Misleading National Lottery advert.

[Deleted User]

Have heard the radio advert, where someone from Camelot/National Lottery rings someone, to tell them they've won five point odd million pounds?

It then encourages the listeners to buy tickets, in order to prevent someone famous (IIRC it was Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, or maybe Katie Price) from winning.

It ends with the plea "Don't let it be him".

That is highly misleading, since, no matter how many tickets are bought, each ticket has exactly the same change of winning.

soolin

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Have heard the radio advert, where National Lottery rings someone, to tell them they've won five point odd million pounds?

It then encourages the listeners to buy tickets, in order to prevent someone famous (IIRC it was Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, or maybe Katie Price) from winning.

It ends with the plea "Don't let it be him".

That is highly misleading, since, no matter how many tickets are bought, each ticket has exactly the same change of winning.

It is the odds themself that change.

If 10,000 people buy tickets then 'they' have a 1 in 10,000 chance of winning, if however 100,000 people buy tickets then the odds are reduced as 'they' have only 1 in 100,000 chance of winning.

Personally I dislike the Madbid adverts.

GreatBeyond

Are you serious?

I can't believe you have managed to get yourself so worked up about about this that it has prompted you to post this.

Do they actually say if you buy a ticket there is less chance of this person winning?

prowla

You're right - the number of tickets you buy cannot influence the winning numbers; therefore, if they've got them then they win, regardless of how many you've bought.

The circumstance where it might is in scratchcards.

GreatBeyond

soolin wrote: »

It is the odds themself that change.

If 10,000 people buy tickets then 'they' have a 1 in 10,000 chance of winning, if however 100,000 people buy tickets then the odds are reduced as 'they' have only 1 in 100,000 chance of winning.

Personally I dislike the Madbid adverts.

I don't think that is the case here, the numbers that come out are not guaranteed to match up with a ticket regardless of how many are purchased, I don't think the odds change regardless of how many people play.

prowla

Ah, correction - aren't they advertising a guaranteed millionaire?
If so, then that must come from the actual bought tickets.

[Deleted User]

GreatBeyond wrote: »

Are you serious?

I can't believe you have managed to get yourself so worked up about about this that it has prompted you to post this.

I could've sworn I posted this on the "Praise, Vent & Warnings" forum. :think:

Do they actually say if you buy a ticket there is less chance of this person winning?

They imply that, by buying tickets, you are helping to prevent LLB, KP, etc. from winning.

[Deleted User]

GreatBeyond wrote: »

I don't think the odds change regardless of how many people play.

You are correct. They don't.

To win the jackpot, you need to match 6 numbers. The odds of doing that, are exactly the same, irrespective of how many tickets are entered for that game.

The only games were the odds vary, are the Euromillions Raffle (for £1m) and the Lotto Raffle (for £1m and £20,000). The five point odd million pound prize, can only come from the regular Lotto/Euromillions games.

prowla wrote: »

You're right - the number of tickets you buy cannot influence the winning numbers; therefore, if they've got them then they win, regardless of how many you've bought.

Correct.

GreatBeyond

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

I could've sworn I posted this on the "Praise, Vent & Warnings" forum. :think:

They imply that, by buying tickets, you are helping to prevent LLB, KP, etc. from winning.

You did, and I can't believe it has wound you up so much you have to vent about it. Or was it warning all those people out there who might buy a lottery ticket purely to prevent Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen from winning?

I haven't heard the advert so there could be more too it but I'm not seeing a direct connection to 'Don't let it be him' and buy a ticket to stop them winning. Surely it could just as easily mean 'it could be anyone, don't let it be him'?

GreatBeyond

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

You are correct. They don't.

To win the jackpot, you need to match 6 numbers. The odds of doing that, are exactly the same, irrespective of how many tickets are entered for that game.

The only games were the odds vary, are the Euromillions Raffle (for £1m) and the Lotto Raffle (for £1m and £20,000). The five point odd million pound prize, can only come from the regular Lotto/Euromillions games.

Correct.

Misread post!

daytona0

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

I could've sworn I posted this on the "Praise, Vent & Warnings" forum. :think:

Indeed! Which is why the user you quoted felt the need to make a 'vent' of their own :rotfl:

They imply that, by buying tickets, you are helping to prevent LLB, KP, etc. from winning.

Well technically the more players, the more diluted the prizes are. That's because many more people will be expected to split the top prize (lottery is a tote pool) AND because they cap it at a maximum rollover amount.

I think the lottery can justify making such a statement, even if it is clearly designed to try and stir up emotions with everyday people! It has an element of truth to it.