Unveiling Lottery's Secrets

          Many people are fond of betting in lotteries and wishes to win the jackpot prizes. It has been a daily routine of Filipino masses to gamble, most especially in Lotto. Who wouldn't be discouraged to try their luck and win millions and transform their lives? Lottery, according to Merriam Webster dictionary, is drawing of lots in which prizes are distributed to the winners among persons buying a chance. The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is a government agency that raise and provide funds  for health programs, medical assistance and services, and charities of national character. It holds and conducts charity sweepstakes, lotteries, and races. Since lottery is run by PCSO, they use the profit for funding charities and programs and they set the amount of money they return as prizes. Although betting in lottery can have negative effects such as waste of money, it gives out millions as prizes that winners may have and it provides funds for government projects.
          "In September 1979, Batas Pambansa Blg.42 was enacted into law amending the PCSO Charter (RA 1169). The law raised the fund allocation for the agency's Charity Fund from the previous 25% of net sales to 30%, while 55% now went to prizes and the remaining 15% for operations. On top of the 30% share from net receipts, all unclaimed prizes go to the Charity Fund" (Bigger Share for Charity, 2008). The funds go to Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation (PAAF), the Philippine Tuberculosis Society (PTS), the National Federation of Women's clubs, the Association de Damas de Filipinas, the Associate of Manila and the Provinces, the Gota de Leche, and many more which are the beneficiaries of PCSO. They engage in charitable, health work, and work for the improvement of the conditions of the Filipinos most especially the indigents. PCSO's objective is to provide funds for health programs, medical assistance and services and charities. They have developed and established Tuberculosis centers, Cancer and Pain centers, and dialysis centers that provide vital medical assistance. Moreover, lotteries do not only fund government programs but people also win their consolation prizes and the jackpot money which can help them provide their essential needs.
          Despite the fact that lottery is one of the sources of funding government programs, there are lots of negative effects it can have such as waste of money, taxes people, and have a little chance in winning. People that keep on betting everyday waste their money because of the fact that the money they bet contributes to the jackpot money and as the jackpot money swell, the possibility of winning decreases. Furthermore, it is a tax on people most especially the poor. No one would want to live uncomfortably and everyone wants to live luxuriously. " the Lottery is really a hidden and regressive tax on those least able to afford it: "inner-city" ghetto dwellers plus those on Welfare and others of a lower socio-economic status. These are the people who buy Lottery tickets in disproportionate numbers hoping for a lucky bet and a big win to boost them out of poverty" (Nathan Tabor, 2004). If they would stop and calculate how much money they spend on scratch cards and the like, it would be a waste of money since there are other things that are more important to buy rather than bet everyday and get absolutely nothing in return. In addition, the addicting part of lottery is that when people almost got all the numbers correct or when they did not bet at a certain time where their numbers are the winning numbers and the one divulged on TVs. This what keeps them on betting everyday.
          Lottery, compared to a woman, is like a goddess with voluptuous curves, flattering jet black eyes, red pouty lips and fair skinned. People are attracted to it. People are attracted to its prizes. It may have a good effect such as they provide funds for government programs and few lucky people become millionaires and winners of consolation prizes but there are odds in playing the lottery. I believe that lottery is not a good idea at all because it is like one against the world and the chances of winning is like almost nothing at all. It also taxes people without their knowledge. With a chances like that, I must say that it is indeed a waste of money plus the frustration they get when they are an inch close to winning.