In
case you've forgotten or are new to the game, modern day lotteries
are designed as a form of income for governments. They are
an alternative to raising taxes. This non-tax income is usually
earmarked for a noble cause. Arts,Culture and National Heritage,
Charities and Sport and Recreation are earmarked.
Lotteries
are advertised as a form of entertainment, but we all know
what prompts players. It's not the enjoyment of paying a few
rand and trying to guess which number combination is going
to be drawn next. "And, if I don't guess the right number
combination, well, at least I've helped the government." If
that was the case, then there are a lot of players out there
who have gone broke being humanitarians.
No.
Players are there because of the enticement of becoming rich.
As a matter of fact, many of these players see the lottery
as possibly their only chance of ever getting rich. This becomes
even more evident when a lottery "rolls over" causing the
grand prize amount to become very high. Lottery lines become
very long and lottery business booms. Even those who don't
usually play jump into the game. Greed, then, is the underlying
issue. Greed is what prompts the players and advertisements
for the lottery play on this same greed.
The
basic concept works well for all parties concerned. Politicians
aren't forced into raising taxes, making them look bad. They
raise the money they need, and some people do become rich.
The others who supported this concept become humanitarians.
Well, at least they had a chance of becoming rich. How many
of them had a good appreciation of just how much of a chance,
or how little a chance, they actually had of becoming grand
prize winners?
By
design, the government cannot lose money on the lottery. First
of all, they don't have to play the odds. You do. As a matter
of fact, they don't even play! Next, the pay out, no matter
what the game, is designed to give them a profit. Of course,
that was the whole purpose in the very beginning. Everyone
puts their money into one pot. The government takes their
share (usually half). They didn't need to play the odds or
win. They've already won. The drawing takes place and those
with winning tickets share the money that is left in the pot.
It is impossible for the players, the ones at risk, to recoup
their money. Half of it is already gone! One, or maybe a few,
become grand prize winners and the rest the losers. There
are also a number of lower tier winners. Enough to keep the
game interesting.
The
foremost requirement for a game of chance is that no one knows
the outcome before it happens. Lotteries and manufacturers
of lottery products go to much expense and great detail to
guarantee that the outcome of a lottery game is the result
of pure chance. Other procedures make it impossible for someone
to buy a lottery ticket after the drawing, thus ensuring themselves
of becoming a grand prize winner. For our purposes, we have
no doubt that the lotteries do everything they're supposed
to, therefore, giving us purely random drawings. They depend
on it. If, for any reason, there were any doubt about the
integrity of the lottery no one would play the game. We depend
on purely random drawings to know that we have as much a chance
of winning as anyone else.
Like
any other game of chance, the odds do prevail when it comes
to the lottery. And, just like any other game of chance, knowing
and playing the odds can make you a much better player. Players
can take a cue from casino owners who know and play the odds.
They know that over a period of time they will win more than
they will lose. They know that one particular roll of the
dice or one particular spin of the roulette wheel does not
make a difference. Consistency is the name of the game. The
calculated odds are in their favor and they know that over
a period of time the odds will prevail. If someone didn't
win something every once in a while no one would play. As
with the lottery, winners are good for business, but, they
are the exception and not the rule.
By
design, all winners of the lottery are recipients of blind
luck, regardless of how smart they were playing. Because the
odds will never be in your favor, no matter what, it is still
going to take a certain amount of luck to win. The best that
you can do, then, is to better position yourself for luck
to strike. It is for this reason alone that you should play
responsibly. Do not risk the house, the wife, or the kids
for a better chance of winning the lottery!
When
it comes to playing the lottery, the odds are totally against
the players. To have a better than average chance of winning,
you must make an effort to know and play the odds. There is
no way of turning the odds in your favor. That will not happen.
However, with some sacrifice, you can use the odds to your
benefit.
For
those who would like to take a more scientific approach, take
a look at BEAT THE ODDS.
