Steve Boyle's Blog

Lottery sales up in Michigan despite economy

November 6, 2009 at 04:24 (Research) (economy, lottery, michigan)

Although many people would think that lottery sales would be way down because of the economic recession, WKJB FOX 2 in Detroit, Michigan reported on Monday, November 2nd, that sales have actually went up considerably.

They reported that from October 2008 through September 30, 2009, sales saw a 2 percent increase, totaling over $2.3 billion in total sales.

This is a shocking thing for me to hear. The unemployment rate was the highest that it had been during the course of that year, yet people are still buying lottery tickets.

It’s one thing for the people that bet on sports or play poker because that actually involves knowledge and skill, and although it’s still gambling, it is calculated gambling.

Playing the lottery, however, is a total crapshoot. The odds are completely stacked against you, and you’re basically relying on fate or some sort of miracle to win $10 million from the Mega Millions.

Also for the people that are playing scratch-offs like Chuck Dahlem, the man I interviewed earlier in the semester are relying on the 4:1 odds that are printed on the back of the scratch-off.

There are also the Keno and Racetrax players that are also just picking their birthdays, friend’s birthdays, and other special dates in hopes that they come out on the screen.

But these numbers are picked out from a computer. And in my experience of watching these Keno games, I’m telling you, the computer knows what numbers you pick.