scratch cards

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2012
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Theres always a chance

this is the interesting psychological aspect of things like scratchcards/the lottery.

i remember hearing somewhere (possibly QI?) that if you were sitting lottery ticket in hand an hour before the draw you were around a thousand times more likely to be dead before the show started than of winning.

and yet the seed of "it might happen" still remains.

i suppose for those who won it did happen, but that's the strange thing about odds, no matter how unlikely it is it's still rationalised as the 2 sided statement of it will happen or it will not.
 
Soldato
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Scratch cards are designed so you win £2 or £5 etc then exchange the winning card for for more cards. I'm usually queuing up behind these types all the time in local shops.
 
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Associate
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6 Oct 2019
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All forms of gambling have a payout percentage. The lottery (and scratch card) is a poor choice for gambling as the payout is only 50%. I.e. for every £100 you spend, the return is £50.

Fruit machines have a payout of around 80% i.e. £100 in, £80 out.

If only it was that easy :D you are talking millions over a set time and that is from a machine/game perspective. You would be very lucky to get £80 back from a £100 session. I don't think it work by person.
 
Associate
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this is the interesting psychological aspect of things like scratchcards/the lottery.

i remember hearing somewhere (possibly QI?) that if you were sitting lottery ticket in hand an hour before the draw you were around a thousand times more likely to be dead before the show started than of winning.

and yet the seed of "it might happen" still remains.

i suppose for those who won it did happen, but that's the strange thing about odds, no matter how unlikely it is it's still rationalised as the 2 sided statement of it will happen or it will not.

Exactly, I know the odds are heavily against people, and if you can accept that I don't see the harm in having the odd bet/lottery ticket.
 
Associate
OP
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2 Jul 2005
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Does knowing how to play a specific fruit change the odds Vs random Joe jumping on and continually hitting spin?

almost all of the slot machines are now server based especially in casinos so payouts can be changed on the whim as they like
 
Caporegime
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Llaneirwg
one of my sons school friends parents won £300k on a scratchcard

my personal trainer at the gym won £500k on a McDonalds monopoly thing from his drinks carton. This was years ago when he was 16, and fortunately bought a house, rented it out, and eventually bought another not far from where I live. When I saw it on rightmove I felt sick. It's very very nice! It's got a massive kitchen with a glass roof, and a double island in the middle. Jealous!

personally the most I've won is £1....which considering the scratchcard cost me £1 I basically got my money back

Imagine getting a break like that at 16
 
Caporegime
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almost all of the slot machines are now server based especially in casinos so payouts can be changed on the whim as they like
I don't actually play them myself, but I would, for some reason trust one with a mechanical based reel rather one with a screen, I know it makes no odds but still.
 
Soldato
Joined
17 Jun 2012
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11,259
Just won the jackpot, only £100 though got £20 on another card also. Nice petrol money. First time the shop had seen anyone winning the jackpot.

20200529-183931.jpg
 
Caporegime
Joined
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Does knowing how to play a specific fruit change the odds Vs random Joe jumping on and continually hitting spin?
I remember in the eally 00s you still had people in arcades who would go around looking at all the machines to see what icons were on the spin reel thing.
there must have been an easy way to spot which ones are close to a payout.

a few times had people walk over to me and tell me what to press if I wanted to win

Imagine getting a break like that at 16

most young lottery winners ended badly though.

I doubt most people are mature enough to realise just how lucky they are and how much money it actually isnt with how they waste it.

think they are set for life then end up with nothing in a few years
 
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