Is the Lotto the dumbest thing in modern society and should it be banned?

paleoperson

There are plenty of dumb things out there in society today, but at least with something like superstitions there's some sort of logic to it. I mean the tarot card readings may be phony, but at least there's a theory there. The anti-MMR people may be wrong, but at least there's some sort of misguided belief system there. The entire point of the lotto is to make hundreds of thousands of people poorer and one person with an excessive amount of wealth every week. That's not my opinion, that's the stated goal. The lottery is the anti-thesis of trying to get to an equal society.

Also other dubious things only fool a tiny percentage of society and the trends of believing in that type of thing seems to be headed in the right direction. A few extreme cases notwithstanding, it'd be hard to find someone fool enough to be spending hundreds of euros a year on forecasting the future hotlines while it would hardly cause an eyebrow lift for the lotto. You don't turn on prime time television and have the national broadcaster on the public government-authorized channel broadcasting tarot readings and encouraging people to call up at a prime time. With a draw on Christmas Day and Spain's recent €2.4 billion lottery (the highest ever), I have to wonder - what is happening to society?!

"But it's only a bit of fun and also it helps a lot of good causes".

The act of robbing from the poor and giving to the rich is all the lotto does, that's not "fun" for any right-minded person. If the only bit of excitement some old people have in their lives is their lotto numbers then maybe they should get to the root cause of their problems instead of flashing numbers in an eternal fantasy. At least do the local bingo instead, that's a social night out and they have a decent chance of breaking even.

The "Lotto helps a lot of good causes" thing is a ridiculous defence. So if the tobacco industry started giving part of its profits to good causes then every time someone says to put a higher tax on it or get rid of it people would say "the tobacco industry does a lot of good, it gives part of its profits to good causes"? Or what about the diamond trade if they're operating bad practices do we whitewash it all if they give part of their profits to good causes? Good causes can be funded directly, what is the point of the middle man of the lotto who has absolutely nothing to do with those causes, it's just operating a gambling system?

"It's a person's choice to play it or not".

Choice is not always a good thing. Goods and services are all choice-restricted by regulations so that people can safely buy things without being worried about researching whether it will give them cancer or electrocute them.

sk8erboii

merry christmas to you too

phelixoflaherty

A tax for fools

TiGeR KiNgS

The Lotto was and always will be a tax on the poor

Quantum Erasure

TiGeR KiNgS wrote: »

The Lotto was and always will be a tax on the poor

*stupid

Rubberchikken

id love to win it but as ive never played, i guess i wont:(

nsi423

No

weldoninhio

paleoperson wrote: »

There are plenty of dumb things out there in society today, but at least with something like superstitions there's some sort of logic to it. I mean the tarot card readings may be phony, but at least there's a theory there. The anti-MMR people may be wrong, but at least there's some sort of misguided belief system there. The entire point of the lotto is to make hundreds of thousands of people poorer and one person with an excessive amount of wealth every week. That's not my opinion, that's the stated goal. The lottery is the anti-thesis of trying to get to an equal society.

Also other dubious things only fool a tiny percentage of society and the trends of believing in that type of thing seems to be headed in the right direction. A few extreme cases notwithstanding, it'd be hard to find someone fool enough to be spending hundreds of euros a year on forecasting the future hotlines while it would hardly cause an eyebrow lift for the lotto. You don't turn on prime time television and have the national broadcaster on the public government-authorized channel broadcasting tarot readings and encouraging people to call up at a prime time. With a draw on Christmas Day and Spain's recent €2.4 billion lottery (the highest ever), I have to wonder - what is happening to society?!

"But it's only a bit of fun and also it helps a lot of good causes".

The act of robbing from the poor and giving to the rich is all the lotto does, that's not "fun" for any right-minded person. If the only bit of excitement some old people have in their lives is their lotto numbers then maybe they should get to the root cause of their problems instead of flashing numbers in an eternal fantasy. At least do the local bingo instead, that's a social night out and they have a decent chance of breaking even.

The "Lotto helps a lot of good causes" thing is a ridiculous defence. So if the tobacco industry started giving part of its profits to good causes then every time someone says to put a higher tax on it or get rid of it people would say "the tobacco industry does a lot of good, it gives part of its profits to good causes"? Or what about the diamond trade if they're operating bad practices do we whitewash it all if they give part of their profits to good causes? Good causes can be funded directly, what is the point of the middle man of the lotto who has absolutely nothing to do with those causes, it's just operating a gambling system?

"It's a person's choice to play it or not".

Choice is not always a good thing. Goods and services are all choice-restricted by regulations so that people can safely buy things without being worried about researching whether it will give them cancer or electrocute them.

I think after this thread it’s definitely not the dumbest thing in the modern world

Healio

paleoperson wrote: »

The lottery is the anti-thesis of trying to get to an equal society.

Every man or woman, of any ethnicity, race or religion (where not forbidden), pays the same price, with the same chance of winning the same prize.

Absolutely the anti-thesis to equality. :pac:

thelad95

I occasionally play and enjoy doing so, a fiver in the grand scheme of things is not much money and I occasionally get something back.

