Gamble Aware
The lottery is an interesting one when it comes to gambling – the odds, prizes, and stakes for most games are geared towards it being a bit of harmless fun for the thrill of being in with a chance to win life-changing prizes. However, as with all kinds of gambling, it can be harmful.
On this page, we'll provide a few quick tips on how to stay in control of your lottery habits, and where to seek help and advice if you or someone you know is having a hard time keeping their play in check.
If you'd prefer to speak to someone right away, the National Gambling Helpline isavailable 24/7 on 0808 8020 133.
Tips for Safe, Fun, & Controlled Lottery Play
- Set a budget! Having a fixed figure in mind or a set play limit if you get your tickets through an app can help you limit your lottery spend. There's no requirement for you to hit your limit, either.
- Don't chase losses. For better or for worse, the lottery is totally random and each draw is independent - going a long time with no wins doesn't make you more likely to win in future.
- Check the odds. The odds of winning each prize tier, or of winning any prize at all per ticket, are widely available online for all lottery games. Knowing your odds will give you a more realistic view of your chances. If the odds of winning the jackpot are too big to wrap your head around, look up the population of the town, city, county, etc. where you live, and imagine every single person there buying a ticket…
- Don’t borrow to play. At the end of the day, lotteries offer a negative return on investment. Only a very small percentage of players make a return off of lotteries, so you shouldn't indebt yourself with the view to paying it off with a big win.
- Take breaks. If you find you're not having fun playing the lottery, it's OK to take a break. It'll still be there when you want to come back to it again!
- Don't play to escape problems. If you find yourself gambling as a way of coping with something else you've got going on (money worries, stress, loneliness, etc.), it's a sign to pause and reach out. Of course, it's good to have a way of coping with these things, but there will always be a healthier mechanism than gambling.
- Don't gamble when you're not feeling yourself. Gambling is a very compulsive activity. If you know you're not 100% with it, either due to stress, alcohol, depression, or something else, take a step back and wait until you're thinking clearly again.
Ask Yourself: Is Gambling Still Fun?
Like many bad habits, problem gambling can build up slowly over time, making it harder for us to notice it. Even hobbies as innocuous as playing the lottery can be harmful in the wrong circumstances. Here's a brief list of quick questions you can ask yourself to help determine whether your lottery habits are becoming harmful.
- Do you spend more money or time on gambling than you planned to?
- Are you finding that you need to wager more and more to get the same excitement from playing?
- Have you tried to stop or cut back on gambling, but found it too difficult?
- Do you ever "chase losses" trying to win back money you've already spent?
- Have you ever sold possessions, gone into debt, or missed bills due to gambling?
- Do you feel anxious, irritable, guilty, or any other negative feelings about your gambling? (remember, it's supposed to be a fun hobby.)
- Has your gambling caused arguments, or put strain on your relationships?
- Has your gambling caused friction with your work, studies, or wider ambitions?
If you answered YES to any of these questions, it's a sign that your lottery habits aren't as healthy as they ought to be. There's no need to worry, though. You're not alone, and help is free, anonymous, and available whenever you need it. Even if you're not sure, there's no harm in making a quick call or email to a helpline to see what they think – they won't mind.
Tools to Help You Stay in Control
- Deposit and spend limits. These are caps you can set for yourself that limit how much it's possible to spend in a given timeframe. Very effective at controlling online gambling, many providers have this option built into their platform.
- Time-outs & self-exclusion. These are cut-offs which you can set for yourself, preventing you from gambling again until the time limit you specified runs out. Again, many digital providers offer this option in their platforms, so you don’t need to rely on your own willpower to stick to it.
- Blocking software. Independent self-exclusion tools that block all gambling sites for fixed periods of time. A well-known example is Gamstop (gamstop.co.uk).
- Bank gambling blocks. Many banks will block you from making gambling-related payments if you ask them to. Speak to your bank's customer service to find out if they offer it.
- Reality checks. Some gambling providers offer on-screen reminders to let you know how long you've been playing or how much you've spent in a session. Check the operator's settings.
Where to Get Free Support
If gambling is affecting you, help is free, confidential and non-judgemental. You don’t need to wait until things feel serious to reach out.
| Organisation | How they help | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| National Gambling Helpline (run by GamCare) | 24/7 advice, support and referral into free treatment | Call 0808 8020 133 or chat at gamcare.org.uk |
| NHS gambling services | Specialist NHS treatment for people experiencing gambling harm | Search “gambling addiction” at nhs.uk |
| Gamblers Anonymous | Peer support meetings, in person and online | gamblersanonymous.org.uk |
| Gordon Moody | Residential and online treatment programmes | gordonmoody.org.uk |
| GAMSTOP | Free online self-exclusion | gamstop.co.uk |
| StepChange | Free debt advice | stepchange.org |
| National Debtline | Free debt advice | Call 0808 808 4000 or visit nationaldebtline.org |
| Samaritans | Someone to talk to, any time, about anything | Call 116 123 (free, 24/7) |
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is playing the lottery gambling? Yes – despite the low cost of lottery tickets, you're still staking money on a game of chance, which is gambling. Besides, lottery providers often offer digital casinos, scratch cards, and other more addictive forms of gambling alongside their main lottery offering.
- Can I improve my chances of winning? You can improve your odds of winning a prize in a specific draw by spending more money on unique tickets. However, the odds per ticket will never change. One caveat is special promotional draws where the odds and prizes are changed, such as when EuroMillions offers additional Millionaire Maker raffle codes, or jackpot rolldown events. It's still the lottery though, and despite the improved odds or prizes, your odds of becoming a millionaire are still extremely long.
- How do I self-exclude from all online gambling? Register for free with GAMSTOP (gamstop.co.uk). It blocks you from all online gambling sites licensed in Great Britain for the period you choose.
- Are gambling helplines really free and confidential/anonymous? Yes, they typically are. For instance, you can reach the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 for free on landline or mobile, and there's no requirement to provide a name or any other details.
- I’ve already lost a lot of money. What should I do? Stop playing - don’t try to win it back. Contact the National Gambling Helpline for support, and speak to StepChange or National Debtline for free help with any debts.
