Page 3 | To start playing the lottery?

pedropony76 · 2022-07-02T10:33:40+00:00

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?

CounsellorTroi · 02/07/2022 14:02

Playing the lottery is the very definition of the triumph of hope over experience!

Original poster

pedropony76 · 02/07/2022 14:29

I don’t celebrate Xmas so no need to save extra towards it.

I haven’t heard of premium bonds but it’s been mentioned a few times so I’ll definitely look into it!

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flutterbybabycakes · 02/07/2022 15:42

I instead like to get those £1 scratchcards every now and again. I've won £80 max. I won £70 on bingo, which was also a fun night. I consider every penny winnings on that as the night was fun anyway so the payment for the books would have been spent anyway as the activity for the night.

If you win £2 on the card you've doubled your money, if you win £1 you've lost nothing, and those winnings are frequent as are fivers and tenners. So to me they are worth it. Lottery is worth it if you win and odds mean nothing really since there is still the chance you will win big.

So I say go with scratchcards over lotto but here's the thing; if you never win it's a waste. if you win big it's life changing. We all waste money, I would be my life every single person on this thread wastes that amount of money already on something they don't actually need.

I wouldn't actually want to win millions, but I would like 100 grand and that is the max you can win on the cards.

flutterbybabycakes · 02/07/2022 15:44

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.

Not really since it's a charitable donation. But I'd still rather do ones with smaller charities personally. The NLFund fund good work. I've got their funding a few times with places I've worked. I'm happy for my money to go to them. I buy their scratchcards.

flutterbybabycakes · 02/07/2022 15:45

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.

I call the TV License the idiot tax.

Original poster

pedropony76 · 02/07/2022 16:40

flutterbybabycakes · 02/07/2022 15:42

I instead like to get those £1 scratchcards every now and again. I've won £80 max. I won £70 on bingo, which was also a fun night. I consider every penny winnings on that as the night was fun anyway so the payment for the books would have been spent anyway as the activity for the night.

If you win £2 on the card you've doubled your money, if you win £1 you've lost nothing, and those winnings are frequent as are fivers and tenners. So to me they are worth it. Lottery is worth it if you win and odds mean nothing really since there is still the chance you will win big.

So I say go with scratchcards over lotto but here's the thing; if you never win it's a waste. if you win big it's life changing. We all waste money, I would be my life every single person on this thread wastes that amount of money already on something they don't actually need.

I wouldn't actually want to win millions, but I would like 100 grand and that is the max you can win on the cards.

Some very good point here made!

Random point but I often think of the who’s numbers came up and because she didn’t have the £2 in her account for the direct debit. She couldn’t claim her £182M. I’m in hope that one day it’ll be me who wins something like that🤣 but agreed, I’d be very happy with something like 100K!

I’ll look into the scratch cards and think I’ll play here and there but I’ll leave it at that!

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BalloonsAndWhistles · 02/07/2022 20:20

I found a website where you can put numbers in at random and it tells you if that combination has ever been drawn since the lottery started 25 (ish) years ago. After about an hour of trying, I managed 4 numbers but at least 80% of the time I had 0-2 numbers aka I would have won nothing 😂 It was very enlightening and made me realise how pointless it is.

Having said that, my mum won £15k on a scratchcard, so it does happen.

42isthemeaning · 02/07/2022 20:30

You could play every game available on the lottery every week for the rest of your life and still not win any significant amount of money - that's how much the odds of winning are stacked against you.
That said, I do sometimes play it myself even though I know the odds of winning the lotto jackpot are something like 45 million to one.

42isthemeaning · 02/07/2022 20:34

Oh and it also brings it home when you realise that putting 1,2,3,4,5,6 on your ticket has the same chance of winning as a lucky dip. For some reason my brain doesn't believe that this first set of numbers could ever possibly win. But there is just as much chance that these numbers could come up as any other random set!

007DoubleOSeven · 02/07/2022 20:43

@42isthemeaning knows what it's all about 😉

Original poster

pedropony76 · 02/07/2022 21:18

BalloonsAndWhistles · 02/07/2022 20:20

I found a website where you can put numbers in at random and it tells you if that combination has ever been drawn since the lottery started 25 (ish) years ago. After about an hour of trying, I managed 4 numbers but at least 80% of the time I had 0-2 numbers aka I would have won nothing 😂 It was very enlightening and made me realise how pointless it is.

Having said that, my mum won £15k on a scratchcard, so it does happen.

