Happy Birthday Lottery!

This week marks the 15th anniversary of the British National Lottery. While many people may brand the lottery as being ‘immoral’, there is no doubt that it had changed the lives of thousands of people.

While it is true that the odds of winning the lottery are probably less than being killed by a falling fridge; many people have won and it had changed their lives. For the people who have participated but haven’t won, you can sleep happily knowing that you have contributed to charity as for every British pound sterling that is spent on the lottery, 28 pence is sent to charity. Twenty eight pence may not seem like a lot, but with the millions of people who play the game every Saturday and Wednesday, that soon adds up and in 2007 it was announced that £20 billion ($39.2 billion) had been raised for ‘good causes’.

Unfortunately for some, many cash prizes in excess of £1 million have gone unclaimed. Prizes from the lottery have to be claimed within 180 days and if they aren’t, the money is given to charity. To date, a staggering £9, 476, 995 was left unclaimed in 2006 and this ticket was the 24th prize in excess. No doubt that with the global economic crisis, this won’t be happening again any time soon!

However, not everyone had benefited from the lottery, even the winners. When a person wins a fortune, they are often sent to a psychiatrist to help them cope with their new found wealth. Many people have gone totally off the rails and developed severe mental disorders. While this is rare, it has happened and it has sparked debate over the future of the British National Lottery.

Whatever your opinion on the lottery, whether you think it is beneficial or immoral; you cannot deny that it has been a Godsend for underprivileged people but also a personal Hell for a small few who have won the millions.

So happy birthday Lottery, make sure you have a good one.