Winning The Lottery

[Graudian]

I have won money on the lottery for the last three weeks.
Not life changing amounts but I wondered if I should quit while
I ahead or keep buying tickets in the knowledge that nothing lasts?

[Tilly2]

You know that you will keep buying them, don't you, Graudian? They are addictive.

[Graudian]

Very true Tilly but what are the odds?

[tonyav]

Give it a bit longer, Graudian. Could be leading up to the big one !.

[Buenchico]

Oh, so it's you that keeps getting all the money that I should have won then, is it, Graudian? (I do the same line every Sat & Wed and I've not had any wins for about a year and a half).

Why is it that, despite knowing that the odds are always the same (and, indeed, having taught probability at A-level) I can't stop thinking that "I'm due for a win"?

I'll keep doing it - and I bet that you will too (although, with my luck when it comes to betting, that probably doesn't count for much anyway!).

;-)

[Graudian]

The irony is that I used the lucky dip selection!

[tonyav]

I always use the (un)lucky dip method !.

[Ken4155]

My mother passed away on March 16th 2012 so my daughter and i do the numbers 3-12-16 on the Spanish Lottery with Betfred; she with the bonus ball included, me without. We used to do the English but new rules came into force making it illegal for Betfred to use the English numbers. Anyway, after 3 years and 6 months, 3, 12 and 16 came out tonight so my daughter and i are each £570 richer. Which is nice:-)

[Cloverjo]

I think you should quit while you're ahead. The odds are terrible, you've been lucky so far. I used to spend silly amounts on lots of lines every week, some of which had "meaningful numbers" thinking they're bound to come up if the gods or fairies or whatever are looking favourably on me, but not much ever came of it.
I work with a man who won a considerable amount a few years ago. He still goes to the same shop at exactly the same time that he did for his winning ticket, in order to replicate the winning situation. He hasn't won a bean since, but keeps doing it.

[janbee]

If you can afford to have the odd little flutter , then what's the harm in buying a ticket now and again. I gave up the lottery when the price doubled. I now stick to my Premium Bonds and usually have a nice little win every month and still have my initial outlay. Good luck for the future Graud. Don't forget, if you win the biggie, the drinks are on you.

[secsee1]

Good luck on your wins but I for one am stopping doing the lottery when they add another 10 numbers, at the moment the odds of winning the jackpot are 14 million to one after the extra numbers the odds will be 47 million to one, do Camelot think we are stupid ?

[Ken4155]

^^

secsee1; "Do Camelot think we're stupid?" Very probably. After all, many were stupid enough to carry on playing when they doubled the price. What Camelot are certain of is thousands - if not millions - of people play the lotto using birthdays, anniversaries, house numbers, etc and many of those people will be very, very reluctant to cease playing. Many will feel that the week after they have stopped, their numbers will be drawn. And, of course, they would have to avoid seeing the results of the twice weekly draws, which may not be as easy as it sounds.
As in all forms of gambling, if you are sensible and it doesn't impact on your everyday life and well-being, where's the harm?

[Peter Pedant]

quite whilst you are ahead

The odds of winning in the future do NOT depend on what you have won in the past ( = maturity of chances) and so you can go on playing

the odds are no differrrrrrrent to what they were

[Peter Pedant]

// dreamt i won 4 million wrote down the number when i woke up, erm still waiting//

I had exactly the same - but were they the same numbers ?

and nothing happened - typical Freud wish fulfillment I am afraid