People are under no illusions regarding the chances of winning but hey if you're not in it....

Junkyard Tom

What is it with the pseudo-intellectual sneering at people who do the lotto? I'm sure that most people know the odds of winning are incredibly slim but while they have that ticket they can fantasise about having no money worries, taking exotic holidays, buying a beautiful home, driving an amazing car, looking after their kids' futures and so on.

The lotto is perhaps one of the least harmful ways of losing a couple of euros on a long shot.

furiousox

TiGeR KiNgS wrote: »

The Lotto was and always will be a tax on the poor

Yeah!
(Apart from the person who wins it)

Sam Quentin

Remember: everyone who won the Lotto... thought it would never be them!?!?

furiousox

I know someone who knows someone who won the jackpot a long time ago.
3.5 million I think.

Heres Johnny

It's a tax on people who don't understand statistics. Ah, I play it from time to time. I'm in a work syndicate too because I don't want to be the only one that doesn't win!

I don't think lotto is the real tax on the poor, I think scratch cards hold that title it's a clever rouse by the government to get the money back from the layabouts on the social

Wilfuler.

Doesn't everywhere have a state lottery




For knuckleheads

retalivity

Paleo diets are pretty dumb as well

callaway92

Heres Johnny wrote: »

It's a tax on people who don't understand statistics. Ah, I play it from time to time. I'm in a work syndicate too because I don't want to be the only one that doesn't win!

I don't think lotto is the real tax on the poor, I think scratch cards hold that title it's a clever rouse by the government to get the money back from the layabouts on the social

I do it often and I work in Sports Analytics/Statistics. Can confirm that all percentages/expected value goes wayyyyy out the window when it comes to the Lotto.

It's the massive prize-pool that drags you in.

It’s grand. Play it if you want or don’t play it if you don’t want. No guns held to anyone’s heads to force them to play it.
A lot of the money goes to good use too. This just smells of people running out of things to sneer at because this is serious clutching.

Heres Johnny

callaway92 wrote: »

s

I do it often and I work in Sports Analytics/Statistics. Can confirm that all percentages/expected value goes wayyyyy out the window when it comes to the Lotto.

It's the massive prize-pool that drags you in.

I know, I worked in insurance and studied as an actuary and I still play it sometimes!

Boredstiff666

Its only played by the poor of society, perhaps it was designed that way who knows?

But what is certain. They have made it increasingly harder to win by adding more numbers.

Now they havent done this to make more people wealthier. Perhaps more money for themselves?

Wilfuler.

Boredstiff666 wrote: »

Its only played by the poor of society, perhaps it was designed that way who knows?

But what is certain. They have made it increasingly harder to win by adding more numbers.

Now they havent done this to make more people wealthier. Perhaps more money for themselves?

Is there any figures available to compare spend v Payout over time

Boredstiff666

Wilfuler. wrote: »

Is there any figures available to compare spend v Payout over time

I dont know but my point was.....why do it?

When they did it I dont remember any kind of explanation. But what is for sure is more numbers to pick but only same to win means it harder to get the winning combo.

mikemac2

Some sneering at the poor & uneducated buying lotto tickets will spend over one thousand per year on overpriced coffee that cost a few cents to produce

What harm someone spending 2.50 on a quick pick or favourite numbers and can have a little dream

Hego Damask

Thanks OP I must check my numbers!!!!

Boredstiff666

mikemac2 wrote: »

Some sneering at the poor & uneducated buying lotto tickets will spend over one thousand per year on overpriced coffee that cost a few cents to produce

What harm someone spending 2.50 on a quick pick or favourite numbers and can have a little dream

I listened to a radio program on such once and the fella had the odds all worked out regards betting.

The Lotto was the worst gamble by far with the odds being so high against the player.

Horse racing (if not fixed) was the best way of seeing some return on your bet.

whisky_galore

I would think that places like bookies, those seedy looking "casinos" and online betting are far worse. They take and give back nothing to the local community.

I don't do any of them ever, including Lotto.
I never put money on anything unless I can reasonably predict the outcome.

Harry Palmr

Most people are not stupid about the lottery, they do a line or two as a way of providing some vague tension in a quiet life while prompting harmless flights of fancy on daft.ie.

Hard to see why the minority who because they have deeper problems spend significant amounts should be used to curtail the 'fun' for the rest of us.

SnakePlissken

Boredstiff666 wrote: »

Its only played by the poor of society, perhaps it was designed that way who knows?

I'm not poor by any stretch yet I still play the lotto once every month or so on a whim. I completely understand the chances of winning are massively small but it's a harmless frivolity that does benefit charities so to speak of banning it is utterly ridiculous

This argument really just exposes people's personal tendencies that outweigh others.

You have the type who says the odds are so shlt, there's no point, and those who play are fools. There's people who believe the lotto is about percentage returns. And you have people who are happy to put a price on daydreaming.

I think we all recognise the merits of each others arguments, but care about different things.

colm_mcm

Rubberchikken wrote: »

id love to win it but as ive never played, i guess i wont:(

You’re chances of winning are only slightly lower than those who play.