Much of what appears in the media in regards to lotteries can be rather negative and unflattering due to the perceived nature of gambling.
But in reality there are many positive aspects of gambling and the lottery that seem to get lost in all the other stuff.
Operators, regulators, suppliers, benefactors, and others who are aligned to the gaming industry all work together to try to provide a positive representation and presentation of lotteries, from who benefits from lottery proceeds, to the community advantages that playing the lottery and those proceeds provide.
Social
For instance, on a social level, lotteries can offer a special bonding experience for employees who band together at work through lottery pools.
Contributing money to the purchase of multiple tickets to hopefully gain an advantage in winning the jackpot brings those who work together, closer together.
There is a common goal that the group, and each individual in the group, is hoping towards; and that is to win the jackpot. Winning and sharing the jackpot provides a common life event that brings those people closer together.
They all may retire, they all may start a business together, but they are all connected no matter what each person does.
Full Transparency
Another way that is used to promote a positive image of the lottery is the publication of the winner’s picture, name, and city.
There is good reason behind this, though most winners will disagree, as they would like to stay anonymous. By advertising the winner, in other words proving that someone actually won, the lottery operator and regulator are showing full transparency in that real people are winning the jackpots.
They are not just saying that somebody won, but they are proving that somebody actually did win. This promotes the honesty and integrity of the lottery.
Real people win. Real people like you. And it translates into an inference that you could win too.
Charities
Lotteries provide funds for benefactors from the voluntary spending of lottery players.
In most cases, simple donations don’t bring in the huge funds for charities to run efficiently for their clients.
But if you offer the chance to win money for buying a ticket with the proceeds going to charity, then the funds flood right in. The charities directly help those in the community who need their services.
With funding from lotteries, charities can maintain a consistent level of service for those in need. And we all know that when something happens to change our lives, we may need to relay on those charities in our moment of crisis.
Community
Lotteries also directly benefit the community and the economy through employment in the gaming industry.
Retailers, auditors, investigators, operators, manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and their associated employees, all benefit from being employed by the gaming industry.
These people ensure the lottery is run honestly, is serviced well so delays and other issues don’t occur, and that both players and benefactors receive their money in a timely fashion.
And they also spend their income within their own communities, boosting their local economy.
Betterment of Others
One of the goals of positive promotion of the lottery is to instill on the public who buy tickets that even if they haven’t won anything in the draw, they have contributed to the betterment of other peoples’ lives.
Just because you didn’t win, doesn’t mean you wasted your money.
It is hard to ignore stories of bad experiences or scandals involving the lottery. But having a good understanding of how lotteries are beneficial to so many people in so many ways means you can contribute to a betterment of people less fortunate or as lucky, and possibly reap some rewards yourself.
Next time you buy a ticket, think of the person at the other end of that purchase who will benefit from your spending.
Lotteries don’t just make millionaires, they make a difference.