Is Anyone Still Regularly Doing The National Lottery ....

[naomi24]

...since ten more numbers were added, greatly reducing the chances of winning a prize? And does anyone know how the change has affected the (greedy, in my opinion) organisers?

[janbee]

I gave it up ages ago when the price went from £1 to £2.

[jim360]

Looks like we are going to have to wait a few months until we can see what the effect of the new rules is -- in the run-up to the changes, ticket sales increased, possibly because people were determined to win before the changes came into effect.

I've only played twice -- once as a jokey celebration of my 16th, and once when I was bought a ticket as a birthday present a few years later -- and I'm not exactly inspired to play again (even without these changes!).

[ummmm]

My OH still plays 3 lines 3 days a week.

[Baldric]

Packed it in when they doubled the price a while back

[Ken4155]

THE MEMBERS 0F THE SYNDICATE I BEL0NG T0 V0TED T0 CARRY 0N PLAYING UNTIL THE NEW YEAR. WE NEVER W0N MUCH BEF0RE THE INTR0DUCTI0N 0F THE NEW NUMBERS AND SINCE WE HAVE W0N 4 LUCKY DIPS - 0R DIPS AS WE CALL THEM/

UMMMM; 3 DAYS A WEEK? THE NATI0NAL L0TTERY IS 0NLY DRAWN TWICE A WEEK.

[Gromit]

I had always used the same numbers, so when the game changed in October I stopped and haven't played it since.

My guess is the change will be a failure and the number of players will continue to sharply recline.

[Arrods]

We stopped altogether when the latest changes were made - including the syndicate we ran.

[ichkeria]

I haven't bought a ticket since about three weeks after it started
I've never been able to work up the optimistic frame of mind you surely need to be in to think you can win at those sorts of odds

[Ellipsis]

You are 3.22 times less likely to win the jackpot under the new rules, but I think the idea is that you're more likely to win a prize of some description - and, if you do win the jackpot, you're less likely to be sharing it.

Even so, I took the opportunity to stop regularly doing the lottery, and now just have the occasional "lucky" dip ...

[Buenchico]

You're actually more likely to become a millionaire under the new system.

Like most people, I'm still doing it.

[-SharonA-]

I gave it up once I retired. Won peanuts in the past and it seems like money down the drain to me.

[bookbinder]

Not me. I realised a long time ago that I wasn't destined to be lucky at gambling. I did the lottery for its first 18 months or so, but never won anything. Then I persuaded my wife to have a go, and she won £91 almost straight away, but after that we decided that the odds were stacked against us.

[Togo]

I did the same numbers Wed and Sat until they put in the extra numbers. I now do those very same numbers Sat teatime draw in Ladbrokes 49s numbers draw. Saves me a tenner a week. It was like a release clause for me. Anyone who feels trapped into doing a set of six nos. can still do them online or at the bookies for only £1 a pop.

[Prudie]

Gave up the UK one years ago but do the Euro every Friday, 4 lines. You have to be in it to win it.

[Mick-the-Miller]

I think the odds of getting 6 balls went from 14 million to 1 to 45 million to 1 - a bit sneaky if you ask me!

[Cloverjo]

I gave up a few years ago. When each of my partner's grandchildren were born he added a few lines based on combinations of their birthdays and other family members' birthdays. We were spending silly amounts and not winning much, so stopped. I wouldn't be tempted to start again under the new rules.

[tonyav]

Two lines the Saturday draw.

[Tilly2]

Is the Irish Lotto a better bet?

[tonyav]

Supposed to be, Yilly.

[ummmm]

Ken - it might actually be 4 times a week. He plays the lottery and the euromillions but it's all played from the one account.