tax on people who are bad at math. Few things in society make as much sense as using the lottery for education and I love the irony.

[danherbias07]

Waste of money, time, and effort.
I am the one going to the betting site for my Gramps bet and I know that every day he is wasting money on a bet that won't win even for a long time.
He got old doing this and yet I never saw him win even just 5 numbers in the lottery picks. He has "pet" numbers, he doesn't change them, same numbers every time I go to the lottery outlet until he passed.
I learned my lesson from that so I don't do what he did. It's a big legal scam but thankfully they are using some of that money for charity here in the PH.

[Mahanton]

As I’ve stated before… National lotteries are basically a tax on people who are bad at math. That’s the only way it should be viewed. In the US, our lotteries raise money for the school system, which is ironic considering that it is a tax on people who are bad at math. Few things in society make as much sense as using the lottery for education and I love the irony.

The worst thing of the national lottery that we do have in our place is that it should be tax free but those winners are obliged to be deducted with a tax on that winning amount which leaves out almost
half of the winnings because of the deductions.  Lotteries are indeed peoples money to be considered out as taxes but giving the huge portion into a certain winner but they do
already have deducted some out of those amounts.Its not a waste of time for many because they do think up about the opportunity.

I don't believe in national lottery, but there are many super active players who do and if they have a lot of hope of winning, I know some gentlemen over 60 years old and they love it and they say that instead of betting in internet casinos That I bet there in the lottery, it's the best they can do, that's how they tell me, it makes me laugh because they have a lot of faith, and they have spent a lifetime playing and playing in those lotteries, the worst thing is that they don't They don't like online casinos at all, they say that they can be robbed and that they won't risk their money, that they trust lotteries that are safe, they are very funny.

They dont like casinos because  they can be robbed or not totally literate on how things should be done? For sure if they do know the basic concepts and operation on how to play then they would really be finding out
to be interesting to play on online casinos but it is really much better to have that way so that they would really be able to avoid theirselves on playing too much and spending much money.
Just let them be on what they would gonna do and if they do find out that betting on national lotteries are entertaining or something that they really get used to then its up to their choice.
It is really just that there are people whom do stick on what they have been able to engage for long time specially on lotteries.

[pawel7777]

As I’ve stated before… National lotteries are basically a tax on people who are bad at math.
...

I wouldn't be that harsh on lottery players. If spending a few bucks a week or month makes someone feel better then there's no harm.
And if it's a tax, then it's a voluntary one - if that prevents them from increasing official taxes for everyone, then it's a good thing.

...
The worst thing of the national lottery that we do have in our place is that it should be tax free but those winners are obliged to be deducted with a tax on that winning amount which leaves out almost half of the winnings because of the deductions. 
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That's just silly but I think that's the case in most countries. If you need to pay tax on gambling winnings then you should be able to deduct your losses from the taxable amount. Otherwise it's not fair.

[Victorik]

Topic and poll inspired by another thread - question:

Do you play national lottery games (Powerball, EuroMillions, Lotto etc)?

My view on big, often state-owned lotteries is they're designed mainly for 2 reasons: to make a profit and as a social tool that sells dreams of instant life change and massive wealth to the masses to keep them in line.

Most people are not satisfied with their lives and they need some sort of hope for the future to keep going and to prevent themselves from turning into crime, falling into depression etc. However messed-up your life might be, there's still hope that buying a cheap lottery ticket could potentially turn you into a millionaire (or even a billionaire) overnight. That's a powerful tool.

But the reality is, such lotteries usually have way worse odds than any casinos or gambling sites. So, mathematically speaking, you're better off gambling your money there.

Thoughts?

I don't think it's a smart move neither do I consider it as a waste of money either. It's a gamble, and a gamble is a game of chances. You could win or lose, depending on the odds.

Personally, I do not involve myself in such games, I have never played the lottery, because I feel that the chances of wining is just too small, so I stay away. But, sometimes someone can get lucky and win.

[Don Pedro Dinero]

Thoughts?

Try this site, it's a lottery simulator, you can try it high speed to see the results over the years:

https://www.cuandomevaatocar.com/en/

It shows you that in 99.9% of cases when people win a prize, which is usually a small prize, they have already spent more on the lottery than they win, so the net result is a loss. And the more time and more bets, the greater the loss, despite the fact that prizes continue to be won.

I play from time to time because of tradition and because even if it is a game with a negative expected value, it could give you a radical change in your life for a small amount.

As I’ve stated before… National lotteries are basically a tax on people who are bad at math. That’s the only way it should be viewed. In the US, our lotteries raise money for the school system, which is ironic considering that it is a tax on people who are bad at math. Few things in society make as much sense as using the lottery for education and I love the irony.

And you say that while advertising a casino? You could say the same about casinos. They are negative expected value games anyway, just because the casino gives you worse odds doesn't mean that in the long run you will lose money as well.

