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I vaguely recall turning 18 or 19 or whatever it was in Illinois where you could legally buy a scratchoff thing at a gas station. I lost. Or maybe got a dollar. I honestly don't remember. That was 14 years ago, and I've had zero interest since then.

The past few months I work very late and have a wacky sleep and eating schedule, so I generally go into the bodega/deli a block from my house and get a sub at 4 or 5 in the morning before I go to bed. The guys who run it are good dudes, and often tease me that I never buy the scratcher things. Last night, I was in a good mood and I finally said "Oh shut up give me the Monopoly one". 10 dollar thing. I never win anything gambling. Bam, fifty bucks on the last number.

Tonight I went back to get my usual sub, knowing full well they'd guilt me into another - especially since I split the 40 bucks with 'em (they make great 5am subs). So I bought one, said it was the last one I'd ever buy. And it hits for 100.

Sub guys are happy. I am happy. Gambling is fun. I'm never buying another scratcher ticket. Until at least next week.

I have a friend that's a bartender as well, he makes a thousand or so a month on scratch tickets. He became good friends with the bodega guys and they tell him which cards haven't won much that day, he plays about $50 worth a day on only those decks, and he makes some cash. Gives a little back to the bodega guys on the big tickets.

One of my brother's friends got fired from a convenience store because late at night when nobody was there he would scan the roll of tickets until he found a winner and then just keep track of where it was. When it got close he would buy the tickets he needed to get that one himself or if it was close in the beginning he would just buy until he got to it. If you only have to buy $5 in tickets to win $100 then why not? I guess they eventually checked the security tapes for something else and saw what he was doing. They didn't care for it and he got canned.

My brother's friends growing up were not exactly upstanding young citizens. The lottery ticket scheme was probably the closest thing they did to being legit. Others liked to break into cars and such.

I think that is not only a fireable offense, but also illegal.

The store probably found out and didn't turn it over to the lottery/authorities because they would have prosecuted and brought bad publicity to the store.

You think the lottery would only allow one winning scan. Take a picture of the second scanner. End of problem.

Joe Shlabotnik wrote:You think the lottery would only allow one winning scan. Take a picture of the second scanner. End of problem.

Take a picture of the first scanner, but yeah. You wouldn't think it would be allowed.