Lottery

[Fin4God]

Right i'm new on here so don't know if this is meant to be here.

At my work there is a weekly lottery and it has been rollovered for the past few weeks, the total for this coming week is going to be around £1300/$2600. As someone who is saving for university, and the family is struggling for money, is it ok to play. Does it depend what i do with the money, or is it wrong in the first place?

 

[wanderingone]

Right i'm new on here so don't know if this is meant to be here.

At my work there is a weekly lottery and it has been rollovered for the past few weeks, the total for this coming week is going to be around £1300/$2600. As someone who is saving for university, and the family is struggling for money, is it ok to play. Does it depend what i do with the money, or is it wrong in the first place?

If you are looking for specifically Christian input you might want to check out some other areas of CF. I have a personal conviction about gambling, I believe it to be a poor way to be show good stewardship of my resources. I can't say I find any real support scripturally to be completely opposed to every game of chance for every single person.


I guess to me the question to me on things like this are... how much does it cost... if you never win is the money you spend on it money you would have saved to use for more important things, or is it $1 a week you would have spent on newspapers anyway? My husband plays the state lottery-- I have a HUGE issue with it for many reasons. However we each have a certain amount of money that we spend on whatever we want every week. As long as he doesn't spend money outside that on his lottery tickets I don't say anything about it. It's like him not saying anything when I buy more art supplies. Basically he wins enough to pay for his weekly tickets (he only spends $5 a week on the lottery)

and... is your on the job "lottery" legal? Generally gambling isn't legal outside licensed venues. How does this affect your choice?

As for how you spend money if you win it.... that would be your business.. a lot of people who win money can't seem to apply it to existing debts... they blow it because it's "extra" money. I say when you have money your stewardship is required no matter where the money comes from.

 

[The Nihilist]

Spend the dollar or so. Don't be such a girl.

 

[stan1980]

Spend the dollar or so. Don't be such a girl.

He's Scottish, spending a dollar is a big deal to them.

 

[Beanieboy]

I don't mind playing the Canadian 649 because the proceeds go to worthy causes (environment, etc), and it only costs $2.

But if you are asking from a Christian perspective, they might question gambling in principal.

I see gambling to be a problem if you are saving for college, and blowing your savings/rent money/food money on Black Jack.
Other than that, I see it as spending money to go see a movie.

 

[Autumnleaf]

If you have debt or other bills to pay then don't do it. If you don't then spend it as you please.

 

[God-free]

Right i'm new on here so don't know if this is meant to be here.

At my work there is a weekly lottery and it has been rollovered for the past few weeks, the total for this coming week is going to be around £1300/$2600. As someone who is saving for university, and the family is struggling for money, is it ok to play. Does it depend what i do with the money, or is it wrong in the first place?

Eventually, someone is going to win the pot. Your chances are as good as anyone elses. If you win, it's up to you to decide how best to use the money. My advice to you is... don't gamble more than you can afford to lose.

~Barbara

 

[Robbie_James_Francis]

He's Scottish, spending a dollar is a big deal to them.

To be fair, that's a week's wages that side of the border.

 

[wanderingone]

He's Scottish, spending a dollar is a big deal to them.

I virtual slap you in honor of the scottish portion of my dna...

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His location says NY and his flag says scotland ---- members with their flags and locations not matching drive me mad.. not sure why.. it's just a pet peeve.

 

[quatona]

Personally, I don´t like systems the purpose of which is to redestribute the money of a large group to a single person by random.
I´d prefer the opposite development.

 

[Fin4God]

I virtual slap you in honor of the scottish portion of my dna...

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His location says NY and his flag says scotland ---- members with their flags and locations not matching drive me mad.. not sure why.. it's just a pet peeve.

NY stands for North Yorkshire in England not New York, but living in England doesn't stop me being scottish.

 

[wanderingone]

NY stands for North Yorkshire in England not New York, but living in England doesn't stop me being scottish.

Aahhhh.... I see NY and immediately think New York. Yes I know being in England doesn't stop you from being a Scot.

 

[stan1980]

I'm English and I thought he meant New York too!

 

[Illuminatus]

There's a reason lottery tickets are called the "idiot tax". That being said, there's an easy way to determine whether it's worth it or not. Multiply the probability of winning the lottery (eg. 1 in 100) by the value of the pot (in this case, $2600). If that number comes out to more than the cost of the lottery ticket, buy one. If that number is less than the cost of a lottery ticket, it's not worth it.

 

[Verv]

If this is more of a local raffle you do have a greater chance of winning.

I think playing this if it does not truly affect your economic status is fine... It is just a little bit of a game and it is kind of worth it just thinking of what you would do witht he money. It feels good.

 

[mpok1519]

if its just a dollar a week, or every two weeks, thats only 25-50 bucks a year; but, if the total pot is 2600, you at LEAST want 2600-1 odds; if you're paying a dollar to win 2600, and your odds are 5600-1 to win, then no, don't play; that is what as known as getting bad 'pot odds'.

if your chances to win 2600 is 100-1, however, its a GREAT bet.

if you ever gamble, always know the odds.