[rodskee]

If there is a small amount I can spend? instead of buying cigarettes ? i am using the money to buy lottery tickets  meaning as I don't wanna ruin my life from smoking(that i use to do for more than 10 years) at least putting this to try my luck is a best interest and that stands that it isn't a waste of time at all instead it is life saving in my case.

[Wexnident]

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But that's definitely not a major factor here, I think it's got more to do with the mental perception of lottery Vs. other gambling.
For example, placing a small, combination bet on a large number of completely random sports events could give you the same potential winnings but at much better odds, and yet most people just prefer the lottery, probably because it doesn't have the stigma that other gambling has.

Yea definitely, there's probably a multitude of factors involved from perception of the activity to the rewards/odds to the gameplay itself, but we'd probably never finish the discussion since in the end, most questions can be answered by having a "personal preference".

If we were solely to compare lotteries to other types/forms of gambling, the hell lottery is by far the one with the most odds. BUT, it's also the one that gives the greatest possible turnarounds in life if won, that is until I watched a few videos of how a few lottery winners became bankrupt and came to an abrupt realization that maybe living my life just as it is is probably more than enough for me. . Note that this is only at the start, e.g. one chance to each (lottery, sports, casino), you'd get more from casinos, but as time goes on, you'd honestly lose in all cases, but casinos/sports would probably be able to return more, while lotteries won't.

[bitterguy28]

Topic and poll inspired by another thread - question:

Do you play national lottery games (Powerball, EuroMillions, Lotto etc)?

My view on big, often state-owned lotteries is they're designed mainly for 2 reasons: to make a profit and as a social tool that sells dreams of instant life change and massive wealth to the masses to keep them in line.

Most people are not satisfied with their lives and they need some sort of hope for the future to keep going and to prevent themselves from turning into crime, falling into depression etc. However messed-up your life might be, there's still hope that buying a cheap lottery ticket could potentially turn you into a millionaire (or even a billionaire) overnight. That's a powerful tool.

But the reality is, such lotteries usually have way worse odds than any casinos or gambling sites. So, mathematically speaking, you're better off gambling your money there.

Thoughts?

I don't think it's a smart move neither do I consider it as a waste of money either. It's a gamble, and a gamble is a game of chances. You could win or lose, depending on the odds.

well those who gambles in this area? does not have that thought of wasting because what they saw is the chance of earning and winning meaning positivities still lives on them even though how much they have lost over the years.

Personally, I do not involve myself in such games, I have never played the lottery, because I feel that the chances of wining is just too small, so I stay away. But, sometimes someone can get lucky and win.

never even once? well maybe you are brought of not having to gamble and sometimes in life? we need to gamble to  have opportunities in other areas of life.

[dothebeats]

I picked the wrong option but yeah, I play rarely - only if the jackpot reaches up to an absurd amount. I haven't picked up the affinity of my family members in betting for the lottery, but there are times that I want to give it a try and take a chance on my luck hoping to get something out of that chance that I take. Besides, tickets only cost less than a dollar in here, and a chance to get millions out of that few cents is too hard to pass. The only problem that I have with betting on our national lottery is that it's too inconvenient to bet because there are no online outlets unlike what they have in other countries. You really need to go out and bet physically on one of their authorized agents and sometimes, it takes too much of your time just to get one bet going.

[Solosanz]

National lottery or any other lottery in online casinos are wasting of times because you're only waiting a miracle happen, not only luck. In slots you could make money and it's easier than lottery, I prefer to win small amount in steady growth rather than waiting a huge money in one time only. I think the popularity of this kind lottery already decrease a lot after traditional casino and online casino exist.

[AicecreaME]

Considering the odds of winning the lottery, for me it's just a waste of time, effort, and most especially money. This gambling game is mainly based on luck. If we are to compute the probability of you winning the lottery, you'll have a 1 in a million possibility of winning the jackpot prize. This is because there are so many combinations possible, and the chances of you getting the exact numbers with those possible combinations is very slim. Hence, for me it's not a very smart way to use your money and time for.

Lottery's target market are those people who are just small time bettors who are trying their luck to have money quickly and in an easy way. Those people who are desperate, and those people who are just hopeful are the ones you will see taking their chances in lottery games. You will seldom encounter a big time gambling bettor betting in lottery because they know it is luck based and how small the chances of winning there is. Even if you are a skilled and knowledgeable gambler, you can't utilized it in lottery. This is one of the reasons why those who are after the thrill and fun aren't fond of betting in it.

[BobK71]

If there is a small amount I can spend? instead of buying cigarettes ? i am using the money to buy lottery tickets  meaning as I don't wanna ruin my life from smoking(that i use to do for more than 10 years) at least putting this to try my luck is a best interest and that stands that it isn't a waste of time at all instead it is life saving in my case.

