Unable to persuade more Arizonans to gamble, the director of the state lottery wants to get Arizonans who do gamble to gamble more. Jeff Hatch-Miller said plans already are under way to get those who might spend just a few bucks a week to plunk down even more money in hopes of scratching it rich or hitting the right combination of numbers to make them instant millionaires. That includes a new scratchers game aimed at the younger crowd. Winners will be able to get not only money but also music downloads.
In other words, Hatch-Miller hopes to further impoverish lottery players for the general good. Maybe he can get the players to put all their money into lottery tickets. Then they can go on welfare when they lose it all.
The lottery is a game that plays on the ignorance of the players (don't they all?). It advertises in such a way as to suggest that it is parimutual gambling, It is not. Every ticket has the same odds of winning regardless of the number sold. Remember the slogan "Somebody has to win." Wrong. Many weeks nobody wins and the jackpot rolls over. But the house collects the bets from that week.
How about this one: "You can't win if you don't play." Yes you can, By not playing, you get to keep your bet in your pocket. If you do play, your odds of winning are spelled out on the ticket. That's the only sure winner.
The lottery, like all gambling, depends on the gullibility of the player, the ignorance of the laws governing the play and the built-in bias in favor of the house. Want to play a game with close-to-even odds? Find a roulette wheel without 0 or 00. Who would operate such a wheel? The house would be on the same level as the players. You can't keep the house open like that.
No, the state wants to get younger and younger players into the game. It is a losing game. You have to close your eyes to the true odds to play. Maybe we can change the law so kids can play. "Why just buy lunch with your lunch money, Johnny? You can take a chance on winning this brand new bike or even this off-roader, or a week at kiddie-land in Las Vegas! You're never too young to gamble your money away.
Next, the state needs to get those old, senile people to gamble. They don't know what they're doing -- Perfect players.
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