Ever gotten hooked on scratch-off tickets?

[Jessica Lares]

When I was in Oklahoma last year, I noticed when I was walking around the hallways of the casino that there were pamphlets about gambling addiction and that you can request to be added to the "do not admit" state list.

They should extend that to lottery tickets. Now, that doesn't stop someone from asking a friend to buy one, but it helps.

StephenCampbell, you have an addiction. You'e said it's the second time that this has come back, so yes, you should seek some professional help like everyone here is saying.

I used to know a family who struggled a lot. They too would buy loads and loads of lottery tickets, because even a $50-100 win would be beneficial for them. The first time I went to a casino, some guy was begging the machine for some rent money.

Gambling is a recreational sport, not something you rely on for extra income. If you can't afford to lose, then don't play.

 

[copykris]

Odds are against me statistically, of course. But odds are always that what happens happens. If I hit a $200,000 ticket, that's what happens, and then I don't lose in the long run. That can happen.

it can but...

casino comes from the italian words casi and no

casi no

google translate that some time

 

[senseless]

Gambling is evil unless the state does it. Somebody figure out how much money is lost in a lifetime if someone sustains a net loss of $25 per week, with 5% interest compounded.

 

[roadbloc]

Never ever bought one. The amount of money you'll end up piling into this will almost certainly be more than the odd tenner you win here and there. If you want my advise OP, just stop. And stop now.

 

[StephenCampbell]

When I was in Oklahoma last year, I noticed when I was walking around the hallways of the casino that there were pamphlets about gambling addiction and that you can request to be added to the "do not admit" state list.

They should extend that to lottery tickets. Now, that doesn't stop someone from asking a friend to buy one, but it helps.

StephenCampbell, you have an addiction. You'e said it's the second time that this has come back, so yes, you should seek some professional help like everyone here is saying.

I used to know a family who struggled a lot. They too would buy loads and loads of lottery tickets, because even a $50-100 win would be beneficial for them. The first time I went to a casino, some guy was begging the machine for some rent money.

Gambling is a recreational sport, not something you rely on for extra income. If you can't afford to lose, then don't play.

Well I don't spend money that I can't afford to lose; I never have and never would.

I still have this pile of unscratched tickets in my desk and have not bought any more.

 

[Mr.Noisy]

I am guilty as charged, I spend about £3 to £5 a month on scratch cards, but I dont think I have problem yet.

There are so many people addicted to scratch cards, here in the UK at my local shops I see the young moms collect their child benefits or the unemployed with their job seekers allowance and even the old with their pensions pop to the shop for a quick scratchy fix, and you see them outside the paper shop scratching away in the vain hope of a life changing win, they may win £2 or £5 or on the odd rare occasion £10 but the BIG win always passes them by but one thing is as certain as night follows day, They will all be back in two weeks time to invest another £10, £20 or £30 in the govenment, once the government gives then the funds to gamble again. its a vicious cycle created by society, poverty and bordom, but hey who am I to talk, no doubt when I get my paper in the morning I will snap up a £1 scratchy in the vain hope of changing my life too, when I win big I can have my paper delivered

 

[adk]

I worked at a convenience store for about two years while I was in college. The biggest lottery prize we ever paid out was $50. I can count the $20+ prizes I paid out on two hands. Granted, the $600 or higher prizes had to be paid out at the state lottery office, but the fact that I (or my coworkers) never once saw somebody win more than $50 should tell you something.

 

[tktaylor1]

I used to work at a gas station and this guy that came in everyday has a problem. He is from New York (apparently scratch off games are popular there) and he came in every single night and spent hundreds of dollars every single night, sometimes over a thousand. Sometimes he would buy whole roles in 1 night, Im not even joking. Sometimes I would have to change the trash because it was full of tickets. Granted, he owns his own restaurant so he can afford it. I asked him how long he has been doing this and he said ever since he was in his 20s. The guy has to be at least 40. He said he has won a few times over 10k USD and twice over 50K USD and he said he still hasn't made back what he has spent. That should tell you something. I personally sold him thousand+ dollar winners and 2 500 dollar winners. He always tipped me if he won over 500. Nice guy. He had the money to play, you don't. You even said you dipped into your saving stash which should be a clear sign to stop. That is money you can't afford. You said you wouldn't play if you couldn't realistically afford it. By dipping into savings tells me you can't afford it. If something happened and you needed that money, it won't be there.

Personally, I've only played on one night. The guy I previously talked about tipped me and I though Id give it a try. Bought $40 worth and ended up winning like $20 and bought some more tickets with that $60 to see what could happen. In the end I ended up losing it all and haven't played since.

 

[kazmac]

No...

I have not gotten hooked.

Even when I won $505 in a week on 2 $10 games, I always set limits. Now if I play 4x a month that's a lot. Other things take financial priority.

to the OP I am sorry you got hooked and hope your situation improves.

 

[StephenCampbell]

Today I added $20 of tickets to my stash in my desk, and spent an additional $20 which won $25.

 

[chown33]

Today I added $20 of tickets to my stash in my desk, and spent an additional $20 which won $25.

If you're going to write a journal, at least do it like a checkbook balance register. Record every expenditure (cost), record every win (income), and see what the net balance is every month. If the balance is negative (costs exceed income), as it likely will be, at least you'll know what you're spending in a month and can decide whether it's worth the entertainment value.

You could probably even use a checkbook app to keep track of the values.

