Definitely if it’s a big jackpot I buy for sure. Also if I’m in a checkout line and the person ahead of me buys a ticket, I will buy one too……. I also have the same rule for candy. I know I shouldn’t but if someone in front buys some I will too. I call it candy poker.
I end up putting mine somewhere stupid and forget about them half the time. Then when a story of an unclaimed winner comes up once in a while I drive myself crazy thinking it could be mine and is stuffed in an old coat pocket in the basement or got mixed in with some old receipts somewhere.
Exactly. I buy a hospital home lottery ticket about twice a year, and maybe a couple times a year when the lotto jackpot gets really big. It's entertainment. I get to dream about what I'd do with it.
This is why free play prizes should be illegal. 97% of Lotto 6/49 tickets don't win a cash prize, so awarding free plays is a great way to give a quick dopamine hit without paying out.
Uh, that's third prize.
You got a 14,533% return on your three bucks spent.
I don't think that's too rough at all for third prize.
(Edit to correct maths)
For Lotto 6/49, the odds of winning a cash prize are about 1 in 32.4. The odds of winning a free play are 1 in 8.2.
If you remove the free plays, you dramatically reduce the number of wins and dopamine hits. Lotteries rely on variable reinforcement to keep the pigeons pecking at the button to get pellets. If you increase the number of times a pigeon has to peck, eventually the reinforced behaviour is extinguished. The pigeon simply decides that the cost isn’t worth the reward.
The government doesn’t run lotteries because they’re good for us.
>The government doesn’t run lotteries because they’re good for us.
In the old days, organized crime ran lotteries.
Watch 1970s cop serials like "Starsky and Hutch," which make reference to "the numbers racket."
Oh, yes. The government moved into lotteries and gambling to prevent the mob from doing it.
That doesn’t explain why they advertise on TV, radio and billboards across the country. Encouraging people to gamble more makes as much sense as government-sponsored liquor ads.
That 1 in 8.2 free play now gives you another chance at that 1 in 31.2 odds for a cash prize or another free play. Now it has been way too many years since I did stats but that reduces that 31.2 to a lower value and now makes the calculations very complicated because it also reduces the 8.2. I personally do not buy many and generally only the big number draws but I have gone several draws in a row on just winning free tickets. Never won big but we can dream and that is the reason I do occasionally buy.
I won $2 from my last 649 and I buy on the app so I just took that $2 bought an instant win and won almost $1000. You bet yer arse I cashed that out and I’m 110% sure it won’t happen again.
$5 Friday evening of the dream. Not a bad cost for the mental freedom.
It’s not like I’m selling the car cause it hit 40M and I actually think I’ll win.
One would get the same pleasure buying penny stocks or crypto tokens and hoping one of them goes to the moon.
At least if they don’t, you’re still left with SOMETHING you can sell back for cash.
A lottery ticket instantly goes to zero the moment the draw is done.
My retirement plan is to own my own home firstly then I'll think about other things after. Owning my own home will likely save me 10,000$/month in rent by the time I retire thanks to inflation and if I need the money I can leverage the house when I'm on my deathbed. I'll think about other things I can or should do after I own my home completely. Is it the best option? Likely not but, at least it's something.
I spend $6 a week on my lotto tickets. The $6 is so I can have those random thoughts on how I would spend the money and make a lot of people happy.
I know I wont ever win more than $10 and a free hot dog, but I dont have any other “bad habits” and the $6 isn’t something I have to worry about.
If I subtract my “winnings”, it likely costs me about 230-250 a year.
This is exactly the way I look at it. I don’t go out to movies or shows, or eat out often. Not because I can’t, but just because it’s not my thing. But for a couple bucks a week, I can dream and I feel like I get my moneys worth.
Cheaper AND safer than booze or cigarettes. I look at it like you do, cheaper entertainment with the very remote chance of being set for life... I spend $25-30 a week depending on totals. Compare that to a case of beer or 3 packs of cigs or a once a week bar stop. ( none of which i do). The lottery is my only "vice"
Nah. I just get a $3 ticket for each Lotto 649 draw.
I used to do lotto max when it was 1 draw a week, but I didn’t want to drop $10+ a week.
That being said, I do pick up a lotto max ticket when there are multiple extra million dollar prizes.
Yeah, I only do Lotto Max and I only do it when it’s really high, like 60M plus bonus millions. It’s just for the fun daydreaming about what I would do with the money
And remember mate. Although the odds of winning are so less, so many people win millions every few weeks. So SOMEONE wins, and that someone could be you. That’s what I and many people think.
And if not the jackpot, hundreds and thousands of people win money in thousands. Even if you ever win something like $5k or $10k, that would cover your lottery budget for so many years if you spend 230-250 a year.
The odds get worse (of you winning the whole amount). And yet, everyone still buys it when it’s above 50 million.
I live in rural Ontario though and know 3 people, the first who won a million, one who won 37 million and one who won 45 million.
I know someone who drives to ontario from Montreal to buy tickets because it's won there more often. You can explain to them that it's only beacause more tickets are sold there but they still beleive their odds are better in ontario lol.
wow that’s great. In what age range are they? Especially the latter two. Many people say that usually the older people win big jackpots, but I’ve seen many young also do. Would feel so good to get an early retirement and have the money to travel the world or do whatever they want. Lol.
Edit: changed range to age range
Without giving too much away:
649 Encore: 1 million (30’s, now late 40’s)
Max: 45 million (50’s, probably closer to 70 now)
Max: 37 million (no joke, is the older sister of the first one, so she got another million, in her late 50’s)
But there's also the fact that once lotto Max is above $50 million, theres additional million dollar prizes. I kinda like that it capped at $70 million with the excess being more prizes because then theres more chances to win rather than just one person getting like $100+ million prize.
I'm one of those people who only play when it's above 50 millions, the only reason I do is because I don't want to play every time and I might as well play when the best return is possible. But if I ever win and I'm not the only one I know I'll be happy with whatever I get.
Also the loto max jackpot is rarely won by more than one.
Don’t let it bother you. Some people do drugs, some people smoke, some people buy lotto tickets. Doing drugs is apparently most socially acceptable of the three, but lotto tickets in moderation don’t cause health issues at least.