Buying lottery depends on you and your financial condition. Generally, people of two stages refrain from purchasing lottery. If there is a good income source or there is a suitable way to use money, then many people are not encouraged to purchase lottery. And those who have to calculate the money correctly every month are not interested in the lottery. I think if there is no complaint or corruption on the results of the lottery and if you do not have any financial harm to the purchase of a few lottery, then I would say you can buy lottery regularly. If the wheel of your fate is good, you can get the opportunity to lead your life comfortably.

[arwin100]

National lottery or any other lottery in online casinos are wasting of times because you're only waiting a miracle happen, not only luck. In slots you could make money and it's easier than lottery, I prefer to win small amount in steady growth rather than waiting a huge money in one time only. I think the popularity of this kind lottery already decrease a lot after traditional casino and online casino exist.

Gambling doesn't give any assurance and you will not win if you didn't  take any bets, but I guess this depends how people look at it since same as you some other people might dislike it and some other will like it. And its just how people preferred on such thing since there are people willing to spend some time just to bet so that they might get a chance to win the jackpot which can change their life. Popularity of national lottery still popular since many people still betting on it especially when the jackpot prize became more bigger and bigger.

[len01]

National lottery or any other lottery in online casinos are wasting of times because you're only waiting a miracle happen, not only luck. In slots you could make money and it's easier than lottery, I prefer to win small amount in steady growth rather than waiting a huge money in one time only. I think the popularity of this kind lottery already decrease a lot after traditional casino and online casino exist.

lottery gambling has a very small chance of winning, only those who are really lucky can get that win or profit. to be honest, I myself don't like lottery gambling either, but sometimes I bet several times there to try my luck.
and we can't compare lottery with slot, because the two are really different. and for me slot also include gambling that has a small chance of getting a big win. to get even a small victory is very difficult.
but it all comes back to each gambler to choose where they will bet and make a profit.

[Fredomago]

What would I lose if I only bet a few cents in exchange for life-changing money if I ever hit a jackpot, we've seen people hitting a jackpot in a lottery this person could be you if you're betting even if the odds are very high we just never know, as long as the lottery I'm betting is fair every bettor on that lottery have a chance to win and change their life and become financially free, we sometimes have to take a chance, I believe in extreme lucky and sometimes it hit you when you least expect it.

It will if you are willing to gamble with your luck, no doubt that there are people who manage to win and change their lives after hitting the jackpot, but again, it will going  to depend with how willing you are in taking this kind of risk, who knows after betting you'll find out that luck comes up and allow you to win the jackpot without anyone to share the pot money.

If luck will let you win, there's no one who can stop it from changing your entire life in terms of financial status.

[erep]

Gambling doesn't give any assurance and you will not win if you didn't  take any bets, but I guess this depends how people look at it since same as you some other people might dislike it and some other will like it. And its just how people preferred on such thing since there are people willing to spend some time just to bet so that they might get a chance to win the jackpot which can change their life. Popularity of national lottery still popular since many people still betting on it especially when the jackpot prize became more bigger and bigger.

Every gambler has a different perception depending on their desire to get the jackpot, even though the lottery has a low winning potential but many gamblers try to get lucky in different ways, many gamblers win it even though it's not a big win that can change their life, but popularity lottery is still of interest to some gamblers, although many of them have switched to slot gambling, soccer betting and others, because they want big opportunities to win bets.

[Dunamisx]

If there is a small amount I can spend? instead of buying cigarettes ? i am using the money to buy lottery tickets  meaning as I don't wanna ruin my life from smoking(that i use to do for more than 10 years) at least putting this to try my luck is a best interest and that stands that it isn't a waste of time at all instead it is life saving in my case.

I agree with you that it's good for someone to use his money wisely and also spend it on something that could help better his life, in this opinion i will also buy in the idea to invest rather than wasting the money on something detriments to our body, lottery is not a waste of time as long as it interest you to give a try for your own luck, this is a good target to go for which can bring maximum opportunity out in applying for a national lottery, sometimes we don't try hard and give up on luck which is the similar thing applicable to lottery that some gamblers common-eyes it and missed the privilege it may gives but dont mind ruining their money on what they stand to gain nothing from than disaster and losses.

[Eureka_07]

If there is a small amount I can spend? instead of buying cigarettes ? i am using the money to buy lottery tickets  meaning as I don't wanna ruin my life from smoking(that i use to do for more than 10 years) at least putting this to try my luck is a best interest and that stands that it isn't a waste of time at all instead it is life saving in my case.

That's a good scenario however it's not the same with the main reason why people try their luck on lotteries.
For that case, it became reasonable because it potentially eliminates smoking (which is bad for health and can somehow can have a negative effect with people's money).
Above all, I agree and support this.
So id you guys have to choose between lottery and smoking, forget about cigarettes.