What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

Scratch off lottery tickets (1 Viewer)

Max Power

Max Power

Footballguy
The guy in front of me at the gas station bought $50 worth of tickets.  Went to his truck, scratched them and went back in to redeem? his winnings and walked out with more tickets.  I'm curious to know if there is real money in this or is it just an addiction?

My grandmother liked scratch offs for a gift as an excitement.  She never needed the money. So I've always associated scratch offs as a novelty.

 
No, this is the dumbest thing ever. People who buy $50 worth of scratch offs are the same people who apply for disability because they have a sunburn. 

 
It's a stupidity tax. My girlfriend loves them which probably says something about me I'd rather not know about. 

 
My main cook called out sick yesterday. My only question was whether it was her or her ol' man that hit a number. Probably her. He never shares that much when he does.

 
Like slot machines without the sound and lights...People just keep pouring whatever "winnings" they get back into more tickets until the original investment is gone.  The $2 and $5 prize just isn't worth it so keep chasing the dream of the big payout.  My father used to own a beverage store and it was the lottery that kept his business afloat for many years.  People would come in a play hundreds of dollars a day.  Without a calendar, you always could tell when it was Friday and folks just got paid.    

 
A guy in town I know hit for a mil...his relationship with his wife changed dramatically (I think the rack job was their first purchase) and they ended up getting divorced...the good news is the winnings will probably cover the child support so he has that going for him...

If you are ever feeling down about yourself go to your nearest WalMart or place that sells scratch tickets...you will immediately realize things could be a lot worse...

 
Our company gives out bonuses a couple times a year.  A group of us younger guys would pool $20-$40 a piece and run across the street and buy lottery tickets.  Always from the same roll.  We'd scratch them off and use the winnings to buy more.  Assuming there wasn't a big winner in there...  Usually we'd get through 1 entire roll, maybe even 2 before we'd run out of money. 

Scam

 
My kids enjoy playing them so I buy 20 bucks worth every now and then.  I personally would rather gamble on Sports where I can lose a lot more money quicker.

 
True story:

A friend of my wife's was over. She loves the scratch offs We were all sitting on our deck when she's scratching her latest batch. She excitedly shows us how she won $12. I quickly looked at her tickets and realized she indeed won $12.... off of four $5 tickets. So I said "no, you lost $8". She was befuddled... "but I won $12".

This woman can do the math. She's not dumb by any means. But there's some kind of addiction / mental block here. 

 
jwb said:
True story:

A friend of my wife's was over. She loves the scratch offs We were all sitting on our deck when she's scratching her latest batch. She excitedly shows us how she won $12. I quickly looked at her tickets and realized she indeed won $12.... off of four $5 tickets. So I said "no, you lost $8". She was befuddled... "but I won $12".

This woman can do the math. She's not dumb by any means. But there's some kind of addiction / mental block here. 
Click to expand...
I say the same thing to my kids. " no honey you didn't win that stuffed animal. I lost $12."

 
jwb said:
True story:

A friend of my wife's was over. She loves the scratch offs We were all sitting on our deck when she's scratching her latest batch. She excitedly shows us how she won $12. I quickly looked at her tickets and realized she indeed won $12.... off of four $5 tickets. So I said "no, you lost $8". She was befuddled... "but I won $12".

This woman can do the math. She's not dumb by any means. But there's some kind of addiction / mental block here. 
Click to expand...
My kid had this thing with Jordan's (the shoes).  He would buy them online, ebay (gross!), etc.  He bought a pair for $150 on ebay and then ended up selling them for $120 a couple months later.  Here is how the phone call went.

Son: "Hey.  I made some money of those Jordans I bought a few months ago.  I sold them on ebay for $120.

TD: "How much did you pay for them?"

Son: "$150"

TD: "Umm.. You lost $30.  You didn't make any money.."

Son: "In a way I made money..."

TD:  :wall:

He likes scratch off tickets too.

 
Meh, more power to them. If someone finds entertainment out of it (and it benefits many state budgets BIGLY), more power to them.

There a lot of things in life that we can buy that have potential negative consequences (alcohol, cigarettes, food that is horrible for us, other forms of gambling such as slots, etc etc). We're all grown-ups. We should have to freedom to spend money on these things while accepting the consequences. 

And no, I don't really buy them (occasionally for gifts or for ####s and giggles).

 
My 89 year old mother loves them so we get her $20 worth of scratch-offs from time to time.   To my knowledge she never has won more than $10.   It is a complete, total ripoff but if makes the old lady happy for a few minutes then it is worth it.

 
Hit for 20K on a $5 scratcher a few years back. ?? 

Got a check for $13,493  :rant:

33 1/3 Federal 

33 1/3 State

33 1/3 local

Claimed 20K in gambling loses at the end of the year and got back about 90% of it back.

 
I generally view them as a form of entertainment that has a very low probability of winning.   I'll probably buy $20 worth of scratchers per year just for fun. I've won $500 on one before, I've won $100 a few times, $20 and $40 several times...so I'm probably fairly close to even in regards to my total investment.  In states where there is no real gambling options--they are mainly a way for people to get their fix.  Nobody should view them as being a viable way of winning money. You should spend what you would on entertainment--and if you are lucky enough to happen to win--good for you.  

 
As much as I know they are a scam, I will still buy one from time to time.  And am always still disappointed when I don't win.  

 
bananafish said:
It's a stupidity tax. My girlfriend loves them which probably says something about me I'd rather not know about. 
Click to expand...
My in-laws give out scratch-offs for everything.  One Christmas I loudly proclaimed how they were just a tax on the mathematically challenged, and they got offended.  I then proceeded to win $250 on one of the ones they gave me.  :wall: I went out that evening and bought my FIL the Tiger Woods PGA game for Wii with some of the winnings, which he appreciated.

Also, my neighbor won like $5 million on one a few years ago.  They aren't our neighbors anymore.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Walking Boot said:
Back in high school, I was talking to one of the drug dealers in shop class. He was excited about his big score coming in that weekend. He was getting in 90 dime bags and super stoked about selling them and getting money. 

I asked how much he expected to make. "900", obviously. "They're dime bags." :rolleyes:

I asked how much he paid for them. "900 fool!" :rolleyes:

"So you're not making any money?"

"Naw, I'm making nine hundred dollars idiot!"
Click to expand...
Well, if he pinches a small bud from each bag, he can at least smoke for free.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Cjw_55106
Slow Learner I guess
Replies
0
Views
189
Cjw_55106
Cjw_55106
GregR
Greg's Useless Trivia #50 - 100 questions (75 greatest hits, 25 new)
Replies
19
Views
2K
GregR
GregR
GregR
Puzzles and Trivia
2
Replies
63
Views
1K
gianmarco
gianmarco

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Top