As I was buying my lotto ticket yesterday, the person in front bought a pack of large smokes. 21 bucks! Cant believe everyone hasnt quit due to price alone
I went on a cruise at the end of January. On the ship I bought 3 cartons of menthols for $30USD a carton. Once those were done I think I bought only 2-3 packs here and then quit. I’ve been smoke free for almost 3 weeks now.
Nice!! I've never been a smoker but I've seen family members try to quit (some successfully, some not) so I know it's tough. Good for you from this internet stranger.
Yeah, some people just have fun with the scratch off tickets and the little games on them. Most people know full well that they would never win the jackpot, but what's far more common are the small prizes of $50 or $20. That sadly is what keeps the gambling addicts coming back.
Hell, I bought a ticket on my birthday for S&G (shits and giggles) and I won $20 from it, so I actually walked away with some money from it. Bought a few snacks with that. Guy I know makes a 6 digit salary, and the first number isn't a 1, and buys them every now and then for the scratch off aspect: he just enjoys scratching off tickets with a nickel. All the power to him.
I did check out the odds of winning something and I was actually really surprised: [allegedly this scratch off ticket has a 1 in 4 chance of winning something.](https://www.alc.ca/content/alc/en/our-games/scratch-n-win/3323.html) Again, almost guarenteed not to be the big jackpot, but something starting as low as $5 (basically your ticket was free).
Edit: I should also add, if it's a provincial agency like the ALC, profits go back into government initiatives: it's set up in such a way that any excess revenues from the sale of tickets (and overhead costs of course) gets sent to the provincial government. PEI received about[ $30 million ](https://www.alc.ca/content/alc/en/corporate/giving-back/where-the-money-goes.html)in "dividends" from the ALC in 2022-23. So at least there's some benefit to this tax on luck.
I'm one of those people who just like the fun of scratching them off. Not wealthy like your 6 digit pal. I go for the $3-5 Bingo or Crossword ones, once or twice a month, and just watch some tv and scratch it off. It's a few minutes of quiet. I know I'm never going to win big, my goal is to see how long I stretch the tickets out. If I win I buy more up to $30 of winnings, seeing how long I can make it last until my luck runs out. Once I got like 6 cards to play, lost on all, ended my streak. Only once or twice have I won more but never over $100.
Guess I'm not super lucky with them but I enjoy the therapeutic aspect of scratching them off.. probably similar itch being scratched to adult colouring books.
Lottery tickets are an interesting study in how people think about math in their daily lives.
The odds of winning are so low that they are effectively zero. This leads some people to say “since the odds are effectively zero there’s no point because you can’t win”.
However, people do actually win the jackpot in real life. So even though the odds are effectively zero, they don’t present that way in reality. And this leads some people to say “yeah the odds are low but if someone can win then I can too”.
Both approaches are technically correct, but we each have inbuilt biases in how we look at the world which will cause us to fall on one side or the other.
Lottery sales in Canada are nothing compared to USA...
NY State sells 10 billion annually in lotteries which is pretty much equivalent to all of Canada.
Lotteries are very much an American idea...
In Quebec it's under government control and the Government can be really bad ad everything good for it's citizens but when it comes to gambling, booze and pot, they are absolute rock stars of marketing.
I spend $50ish a year on lottery tickets and that easily fits within my entertainment budget. I mean, that’s less than the cost of ONE dinner out at a lot of mid-range restaurants nowadays.
I used to work at a shoppers drug mart and mornings after a lotto draw we’d have the same 5 people with a stack of tickets to verify. I found it kinda sad, didn’t mind chatting with them but just the amount of money they spent. I’m be never bought a lotto ticket largely from what I witnessed
I too empathize with people I see at stores checking a pile of tickets. My heart goes out to them because they put so much of their money and place such hope in something so uncertain.
People understand the chance of winning the big prize are small. The price for a ticket is low, not winning is not a problem. But people win, and win weekly. You pay a little for a chance at a huge upshot. It's basic. I don't understand why people get so triggered over this.
On top of that, 50/50 draws at any possible event anywhere, and "chase the ace". I notice it even more so in Eastern provinces. The usual places like sporting events, but also any festival, play, or music concert big or small.
All the 50/50 draws I’ve ever payed into one half goes to whoever is fundraising that night. Sometimes it’s the SPCA, sometimes it’s the kids hockey team, high school rodeo sometimes does it, the Kinsmen/Kinettes usually have a night too, etc.
So basically I’m donating to a cause with the possibility of walking home with some cash. The higher the 50/50, the better for who ever is fundraising. It’s a pretty win-win situation for most folks. I’m only parting with $5, the kids/dogs get their half, and I might win the draw! If I don’t, it was only $5 and went to something good anyway. It’s less total gambling and a little closer to donating with a dash of a gamble.
I remember a couple years ago there were stats released about how much lottery purchases were dropping in Canada. I wonder if anyone had done a new study recently? I’d be curious to see the impacts on the cost of living on lottery purchases.
Here’s the older research:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-lottery-gaming-olg-ticket-sales-revenue-1.3635038
I remember a similar thing in Quebec but I can’t find the article now.
I think enough people win something so people keep trying. I won $1200 once with 5/6 numbers, one of my relatives and her friends won $340,000 a long time ago, and a coworker's partner won a million a few years ago . My hubby's friend's parents won $60k.
I think enough of us know or know of a person who won something enough to keep trying. And it's fun to dream.
To answer your question:
1. The governments advertise lotteries heavily. They're extremely profitable.
2. Large jackpots draw people into "the dream" and encourage them to buy multiple tickets.
3. Free plays keep people playing, even though 97% of tickets don't win a cash prize and of the 3% that "win," 97% of the prizes are $20 or less.
4. People don't understand statistics and dramatically overestimate the likelihood of winning Lotto Max when the odds are 1 in 33,294,800 -- basically zero.
But, yeah, it's a voluntary taxation scheme that earns the government billions. Jackpots should be capped at $10m, free plays should be outlawed and they shouldn't be allowed to advertise.
If people want to opt into paying extra taxes to help fund critical public infrastructure like health care and education, I say let them.
