Playing the lottery is a worthwhile investment.
Not because of the “expected financial return” but because It is a relatively cheap way to maintain some form of hope. For many people realistically achieving complete financial freedom or even generational wealth is simply not feasible. (Even if they saved the extra $5 a week a ticket would cost) Knowing the odds and understanding that it will in 99.99999 percent of the time not pay for itself doesn’t take into account the fact that the thought and hope of a chance at a completely different lifestyle can drastically improve someone’s life.
$5 dollars a week helps me get through 60 hours of work, gives me wonderful things to daydream about, helps me enjoy watching content about cars I will never be able to afford, and gives me 2 times a week during the draw something to get excited about. That’s a better investment than 99% of things I would spend that $5 on otherwise.
For People that don’t feel this way it’s fine, but for those that do. It is a very worthwhile investment.
Edit: A couple of notes. This was apparently indeed an unpopular opinion.
A lot of people seem to have a problem with the word “investment” as for them this is aways means a financial investment with positive expected financial returns. I understand this and should have possibly used another word. but as the very first sentence says I have no EXPECTATIONS of positive financial returns.
Lottery also seems to have multiple different meanings. Where I am from the lottery is the euro jackpot, twice weekly drawn, €10 million- 120€ million ball lottery. Each ticket cost 2€. I have never bought scratch it cards, or similar.
I am talking about people in a financial secure position that can SPARE $5. I work hard, save well, invest a much larger portion of my income than $20 a month. But instead of a Big Mac, or brand name shoes, I buy $5 worth of tickets. If you can’t afford $5 a week on “luxury items” then don’t buy a ticket.
Finally. Maybe I should not of used the word “hope” either. I love my life as is and as I said I am financially in a decent place and well on my way to a comfortable life and even slightly earlier retirement. Even if I saved that $5 a week and invested it I would see a difference of about $20,000 by the time I’m 65. This isn’t an insignificant amount of money, but for me personally it probably won’t change the last 15ish years of my life that much. $50,000,000 would however change my life dramatically, and for longer than 15ish years