Global Q&A: ‘Do you ever play the lottery?’

Lima, Peru

Martha Hernandez, 57, Foreign Trade

No, I have never played the lottery, and I will never do it. I consider that money should not come so easily; money must be the fruit of our efforts, because only then do you give value to your efforts. I do not like easy money. Since I was a girl, when they gave me a tip I immediately thought that I should pay for it by doing a chore. So I do not approve that people ask for money if they can work for it.

Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.

Bernice Fruz, 36, Operations Office Manager

I do! I play the midday numbers and the evening numbers. One of our sales people plays the quick picks for us while he’s out. Of course it would be the one-day I don’t play that my numbers would hit! One day we’ll hit it.

Cartagena, Colombia

Jose Castillo Perez, 39, Software Engineer

Yes, I do it only when I go to my hometown. My aim is to help lottery sales people and the people who sell other types of chance games. By custom, tradition, or idiosyncrasy in small towns, people think that they can resolve their economic problems by playing daily. … This is a popular and amusing discussion among friends and relatives; upon almost winning the lottery, people dream what they would do with the money, motivating them to continue playing. In particular, I know that the chances of winning the lottery are quite remote and because of this, I play infrequently.

Bucharest Romania

Alina Dobrin, 33, Cashier

Yes, I usually play, but I am not very lucky. I play as I wish to buy a house for myself and my family.

Madrid, Spain

Inmaculada, 53, Executive Secretary

Yes, I do play lottery though I’m not doing it thinking about winning the prize. I do play basically because it’s a cultural custom for me, but that said, the fact is, that I do not play constantly. Usually when I do it, the reason is some kind of promise I make to my friends, colleagues, or family, like for example around Christmas time.

Sofia, Bulgaria

Boian Vuchev, 31, Logistics Expert

I play the lottery very rarely because I don’t believe in this luck. I think the chances of winning are too small with the lottery, and I am not a lucky guy anyway. Plus, the lottery is gambling in my opinion, and it makes people part with their money, rather than win.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Andy Lamb, 45, Workshop Manager

I don’t play the lottery because I am new to the country, and I don’t understand the laws and the running of it.

Alexander Headlands, Australia

21, Chef and Student of Mandarin Chinese

I play the lottery every time there’s a big game, but it’s more in a pool with family and friends than anything else. It would be nice to win to share with the family and friends, but that’s about it. I don’t play little cards, and I don’t play little trinkets. You’ve got to be in it to win it really, don’t you?

Puerto Montt, Chile

Borris Salazar Villablanca, 27, Pharmacy Assistant

Yes, yes, I’ve played lottery sometimes, especially when there is a big prize. It’s not that I’m fond of this kind of thing, or that I may be very interested in getting easy money. The real reason for wishing to win a big money prize is that I would like to have the chance to make my dreams come true—like traveling all over the world, being able to buy those things that I like, but can’t afford, or to be able to give nice presents to those people who are close to me, like my family or good friends. This is why I think I have played on special occasions and not frequently.

Wellington, New Zealand

Erol Bearsley, 40, Service Leader

Yep, usually. I don’t know why—just a habit now as much as anything else. I think I’ve got as much chance [of winning] as anyone else.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Fernanda Barbosa, 22, Graphic Design Student

I never play the lottery. I do not think I could win, because the odds are minimal, so I never play.