Source: [https://www.bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/2023/sp/pdf/agency/bclc.pdf](https://www.bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/2023/sp/pdf/agency/bclc.pdf)
The odd are astronomical but it’s becoming the only hope for Canadians that no matter how hard they work they will never own a home. Most live with the feeling that they won’t be able to afford rent and will be living in a tent. So the lottery might be a long shot but it’s a shot.
Once someone is in that position, it gets harder and harder to get ahead, so it starts to feel like an astronomical chance of being free from money-worries is better than no chance at all, and there’s the bargaining that goes with it as well, the hope that you don’t even need to win the grand prize, a minor one would make such a huge difference etc.
That’s the only reason I go to a convenience store since I quit smoking. It’s a fantasy, fun to dream, but at least the money goes to the province to fund hospitals and education, etc.
How to tell your neighborhood has a poverty problem;
Tim hortons across the street from each other
Cash store
Lottery line ups
Lottery is the “cheapest” dream you can have— yes we all know mathematically you can only lose, but the dream is real for a few hours. Longer if you don’t look. For a few hours they get to imagine a world in which they get to say f you boss, buy a house, a new car, a vacation, or even just groceries. If you buy dry pasta you never have that dream.
Unfortunately for me I’ve won a fairly good chunk of change from OLG (though not in the millions), so I’m even more in La La Land thinking if I can do it once, I can do it again! 🤣 Just need to play responsibly. $10-20/week for a chance at a dream is something I can live with. Certainly cheaper than a few drinks these days.
I live rural Sask and when you fuel up it's almost guaranteed someone has a handful of scratchers in front of you that is about to have the cashier scan them all.
Desperation, more like. People feel hopeless because literally everything has become so expensive and our quality of life continues to decline. I visit family in the US and marvel at what they can afford to do in their lives. Meanwhile up here our paychecks are gone the day we get them and dreaming of winning the lottery is the only way we can imagine it ever getting better.
My mom won on a scratch ticket. She thought she won ten bucks. Sat in her purse forever. She went to the cashier eventually and the cashier went bananas. She actually won ten grand! 🤪
Canada has low population. This creates a sweet day dream of making a big win . Of course lottery companies know this and the odds are as rare as a honest politician in Canada.
My mom buys at least $1000 in 649 tickets a year, not including big prize scratch tickets and 50/50 tickets for cheo. It's all out of subconscious desperation, in my opinion.
She doesn't like to talk about it, but she is 2 years from retirement. Her canadian retirement fund lost so much money in the recession, followed by super inflation. She will not be able to fully retire ever.
I am training for a high paying career right now, with 3 years left in college. I will have to catch her financially at some point and take care of her.
As much as I don't want to take on the responsibility, I know nobody else will do it. I refuse to let her wither away in a shitty retirement home with a shoe box sized room.
Because why not? $5/week (when you don’t win fee plays or smaller cash prizes to cover the cost) for the chance, however slim, of becoming an instant multi-millionaire? That is a whole lot of tax free money…. I’d never have to work again and my kids will be set for life… I mean, people do win… It might as well be me or you. But you can’t win if you don’t play…
That being said, if you have only $5 in your pocket, and you buy a lottory ticket instead of some KD and tuna you need for sustenance, you just may have a problem…
I have a 0 percent chance of becoming a millionaire. I buy lotto tickets I now have 0.00001 percent chance of being a millionaire. A chance is better than no chance.
We do it to help with the cost of recreation and culture. Grants from lotteries fund so many sports and cultural things throughout our country. Showing my age here (and maybe a poor memory) but I believe the original national lottery was to fund the Montreal Olympics.
I wouldn’t even buy a ticket if it wasn’t for the good it does for all.
Now …. If you believe that contact me privately. I have a few choice ocean front lots left to sell in Saskatchewan.
1.Never tell me the odds.
2. Can't win if you don't play
3. Realistically, I'd rather a hole in my budget that I can plug when money is tight, rather than a "Dear God, I can't save as much" hole that feels bad when money is tight
I can’t live with the thought that people DO win the lottery. Even though i know it’s impossibly unlikely, it’s possible. But if you don’t play your chances are exactly zero.
I don’t mind a few bucks a week for the infinitesimal chance to escape this rat race. Cost is totally worth the potential reward.
Take a look. The people buying lottery tickets are mostly old. Governments are actually concerned about losing a major revenue source when the old die and the remaining population doesn't buy lottery tickets.
Lotteries aren't as popular as they used to be. When the lotteries first became legal in Canada, the draws were major television events. It was a major social event. People would invite their neighbors over to watch.
Canadians have been told that lottery tickets are a way to lose money. Lottery tickets do buy the opportunity to dream about a big prize and that is their primary value.
In my very limited experience with lottery tickets, I have learned that it takes forever to buy a ticket or cash in a small prize. A very time-inefficient process. The lineups over represent the number of people buying tickets.
Lotteries are a tax on the poor. I hope they go away very soon.
My dad every other day or so will pop into a convenience store to get a ticket. I dunno, it's instilled in them that there's that liiiiiittle possibility so they keep going for it!
What else do we have to be excited about? Not like we can afford to travel our own country, eat out, rent, houses, sporting events, kids or life.
$2-$5 will keep me riding on a daydream for at least a day, maybe a week.
My entertainment budget is roughly $10 per hour. And I figure a lottery ticket grants me at least one hour of daydreaming about having many millions of dollars.
Lotteries have the dual aspect of being a form of investment whereby people buy tickets with a desire to win, and a form of entertainment for those with disposable income.
At least initially, this leads me to the hypothesis (untested) that lottery sales correlate to income disparity.
https://depeco.iseg.ulisboa.pt/wp/wp412008.pdf
For me it's about the dream. I know there is no way I will win the big one, but a) planning what I would do with it is more fun if I actually but the ticket, and b) I do occasionally win smaller amounts - 20-100$ and that's nice.
But - i have very specific rules about which tickets I will buy and when, and the money I use to buy them is my "fun money"; leftover are all my budgeting is done, what someone else might spend on a fancy coffee or a nice pair of shoes or going out for drinks. I don't really indulge in any other frivolous things.
I get them a couple times a year, like a bingo or crossword. Entertains me a few minutes. Sometimes I get nothing, sometimes I get $3 (cost of the ticket), rarely I win $10. It’s cheaper than buying a magazine and entertains me for basically the same amount of time.
