Lottery dreams

[JasonPalmer]

I wonder, I wonder what I would do if I won the lottery.

A house in central London, whizzing around in taxis to live performances and a hugely expensive hi fi setup at home to listen to radio 3, a maid to do the housework,cooking,cleaning etc.

Do you wonder, wonder what you would do if you won the lottery, apart from the Cunard cruise of course.

[Jonathan]

Interestingly, we were discussing this at work yesterday. I would leave work (after my notice period so they couldn't sue me), then go travelling for 6 months. After that, buy a house somewhere warm so I wouldn't have to put up with the cold. I'd buy a new car, nothing expensive just practical. Then, I would fund deep sea exploration for rare shells and buy an ROV for that purpose. I would resume my piano studies and get back in practice properly. After paying off my family and friends mortgages, I would set up my own record label devoted to underperformed and unheard music from the 19th century.

As you can see, I've given this a lot of thought.

[JasonPalmer]

Own record label sounds cool

[Serial_Apologist]

It would depend on how much the prize. That said, I guess I would continue to live in this part of London, get myself an electric car I would seldom use, and an expensive electric bicycle or tricycle with a passenger extension for at least two. The bulk of the winnings I would use to promote the kind of jazz and improvised music I go for - live gigs, publications (or a publication) and recordings.

All conjecture since i have never ever bought a lottery ticket (apart from at events), and don't really agree with them, or gambling in general.

[french frank]

All conjecture since i have never ever bought a lottery ticket (apart from at events), and don't really agree with them, or gambling in general.

[Old Grumpy]

This (http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...t=Crowdfunding) could be considered a form of gambling, perhaps. I have been delighted with the limited number of crowdfunding ventures I've been involved with, though I found with one recording project that I had not ticked the box that said I would like a "free" copy of the CDs concerned...

...I've had to buy them all.

[pastoralguy]

Well, I’ve often alluded to this!

A cycle of the George Lloyd Symphonies played by the LSO would be a good start! (Conductor tba!)

Then the 555 Scarlatti sonatas played by Sophie Yates.

[oddoneout]

It would depend on how much the prize. That said, I guess I would continue to live in this part of London, get myself an electric car I would seldom use, and an expensive electric bicycle or tricycle with a passenger extension for at least two. The bulk of the winnings I would use to promote the kind of jazz and improvised music I go for - live gigs, publications (or a publication) and recordings.

All conjecture since i have never ever bought a lottery ticket (apart from at events), and don't really agree with them, or gambling in general.

The gambling aspect is an interesting one, as it can have a consequence in terms of accepting lottery derived funding. Many years ago as part of a Heritage Open Day I was visiting a building used by Quakers for their meetings and heard about their difficulties accessing funding for essential repairs to their listed building, since it was assumed that they would use the lottery heritage funding route. That was not felt to be acceptable since they oppose gambling and that would include accepting the proceeds of the activity.
It also interests me that a tombola or raffle isn't seen as gambling - or not sufficiently so to be excluded - by some churches that are strict about no alcohol at gatherings (whether their own or from lettings)on their premises due to their temperance stance.

[Pulcinella]

The gambling aspect is an interesting one, as it can have a consequence in terms of accepting lottery derived funding. Many years ago as part of a Heritage Open Day I was visiting a building used by Quakers for their meetings and heard about their difficulties accessing funding for essential repairs to their listed building, since it was assumed that they would use the lottery heritage funding route. That was not felt to be acceptable since they oppose gambling and that would include accepting the proceeds of the activity.
It also interests me that a tombola or raffle isn't seen as gambling - or not sufficiently so to be excluded - by some churches that are strict about no alcohol at gatherings (whether their own or from lettings)on their premises due to their temperance stance.

Do you need a licence to hold a tombola or raffle (at a charity fete, for example)?
I think you do, as there is often a person named on the tickets, but if you don't, that might explain the acceptance by groups that don't consider it quite as gambling.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

I would leave work (after my notice period so they couldn't sue me)

If still in my penultimate job I'd have walked (assuming the lottery win was sufficient to cover what they'd sue me for and to cover my lost pension).

My last employer gave me a decent redundancy deal (better than they contractually had to) post-furlough so I'd have worked my notice, which wasn't long anyway.

What I'd do with the winnings? If we're talking being selfish, I'd pay off the mortgage and complete the house refurb (getting the kitchen done by a proper outfit next time, not the housebarrassment clowns), buy a pied-a-terre nearer to London - or maybe just set up a hotel fund for stayovers - buy a piano and a horn far in excess of my reasonable requirements plus a hi-fi that would let me hear which of those pppppppp triangles was playing out of tune, and catch up on the foreign travel.

All of that of course after paying off the offsprings' mortgages etc.

[smittims]

I've never gambled simply because I don't want to; like water-skiing or adultery, it's just something I've never wanted to do. Even when my two favoured charities ask me to buy a raffle ticket in addition to my usual support I decline. I think all gambling is gambling; there's no distinction between 'good and bad'

It is of course the size of the jackpot that tempts people to take part in the lottery; rational thoght tells us that the odds against are so great that one would stand much more chance of regular winnings by betting on horse racing, though that involves some time studying form.

I read recently that a man whose memory I much respect, the organist , conductor and choral trainer Denis Vaughan, campaigned for years to establish the national lottery to fund arts expenditure. It may have been pragmatic ro assume that the government would never give so much money to the arts otherwise, but I think the lottery has enabled them to evade their moral responsibility.

What would I do if I was suddenly given a vast sum of money? Divide it and give it to my two sons .

[Pulcinella]

Do people consider Premium Bonds gambling?
Your money is at least safe and returnable.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Do people consider Premium Bonds gambling?
Your money is at least safe and returnable.

If you win nothing - fairly likely unless you can tie lots of money up for a long time - you'll get your money back but without interest. I'm considering doing this with some cash that is sitting in my account that I won't need until a few months hence and unlikely to attract any useful interest in a savings account.

[Petrushka]

Do people consider Premium Bonds gambling?
Your money is at least safe and returnable.

No, it's not really gambling at all because there is no gamble involved. I've got a sizeable wodge (not the maximum £50,000 though) in Premium Bonds and have done pretty well out of it. A win of £25 is still a win. My best, so far, has been £1,000 last April.

I also gamble on the horses, though in a highly disciplined way, and do pretty well out of that too.

How does anyone think I can afford all these big boxed sets otherwise?

[vinteuil]

.
" A golden classical house, three stories high, with œil de bœuf attic windows looking out over water. A magnolia Delavayi growing up the wall, a terrace for winter, a great tree for summer and a lawn for games; a wooded hill behind and a river below, then a sheltered garden, indulgent to fig and nectarine, and, at an angle of the wall, a belvedere, book-lined like that of Montaigne, with this motto from him: 'La liberté et l'oisiveté qui sont mes maîtresses qualités'."
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