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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To start playing the lottery?

98 replies

pedropony76 · 02/07/2022 11:33

This may seem like a silly question but I thought I’d get some advice from level headed MNetters before I go throwing money away!

Do you or have you ever played the lottery? Have you ever won anything? Recently I’ve been thinking that it can’t hurt to start playing the lottery and chance my luck but I also don’t want to waste money. I’m just so fed up of constantly being broke so what’s £2.50 here and there for the odd ticket?!

What’s everyone’s thoughts/experience playing the lottery?

OP posts:
CounsellorTroi · 02/07/2022 12:27

pedropony76 · 02/07/2022 12:23

Ahh right @CounsellorTroi thank you for that.

So when you said you got £70 back when it disbanded, what does that mean? Does that mean that people no longer wanted to put money in or something

Show quote history

It was my share of what was left in the bank account that had been set up and that we all paid into by direct debits, after we had decided to end the syndicate.

Funkybananabread · 02/07/2022 12:27

I don’t see any harm in it as long as you set yourself a limit and can afford it.
I get one ticket a week on direct debit and see it as a charitable donation if I don’t win (which is every week haha). I am really into sport and as they fund lots of the Olympic athletes, I feel like I’ve helped them a bit.

Crikeyalmighty · 02/07/2022 12:31

Play £15 once a month when I am paid spread across 3 euro millions tix and 3 lottery tix- I've one the odd£10s and £20s but never more. However 'someone' wins and you won't if you aren't in it- if I was on the breadline and that £3.50 a week mattered then I wouldn't- but it doesn't, so I do .

Toddlerteaplease · 02/07/2022 12:33

I've just joined the post code lottery. I occasionally play the national lottery, think I've won enough that I've not lost money.

Throwawaytoday · 02/07/2022 12:36

My dad referred to the Lottery as "idiot tax"... he was not a kind man, but his suspicion of the Lottery is fair.

bellac11 · 02/07/2022 12:41

I fantasise about winning the lottery but I dont play it

I often have little blips like you OP when I think I might start playing and then I think about all the other things other posters have said here and think again

In addition you said about spending 20 quid on a takeway, in comparison to what you might spend on tickets, but the difference is you actually get something for that takeaway, you have a meal for that

I have a huge issue with the jackpot thing being so unreasonably large with the lower prizes being in the low thousands and hundreds, that makes no sense

You could have one jackpot of say 5 million and then another 100 winners who have a million each and more who then have 500k each and so on and so on. Those amounts are life changing.

SurfBox · 02/07/2022 12:44

I play 8.50 euro a week on lottery,rarely win anything. If you want the best win to play its euromillions uk because for 2.50 you get entered into the free million pound raffle which has ok odds for lotto but play on tuesday as less people enter. The odds of winning the uk lotto and euromillions now is beyond ridiculous.

SurfBox · 02/07/2022 12:48

*I have a huge issue with the jackpot thing being so unreasonably large with the lower prizes being in the low thousands and hundreds, that makes no sense

You could have one jackpot of say 5 million and then another 100 winners who have a million each and more who then have 500k each and so on and so on. Those amounts are life changing*

the big jackpots attract the customers and no you are wrong, if you had 100 people winning a million every so often with another load of people winning 500k you'd fuck up the ecomony as there would be too masny millionaires-it would cause inflation and the rest of us would get it.

GrinAndVomit · 02/07/2022 12:50

I play. I spend about £20 a month. I think of it as a direct debit and I like that the lottery funds lots of charity activities. I have around £100 per month coming out to various charities so I just think of it as an extension of that.

BadgeronaMoped · 02/07/2022 12:51

I was lucky, I got locked out of my account a few years ago when they had that password security breach. I had been playing a couple of lines a week (occasionally won enough for another line), like you it was me feeling a bit stuck having no money. I can't play online now unless I phone them up, and for some reason I never got round to it and have subsequently saved quite a lot.
I've nearly finished re-training and worry much less about money now.

Pedallleur · 02/07/2022 12:55

Some would describe it as a tax on the poor. Others taking a chance. Put £12.50 on (Euromillions) for someone yesterday. They didnt win! Yet we all see those who are fortunate to win something and if you dont enter you will have no chance of winning. If you cant afford to lose ot put the money in a jar and treat yourself at Christmas

IcedOatLatte · 02/07/2022 12:56

Are you sure you understand wht a lottery is? What experiences are you expecting to hear about?

You buy a ticket and random numbers from the lottery balls will or won't match yours. It's literally, you know, a lottery, there's nothing complicated about it

Whether you choose to gamble in that way is entirely up to you

SurfBox · 02/07/2022 12:56

For those that have mentioned a syndicate. What is that

I am in 2 syndicates, 1 is with 2 friends and we do it through whatsapp-send a pic in of our tickets. We spend 6 euro each a week on the Irish lotto and have being for 6 years-we win little.