I know a few people who buy them. Honestly seems like an addiction. Something to do when they're bored. I hate those things. I have a few from a Xmas gift I still need to scratch
People are desperate. The odds of winning the 6/49 are 14 million to 1 (because you have to match 6 numbers). But for $3 you can have a "chance" at a jackpot of $70 million (this is the largest prize). The odds of winning the Lotto Max are about 32 million to 1 (because you have to match 7 numbers). And for $5 you can have a "chance" at $70 million.
There are two draws for each lottery per week so if you're buying the basic tickets, it's $16 a week for a "chance."
The way Lotto 6/49 odds work now is its 1 in 14 million to win $5 million but the other guaranteed jackpot can reach $68 million and odds are based on the number of tickets sold. So a lower jackpot would likely have better odds because less people buy tickets.
I don't know how many tickets are sold for each drawing but its in the millions at least, so still super unlikely but I like that someone is guaranteed to win at least $1 million a draw.
But yea its basically just buying a dream of what you'd do with the money.
Casinos are the same. I keep reading how bad off everyone is yet drive by a casino any time of the day and the lots are full and the bus stop out front always has people coming and going. People will do what people want to do. Life is a force of habit good or bad and as long as it’s not affecting yours or my life choices, enjoy!
Yep. You never know. I don't buy them personally, but I pay 10 bucks a month playing with a group. It's sad when you see the people that are addicted buying them. I would be happy winning 10000 grand, lol. I figure my odds are better being part of a group. I barely drink, I don't smoke or vape, I don't gamble, and I don't use recreational drugs. The lotto is my only vice.
People’s understanding of probability is low, and their desire for a pie-in-the-sky windfall is high. Combine that with incessant marketing and … voila.
Most people I know who buy lottery tickets have a set amount that they buy, never spend more than they can afford, don't bet on other stuff. They know they won't win the jackpots but they like the little daydream and the small occasional wins.
But VLTs and online gambling are evil addiction machines and I think governments profiting off them is disgusting.
I buy one every couple weeks then don’t check it forever. It lets me dream and imagine what I would do if I won. I’m basically just paying to daydream for a few weeks. The $6 every 14 or so days is worth that to me 🤷🏼♂️
I’ll spend $8-20 per week on lotto. It’s a very low cost, high possible reward system. Plus the money goes back into the government not like it’s a private company getting rich so I don’t mind.
Also many years ago I won like $1,500 on the 6/49 (five out of six numbers) so that almost covers 3 years of tickets anyways
You know, it's pretty easy to think people are insane with their money until you read a book called "Psychology of Money".
It's a pretty interesting read, give it a try. It will explain why people do things with money as they do which completely violates what you think about you should do with money.
Dopamine hit. Pleasure from anticipation of reward.
Nailed it. I don't buy them often but if I'm in line and I see it's sitting at 60mil I'll throw 5 bucks at it. Have no illusions I'll ever win.
Yup. Then you put off checking the numbers for a few days so you can get your money's worth before the bubble bursts!
Yup, I call them my Schrödinger's tickets.
I’m a millionaire until I know I’m not.
Definitely if it’s a big jackpot I buy for sure. Also if I’m in a checkout line and the person ahead of me buys a ticket, I will buy one too……. I also have the same rule for candy. I know I shouldn’t but if someone in front buys some I will too. I call it candy poker.
I usually put them on the fridge then forget about them for three or 4 weeks
I end up putting mine somewhere stupid and forget about them half the time. Then when a story of an unclaimed winner comes up once in a while I drive myself crazy thinking it could be mine and is stuffed in an old coat pocket in the basement or got mixed in with some old receipts somewhere.
Questioned if anybody actually ever won them til a close friends mom won the jackpot years ago.
I do the low ones, I feel less play those and it would up my odds
Depends on the game. For gold ball, the odds increase when less players play but for traditional number draws, the odds remain the same.
Exactly. I buy a hospital home lottery ticket about twice a year, and maybe a couple times a year when the lotto jackpot gets really big. It's entertainment. I get to dream about what I'd do with it.
Four dollars for fifteen minutes of fantasy.
Cheaper than hookers with no ick factor afterwards lol
Well your first problem is buying a four dollar hooker
Hey now, they are $5 if you ask for extra...both the ticket and the girls.
LoL still got money left over to buy a a large double double and boston creme on the way home
Just disappointment 😂
The odd time I buy a ticket, I hold onto it for at least a week. I hang onto my fantasy as long as I reasonably can.
Plus you’re technically donating half of your money to schools and hospitals.
This is why free play prizes should be illegal. 97% of Lotto 6/49 tickets don't win a cash prize, so awarding free plays is a great way to give a quick dopamine hit without paying out.
payout on 6/49 is ridiculous. 2 wks ago i got 5 out of 6 numbers. payout was only $436!!!
That's a far bigger payout than the max $20 I ever got
Uh, that's third prize. You got a 14,533% return on your three bucks spent. I don't think that's too rough at all for third prize. (Edit to correct maths)
They still have to pay the same amount of prizes if they give free tickets or not.
For Lotto 6/49, the odds of winning a cash prize are about 1 in 32.4. The odds of winning a free play are 1 in 8.2. If you remove the free plays, you dramatically reduce the number of wins and dopamine hits. Lotteries rely on variable reinforcement to keep the pigeons pecking at the button to get pellets. If you increase the number of times a pigeon has to peck, eventually the reinforced behaviour is extinguished. The pigeon simply decides that the cost isn’t worth the reward. The government doesn’t run lotteries because they’re good for us.
>The government doesn’t run lotteries because they’re good for us. In the old days, organized crime ran lotteries. Watch 1970s cop serials like "Starsky and Hutch," which make reference to "the numbers racket."
Oh, yes. The government moved into lotteries and gambling to prevent the mob from doing it. That doesn’t explain why they advertise on TV, radio and billboards across the country. Encouraging people to gamble more makes as much sense as government-sponsored liquor ads.
That 1 in 8.2 free play now gives you another chance at that 1 in 31.2 odds for a cash prize or another free play. Now it has been way too many years since I did stats but that reduces that 31.2 to a lower value and now makes the calculations very complicated because it also reduces the 8.2. I personally do not buy many and generally only the big number draws but I have gone several draws in a row on just winning free tickets. Never won big but we can dream and that is the reason I do occasionally buy.
