Seven reasons why people play lotto even though they know they probably won’t win the jackpot

The origins of lotteries

Lotteries have a long history. Research on lotteries has stated that in ancient times lotteries were aimed at raising money for good intentions. Lotteries were also a form of private money making for the participants. A common motivating factor for buying a ticket and attempting to win the lottery is the idea that every player stands a chance. The odds should be in the player’s favour. There is something for every player to enjoy, a reward or a slight chance to win a bigger prize. The main target is of course, the jackpot. Surveys in the United States show that the majority of the United States public do not disapprove lotteries. National lotteries are the most common type of gambling. 

Playing a lottery can be a hobby

The reality is that an individual can play the lottery continuously every day their entire life and never win. That just shows that people are not playing for the reward, but for the feeling of having a chance. The glaring uncertainty of not winning does not stop potential players from lining up at any ticket sales centres. They will purchase a ticket and play their lucky numbers anyway.

One might ask what could be the major pull factor for playing the lottery? For some individuals, its a fantasy of winning. For others, the big win seems to be the only way to get out of their bad financial situation. With your “lucky numbers” and just a dollar bill, you stand a chance to get rich. The recession in different countries and the rise in unemployment, has resulted in a time of severe financial struggle for many people. Playing the lottery may seem like the only way out of a debt, unfavourable job conditions etc. Also, it can be a ticket out of the country and start all over again, somewhere else.

Desperation

Individuals and families whose sole provider lost their job face challenges. Common challenges include unpaid medical bills, foreclosure on their homes or an overdue car note, among others. The unfortunate circumstances become motivating factors. They make the individuals less concerned about the small odds of winning. They play the lotto with the hope that they will win and improve their situation.

The higher the prize pool gets, the more people tend to get involved. There are often people waiting in lines at ticket sales points to buy a ticket in a hurry. The higher, the more the optimism grows. That convinces the previously skeptical individuals to feed into the hype as well. The reason is that they don’t want to miss an opportunity. There are also individual who will join just because they do not wish to miss out on the excitement. 

People get addicted to playing a lottery

The lottery creates two groups of individuals. The first group have all their hopes up and have big plans on how to spend the jackpot. And the second group plays for fun and do not really care if they win or lose. If you are playing in the United States, you can get lottery tickets for as low as a dollar. People are willing to play as often as they can for one dollar because one dollar is not a substantial amount to lose. Cheap cost of the ticket encourages the players to keep trying, again and again. Then the individual falls into a repetitive pattern and forms a habit. Customary lottery players play the same numbers consistently due to their attachment to the numbers.

Due to regular playing, many lottery players grow false sense of confidence. The players have the assumption that they can have some control over the odds for the game and the numbers chosen. However, that pattern of thinking is an illusion because the chances of playing the lotto and winning the jackpot are entirely random. Studies have highlighted several reasons why people go on weekly, daily and monthly to play the lotto when they now they won’t win the jackpot. Over the years the acceptance of the lotto has grown significantly, And even though the chances of winning are slim players will continue to play. I will be mentioning the seven main reasons why people play the lotto even though they know they will not win the jackpot.