I think lottery players can be put into one of several general categories.
A. Don't know anything about the game, don't want to know anything about the game. I just want to win. Here's my dollar! Maybe the computer will give me a winning ticket.
B. I know something about the game, but winning is just luck. I ain't got time to do any analysis. Here' smy buck. Call me if I win.
C.I been playing the lottery for years. I play the same numbers all the time. My numberswill come up one day, before I die, I hope.
D. I know all about the games. The odds are incredible, but this is a fact of life. I pick my own numbers. If I lose, its my fault. Can't blame it on the store keeper.
E. I study each lottery in detail. I keep multiple records and up date them after each drawing. I know the game is random and I won't see anything out of the ordinary. But, some of my records do indicate trends. I have a few 'programs' that help me make my choices. But, in the final analysis, playing the lottery is entertainment, like going to a movie. I can afford to lose a few dollars every week, but I take care of my bills first.
F. I play the lottery regularly. Have tried commercial systems, my own systems and systems that are detailed at Lottery Post and other forums. Everybody seems to have 'the system' that will win the big jackpot. But, the lottery jackpots keep growing, meaning few if any of the 'systems' are good for anything beyond their entertainment value. True, some do produce winning combinations for the lower tier prizes, but even these are few and far between. It's just a game. Maybe I'll find the winning system and be smart enough to play at the right time.
Face it, people who massage the numbers, keep records and do other things to come up with winners probably have more fun than any other player. Again, its just entertainment that could cause one huge change in one's life style, if they are lucky.
Personally, if playing the lottery means going to the store and buying a handfull of quick picks and hope for the best, I think I would try something else. I enjoy keeping statistics, trying to find a way to come up with winning numbers. I've had a few substantial wins, but no jackpots. I know most of the mental energy I spend won't be productive, but, hey, life is short. You never know what will happen next. You just have to be in the game.