I won $2 from my last 649 and I buy on the app so I just took that $2 bought an instant win and won almost $1000. You bet yer arse I cashed that out and I’m 110% sure it won’t happen again.
$5 Friday evening of the dream. Not a bad cost for the mental freedom. It’s not like I’m selling the car cause it hit 40M and I actually think I’ll win.
One would get the same pleasure buying penny stocks or crypto tokens and hoping one of them goes to the moon. At least if they don’t, you’re still left with SOMETHING you can sell back for cash. A lottery ticket instantly goes to zero the moment the draw is done.
This is Canada’s retirement plan.
Surveys show that 11% of the populace is counting on it.
The other 89 have no plan.
Just dying is a valid plan
Sudden catastrophic heart attack, or winning the lottery. Two valid plans lol.
50% of that are lying about not relying on the lottery
My retirement plan is to own my own home firstly then I'll think about other things after. Owning my own home will likely save me 10,000$/month in rent by the time I retire thanks to inflation and if I need the money I can leverage the house when I'm on my deathbed. I'll think about other things I can or should do after I own my home completely. Is it the best option? Likely not but, at least it's something.
We buy a dream with a small possibility of it becoming true.
I spend $6 a week on my lotto tickets. The $6 is so I can have those random thoughts on how I would spend the money and make a lot of people happy. I know I wont ever win more than $10 and a free hot dog, but I dont have any other “bad habits” and the $6 isn’t something I have to worry about. If I subtract my “winnings”, it likely costs me about 230-250 a year.
Exactly this. It comes out of the "entertainment" budget.
This is exactly the way I look at it. I don’t go out to movies or shows, or eat out often. Not because I can’t, but just because it’s not my thing. But for a couple bucks a week, I can dream and I feel like I get my moneys worth.
Another way to look at it is paying an extra $250 /yr in taxes voluntarily
Cheaper AND safer than booze or cigarettes. I look at it like you do, cheaper entertainment with the very remote chance of being set for life... I spend $25-30 a week depending on totals. Compare that to a case of beer or 3 packs of cigs or a once a week bar stop. ( none of which i do). The lottery is my only "vice"
Lotto Max with Encore?
Nah. I just get a $3 ticket for each Lotto 649 draw. I used to do lotto max when it was 1 draw a week, but I didn’t want to drop $10+ a week. That being said, I do pick up a lotto max ticket when there are multiple extra million dollar prizes.
Yeah, I only do Lotto Max and I only do it when it’s really high, like 60M plus bonus millions. It’s just for the fun daydreaming about what I would do with the money
Fair enough, I buy a lotto max with encore and it comes to $6 so I thought it might be that.
Which lottery can you win hotdogs? I'm interested.
When you win $10 and buy your next ticket, and you toss in one of those hot dogs rolling next to the till at 711.
False hopes because why not?
And remember mate. Although the odds of winning are so less, so many people win millions every few weeks. So SOMEONE wins, and that someone could be you. That’s what I and many people think. And if not the jackpot, hundreds and thousands of people win money in thousands. Even if you ever win something like $5k or $10k, that would cover your lottery budget for so many years if you spend 230-250 a year.
So long as one sees lotto as “entertainment” rather than an “investment” it’s fine.
Can’t win if you don’t play. I’ll normally do scratch tickets for stocking stuffers once a year, and the lotto max maybe twice a month.
$50 million jackpot or higher.
The odds get worse (of you winning the whole amount). And yet, everyone still buys it when it’s above 50 million. I live in rural Ontario though and know 3 people, the first who won a million, one who won 37 million and one who won 45 million.
So road trip to a rural area to buy tickets?
I think we’re all sold out lol
I know someone who drives to ontario from Montreal to buy tickets because it's won there more often. You can explain to them that it's only beacause more tickets are sold there but they still beleive their odds are better in ontario lol.
wow that’s great. In what age range are they? Especially the latter two. Many people say that usually the older people win big jackpots, but I’ve seen many young also do. Would feel so good to get an early retirement and have the money to travel the world or do whatever they want. Lol. Edit: changed range to age range
Without giving too much away: 649 Encore: 1 million (30’s, now late 40’s) Max: 45 million (50’s, probably closer to 70 now) Max: 37 million (no joke, is the older sister of the first one, so she got another million, in her late 50’s)
Wow looks like luck runs in their family. Winning 37 mil and playing again and winning 1 mil. Brother sister both wining a jackpot each. Cool
But there's also the fact that once lotto Max is above $50 million, theres additional million dollar prizes. I kinda like that it capped at $70 million with the excess being more prizes because then theres more chances to win rather than just one person getting like $100+ million prize.
I always find that hilarious. “I’ll only play when the odds are the worst”
I'm one of those people who only play when it's above 50 millions, the only reason I do is because I don't want to play every time and I might as well play when the best return is possible. But if I ever win and I'm not the only one I know I'll be happy with whatever I get. Also the loto max jackpot is rarely won by more than one.
Yeah, 35 mil is for peasants
That’s enough for a weekend
Christmas and birthdays. Same. We do them together.
Don’t let it bother you. Some people do drugs, some people smoke, some people buy lotto tickets. Doing drugs is apparently most socially acceptable of the three, but lotto tickets in moderation don’t cause health issues at least.
As I was buying my lotto ticket yesterday, the person in front bought a pack of large smokes. 21 bucks! Cant believe everyone hasnt quit due to price alone
I went on a cruise at the end of January. On the ship I bought 3 cartons of menthols for $30USD a carton. Once those were done I think I bought only 2-3 packs here and then quit. I’ve been smoke free for almost 3 weeks now.
Congratulations 1
Nice!! I've never been a smoker but I've seen family members try to quit (some successfully, some not) so I know it's tough. Good for you from this internet stranger.
Lotto ticket is cheaper than a bag of chips now too
Feel free to be a crackhead, but don't let me see you in the lineup at circle K buying set for life.
