Do you gamble to make ends meet? Poll discussion

MSE_Jenny

Poll started 7 June 2011, click here to vote

Do you gamble to make ends meet?

Some people gamble hoping to fulfill dreams of luxurious mansions, flash cars and wild parties on yachts.

Do you regularly gamble as part of your general financial planning (eg, aiming to pay off debt)? If so, what?

Warning! Gambling's not MoneySaving. If you’re worried, see Gamblersanonymous.

No, I don't gamble as part of my financial planning

Yes
(select as many options as apply)

The National Lottery draw
Scratchcards
Horse racing
Dog racing
Other sports betting
Bingo
Online games, eg, casinos, bingo or slot machines
Slot machines
Football pools
Bingo
Poker with friends or at a club
Casino

free4440273

Yes, i spread-bet forex and equities each and every day :cool:

UnluckyT

No, for me.
Um, bit of a sticky one for everyone has a different opinion.

stevemcol

A bit of an odd way to frame the question. 'Do you regularly gamble as part of your general financial planning'

I buy a lottery ticket every week in a sindicate but, like most people, I don't believe I have any realistic chance of a big prize. It's just for fun and that outside chance. Not part of financial planning so answered 'no'.

Also, thanks to this site, I did very nicely out of matched betting, paying for a holiday. It's not gambling though so the answer's still 'no'.

Gordon_the_Moron

No, I buy 2 lottery tickets each draw (£4 per week) and expect to win nothing, if I do its a bonus.

At the start of May I got 5 numbers and won £2319, the one number I got wrong was 49, the number I missed in the draw was 48 .... oh so close!

Paul_Herring

Do you gamble to make ends meet?

I don't gamble as part of my financial planning 799 votes (66 %)
The National Lottery draw 368 votes (30 %)

368 people at the time of posting use 'hoping to win big on the National Lottery' as part of their financial planning??!?!

Or is this a case of 360-odd people who can't read a poll question properly?

jennstar_2

Yes, spread betting, forex, shares, fixed mortgage, variable energy tariffs....

happyinflorida

I am really shocked at just how many are gambling!

I cannot afford to and even if I could, I wouldn't as it's such a waste of money - I'd rather save and buy something nice!

Poosmate

I think I'm so far away from doing this that I actually read the question a different way. My gamble (as part of my financial planning) consists of, "Can I leave off buying cat food this week and buy coffee?" or any other of the more expensive items (washing powder, coffee, 2kg cat food, bulk toilet rolls, etc.).

I have the odd flutter on the Grand National, buy a lottery ticket every now and then (usually as part of a syndicate) but would never ever budget £XX per week or month for gambling as part of my general financial planning.

Maybe one day I will spend £10 a week or month on such but it will be for recreational purposes.

Poo

quickstepqueen

I occassionally have a flutter on the lottery, a scratchcard or a bet on a sports match but if i do it's with money I know I can afford to lose, and I treat it as a bit of fun. If I win it's a wonderful surprise but it worries me that some people do indeed gamble regularly as a means to paying bills. I guess I like that feeling of stability and being in control of what money I have.

I was brought up to each week/month put money aside for all current and future bills (including an emergency fund) so when they come around the money is there. Any money left over after this weekly/monthly process can be split...some saved and a little spent. That way it's fairly unlikely you'll be panicking when a bill comes in. My friend on the other hand was brought to live for today and so spent and treated herself regularly and now is in debt because she's got into this habit.

So, I wonder how these "gamblers" got into the habit of gambling to meet ends meet. I guess it's the psychology behind this that facsinates me. Did they have a lot of unexpected costs (i.e. fridge, washing machine, car all breaking down at once) thereby clearing out their emergency funds and more and then needed some quick cash so had a flutter? Or is it habit, a sense of thrill or being out of control. Interesting and I'm curious to see what others feel.

HappyMJ

I don't gamble to pay off debt. That'll never work. I spend time on free bingo websites to win enough to buy a pint of beer. I spend a lot of time researching matched betting opportunities but again that pays for more beer and similar things never for paying debts off.