I want to win £15K!!!

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Original poster

pedropony76 · 02/07/2022 21:19

42isthemeaning · 02/07/2022 20:34

Oh and it also brings it home when you realise that putting 1,2,3,4,5,6 on your ticket has the same chance of winning as a lucky dip. For some reason my brain doesn't believe that this first set of numbers could ever possibly win. But there is just as much chance that these numbers could come up as any other random set!

See now I’ve always wondered how people pick their numbers and why they stick with it every week?

Surely you have much more chance if you pick random numbers each week and keep changing them? Or have I got it wrong haha

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notnownorma · 02/07/2022 22:56

YellowAndGreenToBeSeen · 02/07/2022 11:48

I’ve played weekly for a couple of years. Won around £500 in drips and drabs. One day I’m going to win big!

Honestly, that's extremely unlikely.

42isthemeaning · 03/07/2022 08:57

@pedropony76
The chance of winning is the same, whether you pick random numbers or use the same set of numbers every time. The only difference is feeling compelled to play every single game if you use the same numbers as your brain will convince you that your numbers might come up if you don't! That's why I would only ever do lucky dips.

Original poster

pedropony76 · 03/07/2022 10:29

@42isthemeaning ah right I get what you mean. I feel the same! I couldn’t get attached to a set of numbers because I’d think ‘well if I don’t play this week my numbers might come up’ (even though they probably won’t😂)

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Cheshiresun · 03/07/2022 15:06

I play on direct debit, I don't bother with scratch cards, Thunderball, Set for Life, etc, etc as it could spiral out of control.

Most I've won so far (in a couple of years since starting the DD) is £30.

If you can afford it, YANBU, in fact I know someone who won 2M on the lottery, when they were young and single, so it does happen.

Original poster

pedropony76 · 03/07/2022 17:11

I’m glad to know quite a few people at least know someone who’s won a substantial amount! It gives me hope!

I think I may do a direct debit every week and see what happens I guess.

@Cheshiresun what do you mean when you say it can spiral out of control?

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Cheshiresun · 03/07/2022 17:25

pedropony76 · 03/07/2022 17:11

I’m glad to know quite a few people at least know someone who’s won a substantial amount! It gives me hope!

I think I may do a direct debit every week and see what happens I guess.

@Cheshiresun what do you mean when you say it can spiral out of control?

Not to spend too much on the lottery, that's what I mean, and scratch cards/instant wins which I can see could be pretty addictive to some, and over in seconds!

Handsnotwands · 03/07/2022 18:09

It is totally a tax on the poor. I bought a ticket for the first time ever when we were in dire financial straits

the saddest feeling is when you get the “good news from the lottery” email. Your mind has already got your new life planned while you log into your account to find that you’ve won £7.50

Northernsouloldies · 03/07/2022 21:08

I remember reading about a guy who stole over 8grands worth of scratch cards from the supermarket at which he worked, during court case it emerged he got less than £700 in winning.

P205 · 04/07/2022 04:21

Northernsouloldies · 03/07/2022 21:08

I remember reading about a guy who stole over 8grands worth of scratch cards from the supermarket at which he worked, during court case it emerged he got less than £700 in winning.

I saw a TicTok of a guy who bought 10,000 pounds worth of scratch cards and he won 3,000 pounds.

I get that it’s a shot in the dark, so play if you can afford to spend the money.

Darbs76 · 04/07/2022 05:12

I’ve had the same numbers since it started. I have won quite a few times. Up to £100. I’ve definitely spent a lot more than I’ve won, but I won’t stop playing incase those numbers come up one day!

SurfBox · 04/07/2022 08:50

Oh and it also brings it home when you realise that putting 1,2,3,4,5,6 on your ticket has the same chance of winning as a lucky dip. For some reason my brain doesn't believe that this first set of numbers could ever possibly win. But there is just as much chance that these numbers could come up as any other random set

i reecall reading that there are over 10000 people playing these in the lotto weekly so if it came up you'd be splitting the jackpot alot.

SurfBox · 04/07/2022 08:55

I wouldn't actually want to win millions

irks me when people say this because nobody would turn it down and easy to say from a place of privilege.

DiamanteDelia · 04/07/2022 08:59

Approaching gambling as a way out of your money troubles is doomed to failure and could get you in a real mess. I would save the money (in premium bonds if you like the idea of a chance of winning). Don’t get into scratch cards, for heavens sake. You may as well chuck your money in the bin.