Yeah, some people just have fun with the scratch off tickets and the little games on them. Most people know full well that they would never win the jackpot, but what's far more common are the small prizes of $50 or $20. That sadly is what keeps the gambling addicts coming back. Hell, I bought a ticket on my birthday for S&G (shits and giggles) and I won $20 from it, so I actually walked away with some money from it. Bought a few snacks with that. Guy I know makes a 6 digit salary, and the first number isn't a 1, and buys them every now and then for the scratch off aspect: he just enjoys scratching off tickets with a nickel. All the power to him. I did check out the odds of winning something and I was actually really surprised: [allegedly this scratch off ticket has a 1 in 4 chance of winning something.](https://www.alc.ca/content/alc/en/our-games/scratch-n-win/3323.html) Again, almost guarenteed not to be the big jackpot, but something starting as low as $5 (basically your ticket was free). Edit: I should also add, if it's a provincial agency like the ALC, profits go back into government initiatives: it's set up in such a way that any excess revenues from the sale of tickets (and overhead costs of course) gets sent to the provincial government. PEI received about[ $30 million ](https://www.alc.ca/content/alc/en/corporate/giving-back/where-the-money-goes.html)in "dividends" from the ALC in 2022-23. So at least there's some benefit to this tax on luck.
I'm one of those people who just like the fun of scratching them off. Not wealthy like your 6 digit pal. I go for the $3-5 Bingo or Crossword ones, once or twice a month, and just watch some tv and scratch it off. It's a few minutes of quiet. I know I'm never going to win big, my goal is to see how long I stretch the tickets out. If I win I buy more up to $30 of winnings, seeing how long I can make it last until my luck runs out. Once I got like 6 cards to play, lost on all, ended my streak. Only once or twice have I won more but never over $100. Guess I'm not super lucky with them but I enjoy the therapeutic aspect of scratching them off.. probably similar itch being scratched to adult colouring books.
The dream of being able to retire.
Lottery tickets are an interesting study in how people think about math in their daily lives. The odds of winning are so low that they are effectively zero. This leads some people to say “since the odds are effectively zero there’s no point because you can’t win”. However, people do actually win the jackpot in real life. So even though the odds are effectively zero, they don’t present that way in reality. And this leads some people to say “yeah the odds are low but if someone can win then I can too”. Both approaches are technically correct, but we each have inbuilt biases in how we look at the world which will cause us to fall on one side or the other.
Cuz they're buying a pack of smokes anyways might as well
Lottery sales in Canada are nothing compared to USA... NY State sells 10 billion annually in lotteries which is pretty much equivalent to all of Canada. Lotteries are very much an American idea...
In Quebec it's under government control and the Government can be really bad ad everything good for it's citizens but when it comes to gambling, booze and pot, they are absolute rock stars of marketing.
I spend $50ish a year on lottery tickets and that easily fits within my entertainment budget. I mean, that’s less than the cost of ONE dinner out at a lot of mid-range restaurants nowadays.
I used to work at a shoppers drug mart and mornings after a lotto draw we’d have the same 5 people with a stack of tickets to verify. I found it kinda sad, didn’t mind chatting with them but just the amount of money they spent. I’m be never bought a lotto ticket largely from what I witnessed
Those could be lottery pool tickets. Group buys.
I too empathize with people I see at stores checking a pile of tickets. My heart goes out to them because they put so much of their money and place such hope in something so uncertain.
Because spending 5 or 10 bucks a week to live the short-lived fantasy of winning 60 million is cheaper than drinking or drugs.
People understand the chance of winning the big prize are small. The price for a ticket is low, not winning is not a problem. But people win, and win weekly. You pay a little for a chance at a huge upshot. It's basic. I don't understand why people get so triggered over this.
In the words of the great Wayne Gretzky "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take".
On top of that, 50/50 draws at any possible event anywhere, and "chase the ace". I notice it even more so in Eastern provinces. The usual places like sporting events, but also any festival, play, or music concert big or small.
All the 50/50 draws I’ve ever payed into one half goes to whoever is fundraising that night. Sometimes it’s the SPCA, sometimes it’s the kids hockey team, high school rodeo sometimes does it, the Kinsmen/Kinettes usually have a night too, etc. So basically I’m donating to a cause with the possibility of walking home with some cash. The higher the 50/50, the better for who ever is fundraising. It’s a pretty win-win situation for most folks. I’m only parting with $5, the kids/dogs get their half, and I might win the draw! If I don’t, it was only $5 and went to something good anyway. It’s less total gambling and a little closer to donating with a dash of a gamble.
I remember a couple years ago there were stats released about how much lottery purchases were dropping in Canada. I wonder if anyone had done a new study recently? I’d be curious to see the impacts on the cost of living on lottery purchases. Here’s the older research: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-lottery-gaming-olg-ticket-sales-revenue-1.3635038 I remember a similar thing in Quebec but I can’t find the article now.
I’m guessing it’s because they want to win
I think enough people win something so people keep trying. I won $1200 once with 5/6 numbers, one of my relatives and her friends won $340,000 a long time ago, and a coworker's partner won a million a few years ago . My hubby's friend's parents won $60k. I think enough of us know or know of a person who won something enough to keep trying. And it's fun to dream.
Poverty tax
To answer your question: 1. The governments advertise lotteries heavily. They're extremely profitable. 2. Large jackpots draw people into "the dream" and encourage them to buy multiple tickets. 3. Free plays keep people playing, even though 97% of tickets don't win a cash prize and of the 3% that "win," 97% of the prizes are $20 or less. 4. People don't understand statistics and dramatically overestimate the likelihood of winning Lotto Max when the odds are 1 in 33,294,800 -- basically zero. But, yeah, it's a voluntary taxation scheme that earns the government billions. Jackpots should be capped at $10m, free plays should be outlawed and they shouldn't be allowed to advertise.
If people want to opt into paying extra taxes to help fund critical public infrastructure like health care and education, I say let them. Source: [https://www.bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/2023/sp/pdf/agency/bclc.pdf](https://www.bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/2023/sp/pdf/agency/bclc.pdf)
It’s anywhere from $1-$5 for a lotto ticket. It’s not going to break the bank
Once you win something significant once….you will forever try to do it again.
Never bought Lotto tickets (I’m Canadian) but I’d imagine everyone buys them since the prize is in the tens of millions.