 

[StephenCampbell]

Did you not read my original post? I keep track of my finances to the penny, and I only keep track of losses when it comes to scratch. Spending minus winnings equals loss, so that's the only number that matters. It's currently $796, except that 14 tickets haven't been scratched yet, so the current loss isn't actually quite that much most likely.

And I never spent savings needed for bills, etc. That stash I took from was a luxury stash.

 

[mobilehaathi]

my current confirmed deficit is -$676.

I really want to quit after this...

That story certainly isn't going to help me quit.

...I've actually gotten hooked on drawing games in the past...

I begin to realize that while spending large amounts of money does statistically improve my odds

No it does not.

I feel sooner or later I would reach that point of realizing that I can't just go on spending large amounts of money

...what happens happens. If I hit a $200,000 ticket, that's what happens... That can happen.

Today I added $20 of tickets to my stash in my desk...

Spending minus winnings equals loss...It's currently $796

Stephen, take a step back and re-read your posts.

 

[StephenCampbell]

mobilehaathi, where did you learn math?

If there are 900,000 tickets and 3 winners, buying one ticket gives you a 1:300,000 chance of winning. Buying three tickets gives you a 1:100,000 chance.

Buying 900 tickets gives you a 1:1000 chance.

And so on.

 

[mobilehaathi]

mobilehaathi, where did you learn math?

If there are 900,000 tickets and 3 winners, buying one ticket gives you a 1:300,000 chance of winning. Buying three tickets gives you a 1:100,000 chance.

Buying 900 tickets gives you a 1:1000 chance.

And so on.

Your odds of wining any given ticket do not change.

I suggest you calculate the expected value of a ticket.

I also suggest you actually read what you've written in this thread.

 

[StephenCampbell]

Your odds of wining any given ticket do not change.

I suggest you calculate the expected value of a ticket.

I also suggest you actually read what you've written in this thread.

What does "any given ticket" have to do with Your overall odds based on how many tickets you have?

 

[mobilehaathi]

What does "any given ticket" have to do with Your overall odds based on how many tickets you have?

Why don't you calculate the expected value of a ticket?

But really, you should seek help based on your posting in this thread. You've expressed a desire to stop, talked about a previous addiction, engaged in poor logical arguments to justify continuing, bought many more tickets, and lost more money.

 

[StephenCampbell]

Why don't you calculate the expected value of a ticket?

But really, you should seek help based on your posting in this thread. You've expressed a desire to stop, talked about a previous addiction, engaged in poor logical arguments to justify continuing, bought many more tickets, and lost more money.

We don't know if I've lost money or not. I have 21 unscratched tickets in my desk drawer.

I know what the expected value of the tickets are, but I am hoping to win, and I am playing with money that I can afford to lose.

I was really just sharing, and curious if anybody else has had any phases where they've been really into these.

 

[mobilehaathi]

I know what the expected value of the tickets are

Out of sheer curiosity, what is the expected value of the tickets?

 

[ejb190]

Ever hear the Vegas rule? "The House always wins." From the business side, a successful gambling business is one where there are enough winners to keep people coming back and enough losers to pay the winners and take a chunk of money for the business and pay the state tax. In other words, there has to be more losers then winners.

Gambling is evil unless the state does it.

I question how government involvement can make something not evil, but that's not the issue at hand.

Somebody figure out how much money is lost in a lifetime if someone sustains a net loss of $25 per week, with 5% interest compounded.

$25 once a week, interest compounded daily at a 5% rate of return from age 20 to age 70 (50 years). Total contributed: $65,000. Total interest earned: $225,851.75. Grand Total: $290,851.75. And 5% for a purposeful investor is rather low. 8-12% lifetime would not be unheard of ($871k to $4.36m). I used the calculator here.

 

[StephenCampbell]

Ever hear the Vegas rule? "The House always wins." From the business side, a successful gambling business is one where there are enough winners to keep people coming back and enough losers to pay the winners and take a chunk of money for the business and pay the state tax. In other words, there has to be more losers then winners.



I question how government involvement can make something not evil, but that's not the issue at hand.



$25 once a week, interest compounded daily at a 5% rate of return from age 20 to age 70 (50 years). Total contributed: $65,000. Total interest earned: $225,851.75. Grand Total: $290,851.75. And 5% for a purposeful investor is rather low. 8-12% lifetime would not be unheard of ($871k to $4.36m). I used the calculator here.

That's very encouraging, since I can usually put away at least $250 a week. Compound that over 50 years!

 

[sviato]

I begin to realize that while spending large amounts of money does statistically improve my odds

No, it doesn't. Each ticket is an independent event.

Seems like an odd addiction to me, I wasn't aware that losing money was stimulating.

 

[Hastings101]

No, but they're fun to do every once in a while lol. Good luck quitting

 

[MICHAELSD]

I hope he has all losers in that pile of cards. Why? Not to be raucous, but so he can hopefully learn his lesson now. I'm afraid if he wins $500+ then he'll continue until he's lost thousands of dollars. Make sure you do quit playing after this pile is done!

 

[StephenCampbell]

No, it doesn't. Each ticket is an independent event.

Seems like an odd addiction to me, I wasn't aware that losing money was stimulating.

Each ticket is an independent event, yes.

1:300,000 is an independent event.

Another 1:300,000 is an independent event.

Together they give you a 1:150,000 chance of hitting a prize that has 1:300,000 odds on a single ticket.

Edit: In case I can make this even clearer, two tickets that each give you a 1:300,000 chance give you a 2:300,000 chance when put together.