It seems like I have to continue to fight the urge to buy scratch tickets

Reply #18

shyguitar — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 12:39:49 GMT

Hi dk1421,

Congrats on your win of 2 dollars that's good with just 5 dollars spent. I like your playing strategy of not buying scratch tickets if they do not have the exact one you want. Like yourself I also check my state's lottery website to check on the odds of the remaining tickets and to check when the new ones are coming out. I rarely buy scratch tickets from the vending machine. Though the first time I ever used a vending machine I won 100 dollars on a 5 dollar scratch ticket. It seems... [ More ]

Reply #17

JoshUK — Sun, 06 Oct 2013 00:46:32 GMT

I have never been a scratcher guy myself, I think I have only ever bought one in my life but I was thinking maybe if you buy one $10 scratcher but don't sratch it just keep it in your house and only scratch it before it expires.

Then when your in the store you think to yourself no I don't need to buy one I got one at home still

Reply #16

Artist77 — Sat, 05 Oct 2013 12:54:03 GMT

If one is trying to overcome something, they should just stop cold turkey. I think having other goals in life and interests makes buying scratch offs fall to the bottom of your list. Don't make gambling a priority in your life.

Reply #15

Anfang71 — Sat, 05 Oct 2013 04:37:19 GMT

The whole scratch process is just fun. lol Thats a big part of it. More fun than just looking at numbers on a line and hoping they show up.

I believe that is a big part of the addictiveness of scratchers

Reply #14

dk1421 — Sat, 05 Oct 2013 01:37:40 GMT

Hi shyguitar!

I completely understand you! I'm trying to fight my urge to buy scratch-offs too. Ironically, I've walked away the last several times, but tonight, I broke down and bought 3. Granted, it was only $5 worth of tickets (which, of course, means really bad odds) but it was at a store I don't go to often but more people win scratchers there than any other place in town, so I thought I'd go for it.

This is how I'm actually walking away: before I buy PB or MM tickets, I look online a... [ More ]

Reply #13

shyguitar — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 17:54:27 GMT

Hi dr65,

It seems we both agree about the awful odds of winning yet we still play the scratchers. My problem isn't so much with the machines in stores as I tend to buy scratch tickets from clerks. I agree with your assessment of impulse buying feeling like a drug and that's why I try to catch myself when I have those feelings of going wild and buying lots of scratchers. Cutting back on the lottery has made me feel less depressed about losing because my investment isn's as much. I remember yea... [ More ]

Reply #12

maringoman — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 00:19:11 GMT

I sometimes see big boned man and woman together as I am running erands and wonder if they met at a nutrition clinic. More power to them

Reply #11

Artist77 — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 23:56:29 GMT

Same for guys....back at ya...lol I have a neighbor (the hoarder I mentioned before) who is morbidly obese, nutier than a fruitcake, and she has groceries delivered... and I see more bags come in at one time than I have in 3 months. Some guys like that type though.

But I plan to be madeup like her if I win the lottery and have to claim it publicly. It is part of my master Plan! HHHHHHHaaaahahaaa

Reply #10

maringoman — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 21:29:21 GMT

haha is there a culture that prefers big boned women as they like to call themselves

Reply #9

maringoman — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 21:23:46 GMT

Its easy. When I am at the store buying a drink or something else, I usually see the silent look of a person who has just fiinished scratching off their ticket and their eyes darting all over the ticket trying to find a match and the resignation of not finding any. Those instances remind me to keep away from scratchers.

Reply #8

RJOh — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 16:52:03 GMT

Scratch tickets are like big fat women to me, I could walk by them all day and never notice even one unless I thought I was going to get lucky.

Reply #7

dr65 — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 15:55:55 GMT

Professional here..

j/k but serious here now, shyguitar...

You are ahead of the game by knowing what the chances are of winning a big one. The odds are awful. Just

like you said, with 4 - 6 top prizes in one game alone with a ticket printing amounting to 6 - 7 million tickets,

what are the odds? They are TERRIBLE.

Right place, right time for lower tiered prizes always happens for some. You have to be happy with $50, $100,

$500 or $1,000..but that's not happy money...with... [ More ]

Reply #6

shyguitar — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 13:17:08 GMT

Hi maringoman,

How right you are about MA taking our money and not giving anything good in return. Good for you for cutting out scratch tickets, was this a recent thing for you and how were you able to do it

Reply #5

shyguitar — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 13:15:34 GMT

Hi HoLeeKau,

That's great that you don't get tempted when you buy from a clerk. I can understand your dilemna about not having 1 dollar bills when using a vending machine and then feel it just has to be used up due to not being able to get change.

Reply #4

shyguitar — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 13:07:56 GMT

LOL about the cookie aisle. I never play the 1 dollar tickets because the odds are so lousy.

Reply #3

maringoman — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 03:16:55 GMT

The reason why you cannot seem to shake off the scratch ticket habit shyguitar is because you live in MA, the lottery here is the most efficient in the country in taking away your money. I personally have cut off scratch tickets permanently. Good luck

Reply #2

HoLeeKau — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 15:18:48 GMT

They don't tempt me at all when I buy my draw tickets from a clerk. But when I'm at a vending machine, they do call to me.

The problem comes when I don't have $1 dollar bills, and stick in a $5 or heaven forbid a $10. I usually only must-have a couple dollars worth of draw tickets for that night's drawing, then the other $2 or $3 is sitting in the machine and must be used up cuz they don't give change. I SHOULD buy tickets for the other draw game the next night, but sometimes my finger hits a... [ More ]

Reply #1

RedStang — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 14:52:56 GMT

I have the same problem in the cookie aisle. Maybe you should just play 1$ tics so you loss is no big deal or only bring a creditcard.

It seems like I have to continue to fight the urge to buy scratch tickets

shyguitar — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 14:15:14 GMT

Hi everyone,

I was at a convenience store today and bought 2 megamillions tickets with the multiplier for tonights draw. I was looking at all of their scratch tickets and though I didn't buy any it's hard to continue to just walk away when I go into places that sell scratch tickets. I bought one scratch ticket over a week ago and haven't scratched it yet. I've mentioned before that over the last 6 months I've been buying less tickets. My pattern is to buy one scratch ticket and scratch it in... [ More ]