To really dislike the National Lottery

[averywoomummy]

Went to the newsagents today and saw lots of people queueing up to by lottery tickets and it got me thinking how there is something about it that makes me feel uncomfortable.

Firstly it always seems to be the people who have the least money who get the tickets. They have such a low chance of winning it's really sad to see them waste their money. Imagine if they saved £2 per week instead of spending it on tickets for the last 20 years then they would have a nice nest egg of over £2k by now which would make a real difference to some people. I really don't like the fact that people are encouraged to part with their money like this.

Secondly I think the large prizes (I saw one for 180million) are obscene. Does anyone really need 180 million I doubt it makes people happy. Why not cap the prizes at 1 million? This is more that enough to be life changing for someone. If any rolls over then why not just give it back to the charity?

I know it provides valuable funds for charity but it just seems like it preys on vulnerable people to do so.

[peking]

I wasn't trying to imply that only poor people have dirty clothes and lice.

My point is that because the parents were spending so much of their money on scratchcards, they presumably didn't have the means to prioritise their children's clothes and hair, which made me sad.

[NutcrackerFairy]

I think peking was talking about her personal experience not all poor people Heartbrokenmum

I also wonder why instead of one 180 million prize they don't give 180 people 1 million each?

[complexnumber]

I have a degree in Maths and a Post Grad Degree in Applied Stats.

Of course I understand there is hardly the remotest chance of winning anything more than a couple of quid.

But that's ok! It gives me a 'wot if' thrill each week.

I hope no one wants to take that away from me.

[cardibach]

Tax on the stupid Rubbish.
Many people play the lottery knowing and understanding the odds but feeling it is worth the money to imagine what it would be like to win. And also it is true that somebody wins and it isn't somebody who didn't buy a ticket, so, however unlikely it is, it is possible. Let people dream!

[WhatAFeline]

The lottery do support some excellent charities.

What I hate, hate, hate is that awful advert with the nonsense song. What exactly are they trying to say with that monstrosity?

[Nancy66]

Thanks to this thread I've just played Euromillions online. Jackpot currently £93 million.

Statistically I have more chance of being strangled in my own home with my own tights by a complete stranger. Obviously I'd rather win the money...

[Heartbrokenmum73]

Well, given the best way to get rid of head lice is simply using conditioner and a fine tooth-comb, I'd say spending money on scratchcards has nothing to do with getting rid of head lice.

And how do you know all these children had head lice anyway? Did you do personal inspections? Because you can't tell without a bloody good rummage around in their hair, believe me.

Maybe you judged your words poorly, but it came across as incredibly judgemental and completely unnecessary.

[peking]

I did visit an awesome museum yesterday that was funded by Lottery money. That is money very well spent IMO.

And thinking about it, if the parents I'm thinking of hadn't spent the scratchcard money on cards then they probably would have spent just as much on other luxury items.

[LedareAnsley]

yy, the odd £2 brings pleasure and an occasional win.

I've been late buying tickets before and bought on-line where there is a minimum spend of £10 and have been caught up in the scratch-card nonsense though

[TheGreatHunt]

I earn a good salary. I know the odds of winning.

I still buy the tickets!

Also, premium bonds are a duff investment but doesn't stop people chucking money in.

[peking]

I could tell Heartbrokenmum73 - I volunteered at the local school with the same group of children that would come in the shop with their parents, and they were jumping with them.

But I accept if they hadn't spent the money they could have spent on a comb and lotion on scratchcards, they would have just spent it on some other luxury item instead.

[Wallison]

Yes, because all poor people are feckless and stupid, which is why they're poor. At least you don't have to have contact with the great unwashed any more, eh, peking.

[peking]

Oh dear. That really isn't what I was implying at all. I meant that this particular group of parents on the estate on which I worked, which I made clear in my post, spent a good proportion of their money on scratchcards. IMO it was a waste when I saw their children would have been better off with it.

[Heartbrokenmum73]

Sorry to keep being so picky, but head lice don't jump, or swim, or fly. You would not be able to see head lice unless you were going through their hair.

And you don't know what these people would have spent their money on.

Stop being so snooty about people. God, I'd hate to think that someone like you would be working in my dc's school, judging everyone because of something stupid like head lice.

It is an indication of absolutely nothing. Head lice just like hair, clean or dirty, long or short, curly or straight. Poor children don't taste better.

[LedareAnsley]

Visible head lice?

That I have yet to see.

[LedareAnsley]

At least from behind a counter.

[Heartbrokenmum73]

And if you were so concerned about the children you worked with, you voiced those concerns to your supervisor, yes? As is your duty under safeguarding laws?

Or were you happy to just look down your nose at poor people?

[peking]

Maybe it was fleas then? I had them on my bed once and saw them jump.

I am aware that I'm coming across as ridiculous, but that's what I saw!

[averywoomummy]

Yes but Bogeyface if you are spending £2 a week on the lottery that means that you are spending £104 a year so even though you won £73 you are still £29 down at the end of the year.

If you just saved the £2 per week you would have had £104 to treat your kids with!

[DontmindifIdo]

Perhaps it's because the poorest members of society are the ones who's only hope of getting a big posh house, fast car and designer clothes would be via a lotto win.

Over the years, I've won £3-4k, I don't play every week, so probably have spent less than that. However, you could say "gosh, look at all those people buying bottles of water at a pound a time, if they saved those up they could have £XXXX in 20 years." well yes they could, but they wanted the water. I have bought the right to have a little £93m dream for tomorrow night. I've picked the house I'll get on rightmove, made a list of people who's mortgages I'll pay off etc. lots of people spend money on things they don't need that are in the £1-2 mark. No one needs to buy a takeaway coffee, or a magazine, or newspapers, do you judge a poor looking person reading a paper in the same way?

[Heartbrokenmum73]

Yes, Bogey, you're a bad and feckless mother. I bet your dc are 'jumping' with lice too.

I hope you remember to doff your cap when you collect your winnings

[peking]

I think it is feckless to spend £20 a week on scratchcards (I'm not talking £1-£2 a week) when that's a good proportion of your income for your whole family.

[Heartbrokenmum73]

I do hope you kept a detailed record of all this and handed it in at school for safeguarding purposes.

Otherwise, you're not as 'concerned' as you make out, just nosy and judgemental.

[averywoomummy]

I think a coffee/paper/sandwich etc is different as you are getting something for your money whereas all you are buying with a lottery is a dream that has very very little chance of coming true. Personally I would rather have the real cash in my hand than the dream cash in my head!

[Pigsmummy]

If you knew someone who had won big then I think that your attitude would change