Lottery Fun at 7-11

[BigBird]

I went into 7-11 today for my slurpee fix, and got stuck behind the Lottery Queen.

LQ get to the till, and pulls four envelopes from her purse. First envelope contains at least five lotto tickets, and she hands them to the cashier to check (we won't mention that the self scanner was RIGHT beside her). The cashier checks them, no winners. LQ then pulls out a $20 bill from the same envelope, and asks the cashier what all her options are for tonight's Lottery 6-49 (Canadian lottery). Turns out she has several options, such as four regular tickets, three tickets with the Bonus "Extra" numbers, etc., etc. LQ hums and haaas, finally makes her choice and cashier rings them up. Those tickets go back in first envelope.

Second envelope comes out. Lather, rinse, repeat with the rest of her envelopes.

A line of customers begins to form behind LQ, so a second cashier comes up, as there are two tills. Problem is, LQ has her stuff spread over the entire till area, so those behind her have to lift their purchases over their heads so the second cashier can see them to ring them in, then dance around LQ to pay. LQ seems oblivious to the situation.

When I finally got by her, LQ was on the third envelope, and I noticed that she had names written on each one, so I'm thinking that maybe she runs the lottery pool(s) at work. Seriously, though, why would she do it for four groups, and why didn't she know what ticket combinations to buy? I think if I was trusting someone to buy my lottery tickets, I'd prefer it was someone who was a bit more "with it."

[Shimatta]

I was buying lottery tickets for our work group one time (only 7 of us) and I got behind this guy. The previous drawing was one of those 300 million. This guy had at least 100 tickets each with multiple numbers and was having the clerk check them (why do I have to get behind these people). I think by the end of it the guy had won $20.00. Point is I think the lottery makes people crazy.

[Bramblerose]

I once heard that lottery is a tax on people who can't do math. Now I think it's a tax on everyone, but the bulk of us pay in time or whatever you want to call that head-shaking amusement induced by people who play it professionally.

Last Weekend's This American Life was teh episode that starts about the lottery.

[candyshopgirl]

See I guess I'm just not normal.I love lottery tickets but I won't cash mine in if there is a line of people behind me. I also don't buy 20 at a time. Some people take lottery too serious.Hell I've seen people spend 200 to 300 dollars at a time on lotto. They think they will hit it big and pay their bills. Why not take that 200 to 300 and pay bills.Anyways I will buy one if I'm gettign gas or at the grocercy store,nothing big a 2.00 one maybe.

[Madhatter_67_85]

Reminds me of a story one of my friends told me about years ago: Lottery just came to Texas and he happened to be unfortunate enough to work at 7-11 at the time. Some guy came in and bought an entire roll of $1 scratch off tickets. I believe he spent in the neighborhood of $2000 for the roll (might be a little off since it has been so many years and I've managed to kill a few brain cells off with alcohol). He said the guy was going on and on about how he was going to win all this money and make several times over his $2000 investment. Anyways dude comes back in the very next day after scratching all those tickets. His total winnings out of that entire roll......$450. Yes it left the guy with a net loss of over $1500. He said the guy was PISSED and ranting about how the system is rigged, it is all a big scam, the government is bullshit, etc. My friend told him well it does state the actual odds of winning on the back of every ticket which aren't exactly good. My friend then asked him if he wanted to buy anymore tickets. The guy told him to F*(K off and stormed out the door.

[QASlave]

You have a better chance of being struck my lightning, 7 TIMES, before winning the lottery once. It is definitely a tax on people who are bad at math. Of course, I will through a few bucks at it if it's at 300 mil. Chances are very slim, but they are zero if you don't buy at least one ticket.

[Peppergirl]

Its been my experience that lottery people are the WORST of the SC's. I'm not sure why.

No offense to anyone who plays lottery, I'm just noting my observations of being stuck behind them in line. They rarely, if EVER, care about a line piling up behind them as they hem-and-haw over their choices.

[depechemodefan]

We get ph. calls at the library every day from several men asking what was the "night" or "day" pick 3 pre-test numbers. Ie, the numbers pulled just to make sure the machine is working. World of ugh. Why can't they just call the number that is provided by the lottery? The guys still have to wait on the phone to get someone to answer (person or machine) the phone and then wait for the results. ugh again.

