Anyone Else Stopping Playing?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33148109
I'm cancelling my dd today, I suppose I got caught up in the excitement back in 94 and I have been doing the same numbers ever since but now I have forgotten them and they are adding 10 more numbers making it even more difficult to win so I'm outa here.

[jomifl]

won't the longer odds make it more exciting?

[maggiebee]

You could well be right TTT. Haven't done the Irish Lottery (UK), just know she goes into the bookies every Saturday and places her bet.

[jno]

I did it as part of an office syndicate and we constantly beat the law of averages - 50 tickets, so we should have won something every week, and we didn't even come close. About one three a month, one four a year and one five in eight or so years, which didn't produce a big enough prize to make up for all our losses. When the guy running the syndicate retired, I quit.

We did keep the same numbers throughout, but that makes no difference unless someone's fiddling the machines.

[wendilla]

I just do 1 line on lotto same numbers from the beginning . In all probably about £500 over all the years but I have more luck on this Irish lottery .but I will still play that one line .

[Old_Geezer]

Had the sense always to use a random set of numbers, so no problem missing draws, especially when they decided it'd be more than just Saturday. But I've not played regularly ever since I won on 3 numbers and they refused to pay out, simply because I'd misplaced my ticket for a while (turned out I'd used it as a bookmark in a book I didn't go back to). Their stealing of my winnings lost them an awful lot more in stakes over the years. Now-a-days I only indulge is there is a double rollover, or better, and I happen to notice. If the good Lord is going to let me win may as well make it a good one.

[Old_Geezer]

You never did win £10. If you were lucky you won £9 and had your stake returned.

[agchristie]

It will be interesting to see the number of sales. The Football Pools operated with 58 numbers and had huge jackpots until the Lottery came along and Littlewoods dropped to 49.

I think a helluva lot of people will withdraw now and frankly, who could blame them.

[Tuvok]

I switched to Thunderball when lottery changed to £2 and our syndicate halved the number of lines!

[-SharonA-]

I too have stopped playing. Did the same numbers for years and have not won a bean!

[anotheoldgit]

I also stopped when they doubled the price of a ticket.

Now play the Health Lottery, and have won numerous times all be it, only small amounts.

[Cloverjo]

I gave up a few years ago. The number of lines OH kept putting on was ridiculous. Every time a baby was born in the family, he'd start a new set of lines based on the baby's birthday along with its parents', and any other random number that he felt might be important.
I don't worry about any of our numbers coming up because I just don't look.

[jennyjoan]

I went to a wedding about 6 years ago and there were 200-250 guests. As a little token you know instead of a brazil nut in a net £1 scratch cards were given. Not one won.

[TWR]

Only the Euro now, Branson should have taken it over.

[ummmm]

Whereas Jenny, I put scratchcards into xmas cards and they all won. Only small amounts but winners nonetheless...

[sandyRoe]

I stopped doing the lottery a long while ago. Though I sometimes do a lucky dip on the Euro-lottery when there's been rollovers and a big prize.

[ummmm]

When I split my ex I used to put on his numbers so if he won the jackpot he'd have to share it with me :-)

[Cloverjo]

Haha! Good idea, ummmm!

[ummmm]

I wasn't sure if it was a clever idea or a *** idea :-)

[Hypognosis]

:-) @ummmm

If large numbers of people guve it up, the economy might get a bit of a boost. Instead of creating 52+ multimillionaires per year, who might prefer to not upshift their lifestyle, that money will get spent on other goods/services.

Then again, if players all head to the bookies, the latter will be rubbing their hands with glee at this news.

Speaking of which, I still don't get why so many people make their once-a-year flutter the Grand National, where the odds are, essentially, 1 in however many horses are running. 40? 50? If we cant pick 1 from 40 correctly then why do people think picking 6 from 49 (now 59) is worth a punt every single week?

[ToraToraTora]

yes there is no logic hypo, just forlorn hope I suppose, it is essentially a voluntary tax on the poor.