Why do so many people hate the lottery?

I probably understand the odds better than anyone on this site and I agree with you. Personally, I never play the lottery, but I don't hate it at all. I'm glad you can afford to spend $208/year on the lottery, knowing that around $104 goes towards schools or other government run operations (assuming that you live in the States). The more money you spend on lottery tickets, the less I have to spend on taxes. I disagree with you on one point, though. $208 is the "right" amount for you, but I don't think you are any smarter than someone who plays $200 per week. Maybe that person can afford to spend $10k per year on lottery tickets. Maybe that money means nothing to them like the $208/year means nothing to you. I also don't think people who can make money in the stock market or in poker are dumb. If they are truly skilled, they will make money in the long run. Just because someone has different goals than you does not mean that he is stupid.

Playing the lottery probably qualifies as stupid because the jackpot lotteries are a pipe dream. Although a few folks have won several jackpots, most players are throwing the money away. On the other hand, an occasional lottery ticket purchase is fast and cheap. Poker isn't fast and probably isn't cheap. There might well be more to the financial life of your friend who 'plays poker for a living' than you're aware of. Not many people play poker for a living, but a lot of people have 'other' sources of income and play poker with the income [and declare themselves professional poker players]. Nobody ever claimed to be a professional lottery player. Not even Hollywood Henderson, who won the Powerball jackpots [at least] twice. There's no shadowy romance in being a pro lottery player, no pick-yourself-up-from-being-a-worthless-… loser. That requires a person to be a pro poker player, a Special Forces veteran of combat, an ex CIA man, A martial arts expert. Selling shoes every day feels better after a night of telling the buddies about being one of those.

There's a better chance I'll be struck by lightening, and even at £200 a year that's depressing, lol. This is why I don't gamble. It reminds me of someone who asks every girl he meets to sleep with him, and about 1 in 50 might say yes. He would get laid 500,000 or so times before he might win the lottery.

Because it completely depends on luck factor.

there not lucky, so all they do is hate !

I hate the lottery because the money goes to the general fund, which in essence is good, but then it doesn't go for the things the lottery says it goes for because now it is in the hands of the governor and the state legislators.. they can then use it for whatever they want and NOT what it was intended for.. I also don't play the lottery for the same reason I don't play slots at a casino... I feel more in control of winning anything in card/table games, I can bluff or bet well with a good hand in poker, I can stay or hit in blackjack, and I can even bet insurance in craps and pai gow. with lottery and slots your fate is handed to you without influence from the decisions you make (except how much you bet and if you pick your own numbers- which is still up to the random draw to match) and without a chance to change your fortune in the middle of the draws.

You trying to equate playing the lottery to your friends playing poker is ludicrous. One has nothing to do with the other except for the fact that in some manner they are both part of gambling. The biggest difference is that someone can become good enough at poker to profit from poker. The fact that none of your friends seem to be good enough to be profitable is also besides the point. Lottery has a 50% take right off the top. In other words, for every $100,000 the lottery companies take in, they only pay out around $50,000! If you compare this to regular casino games, the worst casino game has from a 10 to 15% house advantage. Lottery = 50%! Simply put, playing the lottery is the WORST bet you can ever make! With all that said, I don't see anything wrong with playing a couple bucks a week. The problem with your rant on the subject is the calling of the poker players "stupid". Poker is a MUCH better bet than playing the lottery, even if you're a HORRIBLE player! The only real difference is the amount that they are spending, which granted is probably too much.