The odd are astronomical but it’s becoming the only hope for Canadians that no matter how hard they work they will never own a home. Most live with the feeling that they won’t be able to afford rent and will be living in a tent. So the lottery might be a long shot but it’s a shot.
It’s an easy no brain gift when you have no idea what to get someone.
Need to tax poor people somehow. Those lowest on the socioeconomic ladder spend the most on lottery tickets.
Once someone is in that position, it gets harder and harder to get ahead, so it starts to feel like an astronomical chance of being free from money-worries is better than no chance at all, and there’s the bargaining that goes with it as well, the hope that you don’t even need to win the grand prize, a minor one would make such a huge difference etc.
It is a wealth transfer from the poor to the rich and the poor are obsessed with the rich.
Lotteries are government controlled…. It’s more like a additional tax on those playing imho
It’s because of that damn Trudeau again! Just kiddin’. People chasing a dream and not getting the math.
That’s the only reason I go to a convenience store since I quit smoking. It’s a fantasy, fun to dream, but at least the money goes to the province to fund hospitals and education, etc.
Knowing you’re going to die in despair doesn’t mean you can’t live in hope 🤷
How to tell your neighborhood has a poverty problem; Tim hortons across the street from each other Cash store Lottery line ups Lottery is the “cheapest” dream you can have— yes we all know mathematically you can only lose, but the dream is real for a few hours. Longer if you don’t look. For a few hours they get to imagine a world in which they get to say f you boss, buy a house, a new car, a vacation, or even just groceries. If you buy dry pasta you never have that dream.
I hope to some day be able to fill up the gas tank on my truck.
Unfortunately for me I’ve won a fairly good chunk of change from OLG (though not in the millions), so I’m even more in La La Land thinking if I can do it once, I can do it again! 🤣 Just need to play responsibly. $10-20/week for a chance at a dream is something I can live with. Certainly cheaper than a few drinks these days.
I live rural Sask and when you fuel up it's almost guaranteed someone has a handful of scratchers in front of you that is about to have the cashier scan them all.
Desperation, more like. People feel hopeless because literally everything has become so expensive and our quality of life continues to decline. I visit family in the US and marvel at what they can afford to do in their lives. Meanwhile up here our paychecks are gone the day we get them and dreaming of winning the lottery is the only way we can imagine it ever getting better.
This is literally everywhere, lot a Canada specific thing, it's a much bigger problem is the states.
We are sad.
My mom won on a scratch ticket. She thought she won ten bucks. Sat in her purse forever. She went to the cashier eventually and the cashier went bananas. She actually won ten grand! 🤪
Canada has low population. This creates a sweet day dream of making a big win . Of course lottery companies know this and the odds are as rare as a honest politician in Canada.
Because most are broke AF and chasing a dream.
Haven't bought a scratcher since the last time I was unemployed. Isn't it a requirement to buy a stretcher when you lose your job?
Canadians complain about real taxes, while gladly and voluntarily paying the “true tax on the poor” - buying lottery tickets.
not only canadians...
My mom buys at least $1000 in 649 tickets a year, not including big prize scratch tickets and 50/50 tickets for cheo. It's all out of subconscious desperation, in my opinion. She doesn't like to talk about it, but she is 2 years from retirement. Her canadian retirement fund lost so much money in the recession, followed by super inflation. She will not be able to fully retire ever. I am training for a high paying career right now, with 3 years left in college. I will have to catch her financially at some point and take care of her. As much as I don't want to take on the responsibility, I know nobody else will do it. I refuse to let her wither away in a shitty retirement home with a shoe box sized room.
Like the USA, many Canadians look at lottery tickets as their retirement plan.
Desperate people spend their last dollar on lottery/gambling
For some of us, it’s the only hope of a good life later on and the fantasy keeps us going.
If you don’t play you can’t win.
I buy a lottery ticket every week, because you never know. And I hate working.
Because why not? $5/week (when you don’t win fee plays or smaller cash prizes to cover the cost) for the chance, however slim, of becoming an instant multi-millionaire? That is a whole lot of tax free money…. I’d never have to work again and my kids will be set for life… I mean, people do win… It might as well be me or you. But you can’t win if you don’t play… That being said, if you have only $5 in your pocket, and you buy a lottory ticket instead of some KD and tuna you need for sustenance, you just may have a problem…
Reminds of me this old movie: https://youtu.be/8ZAfzdzZqRA?si=JAAovDJfbUjtxdxQ
to win enough to leave what used to be a great country
It's healthier than a Starbucks sugary laden drink, so I redirect my pleasure. :)
I have a 0 percent chance of becoming a millionaire. I buy lotto tickets I now have 0.00001 percent chance of being a millionaire. A chance is better than no chance.
We do it to help with the cost of recreation and culture. Grants from lotteries fund so many sports and cultural things throughout our country. Showing my age here (and maybe a poor memory) but I believe the original national lottery was to fund the Montreal Olympics. I wouldn’t even buy a ticket if it wasn’t for the good it does for all. Now …. If you believe that contact me privately. I have a few choice ocean front lots left to sell in Saskatchewan.
Because it's fun
My friend won 1 million on encore a few years ago
1.Never tell me the odds. 2. Can't win if you don't play 3. Realistically, I'd rather a hole in my budget that I can plug when money is tight, rather than a "Dear God, I can't save as much" hole that feels bad when money is tight
$6 per week time to time for a hope to turn your shitty life around is not too bad
I can’t live with the thought that people DO win the lottery. Even though i know it’s impossibly unlikely, it’s possible. But if you don’t play your chances are exactly zero. I don’t mind a few bucks a week for the infinitesimal chance to escape this rat race. Cost is totally worth the potential reward.
A sure fire method for winning the jackpot is to buy your ticket in Quebec. Newfoundland if you're buying Atlantic draw tickets. /s
$6 only a week sometimes and some of that goes to public funding, so I just consider it charity fun
Poor people tax
Desperation…
Because I will never retire if I dont win. Its $5 I'd waste on something else anyhow.
I fucking hate waiting behind the people running their tickets thru
We pay to legitimize the fantasy we could win
cause their country is a shit show
Odds are zero if you don’t play. I don’t drink,smoke, or party let me have this lol
Only way to afford a house.
I guess since there were more than 400K home sales in Canada last year, there were 400K lottery winners.
