Lotto? Why not

This is the summary
Lottery has always been a big box office hit worldwide.
From Europe, North America, Australia. Asia and God
know where else. More so true in the Philippines
and since then it turned a lucky few to be instant
millionaires.

In the Philippines, Lottory Started around 1995
governed and controlled by government agency in order
to raise funds for charity.The PCSO or Philippine
Charity Sweaptakes Office was created and given task as
mandated by law. Historically it seems that lottory
in different forms started way back during Spanish era.

SEE:
http://www.pcso.gov.ph/aboutpcso_site/pcso_history.aspx


But I wasn’t until 1995 that the game lottory became a big
hit compare to previous types of games introduced to the
public. I mean! the pot prizes is crazily huge and growing
from 7 figure to 9 in just a month or two.
A few days ago I bought a lottory ticket. I remember I
friend of mind asking him self a question. When will I
win? A another friend of mine said winning is impossible.
I myself don’t ask such question nor do I think its impossibility.
Coz, I know even in losing I can still make a difference.
So I decided to make a post about it, and see where it goes.

The odds

It’s always been said that the odds of winning is 5,000,000+
to 1, and it get higher as more numbers are added for
selection. With this kind of odds, experts on statistics
believe that a person is more likely be hit by lighting than
winning the lottory.

Philippine Lottory table of Chances

Type of Game odds of winning
6/42 5,000,000+ to 1
6/45 8,000,000+ to 1
6/49 13,000,000+ to 1
Power lotto 34,000,000+ to 1

With these kind of odds its more likely that someone can
throw a rotten egg on the Madam GMA's face a live to tell
to tale.
Discouraging the odds may be, this fact did little to
sway ordinary Filipino lotto patron’s from buying.
I should know coz I’m one of them.
But why?

Surely anyone educated enough would know the odds.
why then? average people like myself takes such odds.
Personally, I don’t know what other people may say, but
for me its a "safe odds". Sure, statistics may say that
it’s more likely a person to be struck by lightning, be in
a road accident, choke on your own food or being abducted by
aliens or something. Taking chances on lottory is something
you can always walk away from, no matter how big the odds
are. And it’s the kind of odds a person choose to have without
sticking head out of a running car.

Honestly I’d rather buy a ticket than a pack of smoke.

I think the real issue is not the odds and probability of
winning. But more on the issue on the "Hope" logic.

But is it really logical putting your chances on something
despite of odds? I’m sure, answer may vary from person
to person.

At any rate here in the Philippines where poverty is at its
all time high.Things like "odds and probability" and even
logic takes a back seat. And in the end it all comes to
"NONE of your Business".
Anyway even if you dont win it always makes a good story.

The "I Almost Won Stories"

Better luck next time " I wonder when? "

Not something to brag about, but I have many experiences in
the Phrase " I almost won "category. The closes was when I
got all correct winning numbers The only problem was they
were all part of different sets of combinations.
wrong side of the Island

Another story was from my very own brother. He got all the
winning numbers "GOOD NEWS" except that he was in the
wrong side of the country.Apparently 6/42 is a regional lottory
divided in two Luzon draw for the Luzon region and viz/min
draw for Visayas and Mendanao regions. The exact Number
combination he bought was drawn in Luzon and his in the
Visayas.
The Particular Day

Another heart warming story was from a humble motorcycle
driver who happen to be a close friend of my brother. Ever
since Lottory began in the Philippines, he always make point
to buy tickets everyday and always the same number
combinations. He kept on buying it everyday for many years.
Until one particular day on one particular year he decided
to skip buying his favorite "lucky combination" just only
for that day.

"Since I’ve been buying this combination for many years,
I think I should skip it for today and buy it tomorrow"
Unfortunately on that particular day he decided to skip, the
number combination he was buying for many years was drawn
and became the winning number combination with a jackpot
prize of more than 50 million.
So, What’s so heart warming about this story?

With all the emotions accumulated its bound to warm a persons
heart in a different way that is,just observe the emo icons.

Oh Crap!

Other than the 4 main lotto game types, there is also minor
type of these is the 4 digit game. Which has a pot prize of
P20,000 per P10 play. This means that anyone can double the
amount of the prize or more depending the amount being paid.
Just so happens that there was this particular friend. Who got
it right, but dealt with it wrongly.

Prior to the eventful saga of his life this particular guy
bought his tickets almost on the daily basis. He also has a
habit of keeping his bought ticket no matter the outcome
(losing tickets).For the reason only he can comprehend.

The day came when he actually won, He was in ecstasy my brother
recalled. He was so happy and told my brother that his patience
payed of, much to my brothers envy. He even show my brother
all the losing tickets he accumulated for many years all having the
same number combination, And true enough my brother said,
He was buying the same number combination.

For some reason only he can comprehend, he started burning the
old tickets. In front of everyone apparently he also accidentally torch
his winning ticket as well.

My brother and company only looked a gasp in disbelief.

That’s life I guess.

To end the post I just what to say to both species of people.
To the Rationalist and statistician or what ever you are.
No matter how big the odds are, someone will always be part
of it.

And for the lotto patrons
Don’t buy lotto unless its for charity.
Don’t make lottory your life’s pursuit.