Lottery tickets as gifts

**Aleta** · 12-08-2010, 10:20 AM

I personally don't like receiving lottery tickets from people and especially family. About 5 years ago I received some tickets from a familly member in my Christmas card. At first I thought it was cute and then the person who gave them to me called some time later to say she was sorry that I didn't win anything. She must have written all of the numbers down and to who she had given them too.

I see it as manipulative and controlling. If you win, what do they expect? I also have a brother that if I'm with him when he's buying tickets that he offers to buy one for me as well and I refuse. He probably means well but I don't like the obligation. I do things for people when I want to not that I feel cooerced.

Glad that at least you won some money. Better than nothing.

**dfeucht** · 12-08-2010, 10:23 AM

I always figure the point of a gift is to give something to someone that they may enjoy, but may not get for themselves. I think lottery tickets are a perfet example. The $10 buys a chance (albeit a small one) for a nice payoff and a little entertainement. I know from following you here you understand the entertainment value of gambling. Certainly if she gave you $10 you probably would have utilized it differently, but I think that argument could be made for every gift that is given.

**disneysteve** · 12-08-2010, 10:37 AM

Originally posted by Aleta View Post

I see it as manipulative and controlling. If you win, what do they expect?

Exactly. My receptionist said that a couple of years ago, one family member gave all his siblings tickets. One of them won a couple hundred dollars and he was kind of annoyed that the person who won didn't share it with him. But it was a gift. Why would the recipient be expected to share it? If you gave him a box of candy, you wouldn't expect him to give some of it back to you.

Originally posted by dfeucht View Post

I always figure the point of a gift is to give something to someone that they may enjoy, but may not get for themselves. I think lottery tickets are a perfet example. The $10 buys a chance (albeit a small one) for a nice payoff and a little entertainement. I know from following you here you understand the entertainment value of gambling.

Agreed. I don't want to sound ungrateful. This was a totally unexpected gift and I was very thankful to receive it. And yes, I do enjoy gambling. Had I won $1,000/week for life on one of those tickets, I sure wouldn't be complaining. I like dreaming of the big one as much as the next guy.

**GREENBACK** · 12-08-2010, 01:03 PM

I've given lottery tickets as gifts several times. I always include cash thats the equivalent of what I paid for the tickets. By doing this there is no loss. If they win anything it's a bonus. It's suppose to be a fun surprise so not winning is just part of the game of chance you're playing.

**MonkeyMama** · 12-08-2010, 01:20 PM

I am not a fan of lottery tickets as gifts, either. I don't even know what to do with them. Whenever we get any, my dh goes and redeems them somewhere. I've never bough or redeemed a lottery ticket.

If I won big, I wouldn't complain, but what are the odds of that happening??? The most I have ever won was like $1.

**wincrasher** · 12-08-2010, 02:08 PM

You need to look at lottery tickets as an entertainment.

You get them, and you think about what you would do if you won. The anticipation of waiting to see if you won.

You pay $12 to see a movie that lasts an 1 1/2 hours. So what's $10 to see if you won thousands or millions?

**disneysteve** · 12-08-2010, 02:17 PM

Originally posted by wincrasher View Post

You need to look at lottery tickets as an entertainment.

I've posted many times that our casino gambling money is from our entertainment budget. We have fun gambling. We enjoy spending a few hours at a local casino or maybe a weekend in Atlantic City.

**DebbieL** · 12-08-2010, 10:45 PM

I think it is a bit extreme to call giving someone scratch and win tickets as a gift "manipulative". I've stuck them into cards for people (and I've received them as gifts). I think they are a bit of fun, and just a small chance to dream. I would never think of someone giving me a lottery ticket as "manipulative and controlling"??? I have always figured if I did win something on one of them I'd split it with whoever gave it to me (I mean if it was substantial, not say $10). If I buy one for someeone else and they win, they are free to do as they wish with it. No strings attached.

**bjl584** · 12-09-2010, 06:26 AM

Originally posted by disneysteve View Post

I know what we all think of buying lottery tickets for ourselves but this time of year, another phenomenon often comes up. Someone gave me a holiday card today with a gift of 10 instant lottery tickets. I understand the thought and certainly appreciate this person thinking of me, but it rarely works out the way they hope. These 10 tickets cost her $10. Two of the ten turned out to be winners for a total of $4. Essentially, she gave me a $4 gift but paid $10 for it. I would have much rather received the $10 she spent on the tickets as I would have made out $6 better that way.

I have gotten lottery tickets as gifts in the past. I don't really mind or think too much about the cost vs. the winnings (if there are any.) It's the thought that counts. Plus, it's fun to scratch them off.

**Mr Nice Guy** · 12-09-2010, 06:31 AM

We always put scratch-offs in our stockings or our Easter baskets. Before anyone scratches their tickets, we figure out who is going to pool their winnings, and who wants to keep their winnings for themselves.

**disneysteve** · 12-09-2010, 06:57 AM

Originally posted by Michigan

I like getting them, but if you gave one to somebody and they won, I'd want to shoot myself. lol

Same here. Imagine giving away a winning ticket. That would hurt for sure.

**MonkeyMama** · 12-09-2010, 09:48 AM

I suppose I am too practical to enjoy, then. All I think is, "what a useless gift." Because I don't imagine I will win anything.

**DebbieL** · 12-09-2010, 12:24 PM

Originally posted by disneysteve View Post

Same here. Imagine giving away a winning ticket. That would hurt for sure.

I wouldn't give one to somebody unless I could feel truly happy to see them win. I know that if I were to win a large amount from a lottery ticket someone gave me as a gift, I would definitely share my winnings with them. I don't expect that if I give away a ticket, however, I think the people on my gift list are pretty similar in their thinking to me. I give them to my sister sometimes (and she gives them to me sometimes), and I know for sure she would share with me. She's been sharing and giving to me her whole life (she's my lovely older sister who spoiled me by spending her own allowances on me as a child).

PS - If I ever won a large jackpot (million or more) on any lottery ticket, my plan is to share the money with family/friends anyways. Even if I won something like 100K I'd want to share some with my family, although obviously I would get much more generous as the amounts went up. I win 100K, sister gets 10K, I win 1 million, sister gets 250K (I could afford to give up a larger percentage). All of this is highly unlikely anyways (obviously) - and really I don't even buy a lottery ticket very often.

**DayByDay** · 12-09-2010, 11:15 PM

One time my husband received a gift of lottery tickets from a relative. One of the tickets was a big winner ($5,000 or $20,000, can't remember). It was very exciting until the relative finally told him the lottery tickets were fake. The fine print on the back confirmed it. My husband laughed with everyone else at the joke but, actually, we didn't really think it was all that funny.

Lottery tickets as gifts