[defrost]

I throw ~ $10 a fortnight at the State Lottery with zero expectation of winning (ie. lower than the formal E() chance of winning)

> We're extremely fortunate in Western Australia to have the only lottery in the nation, and one of the few in the world, where all profits are returned back to the community.

In the past year they've taken in a #billion and put out some $323 million in community grants and the rest in prize money.

To be honest, it's a tax I can get behind and it's win-win as it enhances the community I live in of some 2+ million people with the provision of flying doctor services, housing near hospitals for parents with sick kids, annual festival grants, etc.

I even applied for a received a $5,000 grant as a student back in the early 1980s.

[1] https://www.lotterywest.wa.gov.au/grants/our-role-in-the-com...

[lostapathy]

The lottery just an optional tax on people who either like to dream ... or are bad at math :).

[defrost]

I occasionally tag in to check their procedures | results (ongoing math consulting group job) so I know what my chances are and have no serious thought of winning big - I "play" because I can afford it, because I approve of where the money goes, and because between small ongoing "wins" (it does a good trickle payout), past grants, and salary from checking their books it's been an essentially break even venture to date with an outside chance of millions ..

TBH I don't think I'd play any other lottery - this one's pretty much about the proceeds staying local for me.