[Chromatix]

It's like any kind of gambling - on average, the House always wins. Lotteries don't create or even distribute wealth, they concentrate it in the few lucky winners - but the chances of being one of those winners are miniscule.

[Dips]

He said the guy was PISSED and ranting about how the system is rigged

Duh! The system is "rigged" to make money for the government. Why else does he think they even HAVE a lottery?

[rts]

Its been my experience that lottery people are the WORST of the SC's. I'm not sure why.

No offense to anyone who plays lottery, I'm just noting my observations of being stuck behind them in line. They rarely, if EVER, care about a line piling up behind them as they hem-and-haw over their choices.

I know why...they are stupid enough to think that they are going to beat the system and win mucho bucks...stupid and an SC, wonderful combo.

Stupid people play the lottery expecting to win over time...that simple!

[Sarlon]

I play both the scratch lottery and the jackpot...

Total spent in the 6 years the lottery has been out in the State? 3000

Total won in the 6 years the lottery has been out in the State? 4500

You win some you loose some...I call it dumb luck, but I also know that if there is a huge line, I let them go first, its only fair. Or if I know its late (will often buy a ticket or 2 on my way home from my parents house) and I hit it big ($120 on 2 tickets one night) that I don't go to the register and demand they cash my ticket.

Made me sick though when I worked in a gas station, people would win big, and then turn around and spend it on more tickets and get pissy when they don't win anything.

My general rule is simple....anything won over $5 is take and run, anything less I'll buy more tickets. (sometimes just free tickets, or $1 or $2 winnings.)

[prb]

OLG put in those self-check things for a reason.

training in them should be a pre-requisite to buying a 6/49, Ontario 49, Pick 3, Pick 4, Super 7, Lottario or any other electronic lotto ticket.



EDIT: Here's my Lotto SC Sighting at a local Petro-Canada
Woman in line, trying to claim a $1000 prize
CS: Sorry, we can only cash $300 here
SC: But you sell tickets, you can do $999
CS: That's only certain locations, most of the ones in malls can and the one at Zellers at sheridan mall can
SC: So, give me the money and then cash it yourself
CS: You have to cash it (tickets now have to be signed by the buyer)
SC: This is BULLSHIT

I noticed that for a $1000 prize, neither realized that $999 is the in-person limit at some locations, meaning she would have to mail it to Toronto, or go down there herself.

[Plaidman]

Some guy came in and bought an entire roll of $1 scratch off tickets. I believe he spent in the neighborhood of $2000 for the roll.

Dollar tickets come in rolls of 200.
Two dollar tickets come in rolls of 50.
Five Dollar: 50
Ten Dollar: 20
Twenty Dollars: 10.

At least in oregon. I'm not sure how'll 2000 would fit.


But I'm not bitter at the insane amount of SC's lottery has. The hundreds of dollars they spend. The huge stacks they'll bring in that are all losers but what me to check to be sure. Of course none of them have scratch the code off, which is the only thing I need.

Or how slow they hmm and haa as they try to feel the winner.
Or how they demand I give them the winning tickets because we hide them for ourselves.

No. Plaidman is not bitter at all.

[K245five]

I remember working the Lottery machine at a store that I used to work at. Practically everyone who played had way too much money and time on their hands.

We had lots of Elderly people who were retired, had nothing to do, and played the Lottery, burning through their nest eggs at an alarming rate. Also, we had plenty of "White Trash" type people who were too lazy to work, on all kinds of Gov't and State Assistance, and were trying to get rich quick. What sucked about this was that on the rare occasions that these people won $100 or more, they would plow every single dime back into more tickets! My thought was "Man! If you're gonna just throw money away, throw some of it in my direction, as I could surely use it!"

I remember a White Trash woman came in one time who won $160. She put it all back into more tickets. When she was done, she had a stack of tickets about 6 inches thick, consisting of dozens of numbers played about a dozen different ways. I thought it was disgusting.

I don't have anything against anyone who likes to play the Lottery for fun or to try and hit a $300 million jackpot once in a blue moon. But the Lottery can really be a quick, sure fire way to separate a fool from their money for some people.