I play another syndicate with 3 other family members through whatsapp- the euromillions. 1 line each and again after 5 years or so we also have win little.

Original poster
pedropony76 · 02/07/2022 12:56

bellac11 · 02/07/2022 12:41

I fantasise about winning the lottery but I dont play it

I often have little blips like you OP when I think I might start playing and then I think about all the other things other posters have said here and think again

In addition you said about spending 20 quid on a takeway, in comparison to what you might spend on tickets, but the difference is you actually get something for that takeaway, you have a meal for that

I have a huge issue with the jackpot thing being so unreasonably large with the lower prizes being in the low thousands and hundreds, that makes no sense

You could have one jackpot of say 5 million and then another 100 winners who have a million each and more who then have 500k each and so on and so on. Those amounts are life changing.

@bellac11 the comment about receiving something when buying a takeaway is so true, I never thought of it like that.

Ugh I just want to win some money! £20 can buy nappies for both of my babies or contribute towards the shopping so I’ll have to leave it

OP posts:
Original poster
pedropony76 · 02/07/2022 13:00

IcedOatLatte · 02/07/2022 12:56

Are you sure you understand wht a lottery is? What experiences are you expecting to hear about?

You buy a ticket and random numbers from the lottery balls will or won't match yours. It's literally, you know, a lottery, there's nothing complicated about it

Whether you choose to gamble in that way is entirely up to you

@IcedOatLatte not sure what you get out of taking the piss but carry on.

The experiences I’m expecting to hear are ones already mentioned. Either you’ve won something or end up spending more money than you win. Sometimes it’s nice to hear of peoples experiences with things. Not difficult to grasp at all

OP posts:
SurfBox · 02/07/2022 13:02

I know 2 people who win, a guy who win 5.5 million euro I worked with in 03 in Irish lotto. Another of my mum's friends win the euromillions, don't know how much she win. Also a work syndicate in a call centre in my hometown win 450k each about 7 years ago in Irish lotto.

I was chatting to a guy at a wedding 1 night and he win some some in the lotto earlier this year, it wasn't major but enough to get him on the housing ladder in London; I can't for the life of me remember how much he win. Think it was around 100k or something substantial but not life changing if you get me.

Chooksnroses · 02/07/2022 13:04

I bought a £5 scratch card on an impulse. I won £1000.

MarmiteWine · 02/07/2022 13:10

I used to play, but only ever one ticket per week, and didn't do scratchcards. I played the same numbers every week and stopped when I was too ill once to go out to buy my ticket. I decided instead to buy Premium bonds. That way, I have a chance of winning something but my original stake is still mine.

JesusSufferingFuck22 · 02/07/2022 13:13

I've heard someone say that doing the lottery is a tax on hopeConfused
We all want all our money worries to go but the reality is they are not going anywhere.

I used to buy a ticket regularly when I was younger. I won £10 once.
It is a form of gambling isn't it?

I occasionally gamble. I don't expect to win a life changing amount. I do it for the dopamine fix.

Original poster
pedropony76 · 02/07/2022 13:16

Yeah it is a form of gambling.

I think based on the smart replies here, I’ll leave the lottery for other people😂 I’ll get addicted and think the more tickets I buy then I’ll definitely win when that isn’t the case at all.

I may try scratch cards here and there or may occasionally do it but it won’t be weekly for me. Sigh, I’d love to win 100K!!

OP posts:
stayingpositiveifpossible · 02/07/2022 13:18

I guess a half way house might be getting a bank or credit union account where you will be entered into a draw at the end of every month.

I think Nationwide do one.

Our credit union also does a prizewinner savings account.

Free draws and competitions as a hobby?

Even premium bonds? The money stays in there and is still accessible though at lower rate of interest than it might be in a different account.

darisdet · 02/07/2022 13:25

I know of people who have played the same numbers for years and now dare not stop in case their numbers come up, presumably!

As a one off maybe you could try. I thought it cost £1.00 though, I'm obviously way out of touch.

BackOnTheBandWagon · 02/07/2022 13:49

I've recently started playing the lottery, not every week but ad hoc. I always choose a lucky dip so I'm not attached to "my numbers" (and therefore don't feel an urge to play every week just in case), and I view the money I spend as my charitable giving. Makes it much easier to justify 😁

Baystard · 02/07/2022 13:53

For £25 you can buy a premium bond OP and have a chance of winning up to £1m and you still have the £25.

Summerwhereareyou · 02/07/2022 13:58

What queen mabby said.
How would 120 help towards Xmas?
A night in a b and b? Tickets to the theatre?

Invest that 120 and see where it is next year?
Then buy the odd ticket

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