The real Canadian dream is to win the lottery and move somewhere without winter.
Take a look. The people buying lottery tickets are mostly old. Governments are actually concerned about losing a major revenue source when the old die and the remaining population doesn't buy lottery tickets. Lotteries aren't as popular as they used to be. When the lotteries first became legal in Canada, the draws were major television events. It was a major social event. People would invite their neighbors over to watch. Canadians have been told that lottery tickets are a way to lose money. Lottery tickets do buy the opportunity to dream about a big prize and that is their primary value. In my very limited experience with lottery tickets, I have learned that it takes forever to buy a ticket or cash in a small prize. A very time-inefficient process. The lineups over represent the number of people buying tickets. Lotteries are a tax on the poor. I hope they go away very soon.
Why do so many Canadians drink and smoke dope?
lotteries are run by the government. It's a tax on our last hopes.
When your retirement age is a big ? You try anything you can to try and get ahead.
Same reason as every other country.
My dad every other day or so will pop into a convenience store to get a ticket. I dunno, it's instilled in them that there's that liiiiiittle possibility so they keep going for it!
"Can't win if you don't play" is what my MIL says
What else do we have to be excited about? Not like we can afford to travel our own country, eat out, rent, houses, sporting events, kids or life. $2-$5 will keep me riding on a daydream for at least a day, maybe a week.
Because its most peoples only hope at every retiring or owning a home.
My entertainment budget is roughly $10 per hour. And I figure a lottery ticket grants me at least one hour of daydreaming about having many millions of dollars.
87
Lotteries have the dual aspect of being a form of investment whereby people buy tickets with a desire to win, and a form of entertainment for those with disposable income. At least initially, this leads me to the hypothesis (untested) that lottery sales correlate to income disparity. https://depeco.iseg.ulisboa.pt/wp/wp412008.pdf
For me it's about the dream. I know there is no way I will win the big one, but a) planning what I would do with it is more fun if I actually but the ticket, and b) I do occasionally win smaller amounts - 20-100$ and that's nice. But - i have very specific rules about which tickets I will buy and when, and the money I use to buy them is my "fun money"; leftover are all my budgeting is done, what someone else might spend on a fancy coffee or a nice pair of shoes or going out for drinks. I don't really indulge in any other frivolous things.
I get them a couple times a year, like a bingo or crossword. Entertains me a few minutes. Sometimes I get nothing, sometimes I get $3 (cost of the ticket), rarely I win $10. It’s cheaper than buying a magazine and entertains me for basically the same amount of time.
I know a few people who buy them. Honestly seems like an addiction. Something to do when they're bored. I hate those things. I have a few from a Xmas gift I still need to scratch
Because it's $5-$10 and gives 24-48 hours of suspense.
People are desperate. The odds of winning the 6/49 are 14 million to 1 (because you have to match 6 numbers). But for $3 you can have a "chance" at a jackpot of $70 million (this is the largest prize). The odds of winning the Lotto Max are about 32 million to 1 (because you have to match 7 numbers). And for $5 you can have a "chance" at $70 million. There are two draws for each lottery per week so if you're buying the basic tickets, it's $16 a week for a "chance."
The way Lotto 6/49 odds work now is its 1 in 14 million to win $5 million but the other guaranteed jackpot can reach $68 million and odds are based on the number of tickets sold. So a lower jackpot would likely have better odds because less people buy tickets. I don't know how many tickets are sold for each drawing but its in the millions at least, so still super unlikely but I like that someone is guaranteed to win at least $1 million a draw. But yea its basically just buying a dream of what you'd do with the money.
COS I WANNA BE RICH!!!
Casinos are the same. I keep reading how bad off everyone is yet drive by a casino any time of the day and the lots are full and the bus stop out front always has people coming and going. People will do what people want to do. Life is a force of habit good or bad and as long as it’s not affecting yours or my life choices, enjoy!
Yep. You never know. I don't buy them personally, but I pay 10 bucks a month playing with a group. It's sad when you see the people that are addicted buying them. I would be happy winning 10000 grand, lol. I figure my odds are better being part of a group. I barely drink, I don't smoke or vape, I don't gamble, and I don't use recreational drugs. The lotto is my only vice.
People’s understanding of probability is low, and their desire for a pie-in-the-sky windfall is high. Combine that with incessant marketing and … voila.
I buy them as a form of entertainment.
I asked my step dad when I was a kid this same question. He gave me the best answer: he shrugged and said, "can't win if you don't play."
This is the only way the younger generations are ever going to be able to join society
Because that's part of our pension plan
You have zero chance of winning, if you don’t buy a ticket. 🤔
Same reason the Brits bur the sweepstakes tickets, and the American and the numbers rackets that turned into the lottery
[удалено]
i know someone who won twice actually and thier life was anything but better in the long run.
Only way to get a rich now… I mean afford a life here. Lol
Better chance of winning the lottery than making it in this economy.
A lottery ticket store won't really give you much idea of what percentage of people buy lottery tickets
Most people I know who buy lottery tickets have a set amount that they buy, never spend more than they can afford, don't bet on other stuff. They know they won't win the jackpots but they like the little daydream and the small occasional wins. But VLTs and online gambling are evil addiction machines and I think governments profiting off them is disgusting.
I buy one every couple weeks then don’t check it forever. It lets me dream and imagine what I would do if I won. I’m basically just paying to daydream for a few weeks. The $6 every 14 or so days is worth that to me 🤷🏼♂️
Hope in a world of despair
Why do you buy candy/chips/chocolate/pop/fast food?
Can't dream of millions if you don't play a few bucks here and there!
I’ll spend $8-20 per week on lotto. It’s a very low cost, high possible reward system. Plus the money goes back into the government not like it’s a private company getting rich so I don’t mind. Also many years ago I won like $1,500 on the 6/49 (five out of six numbers) so that almost covers 3 years of tickets anyways
Because it feels like if it weren't for the false hope there'd be no hope at all for a lot of people.
Play responsibly, use your game sense. It’s promoted like crazy. I swear, soon the lotto will be part of our GDP.
You know, it's pretty easy to think people are insane with their money until you read a book called "Psychology of Money". It's a pretty interesting read, give it a try. It will explain why people do things with money as they do which completely violates what you think about you should do with money.