Some scratch tickets draw my eyeballs immediately. Others, not so much.
Set For Life doesn't call me, but it does whisper. I'll give it a go once in a while for old time's sake - and because it's the only $4 one and sometimes that's exactly the price I'm looking to pay.
Cash Blowout is kind of tempting because the minimum prize is a cool $25. I don't bother with it though because the wins cap off at $100 and I do plenty of dreaming small as it is, I don't need it when I'm playing the lottery.
But if there's one that didn't speak to me whatsoever, it's Let's Make a Deal.
Mainly because it's tied to a TV show that I've never seen. More than that, I don't have the faintest clue what it's about. I'm vaguely aware that it's a game show, but I've somehow missed it entirely.
And that's alright. There are plenty of other scratchers to keep me busy. I don't need to mess around with that one.
But for some reason, I threw it in the mix when I asked my wonderful Bluesky followers and mutuals to pick my next move.
I stocked the options with $5 tickets, and almost threw the Jumbo Bonus in there. But I had a bad feeling about it for some reason. It just didn't feel like the move, so I slipped Let's Make a Deal in its place.
And wouldn't you know it, that's the one people picked.
They made a really compelling case, too.
A practical appeal on one hand:
And a more abstract one on the other:
Who am I to argue with the logic here?
So, this was it. The people have spoken and I'm finally going to pop my Let's Make a Deal cherry.
The Ticket
Odds of winning: 1 in 3.94. Not bad.
Still one $50,000 top prize remaining. That ain't too shabby, either.
And you not only get three separate games, but there's a bonus too. That's the kind of experience I'd expect from a $5 playthrough.
It looks nice, too. I love me some purple, and this is about as purple as they get.
Game one's kind of fun - uncover the number in the middle and then see if you can find a matching one somewhere around the wheel. Nowhere nearly as satisfying as spinning an actual wheel, but they tried and I can appreciate that.
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| The $50K grand prize - so close, and yet so far away |
What I can appreciate less is none of the numbers matching.
Next up, you gotta beat the dealer - something I'm now familiar with thanks to my wasteful $20,000 Casino splurge.
And unlike that one, they only give you four hands here - you gotta pay premium to go a few extra rounds.
Didn't matter anyway. I got beat each time. But at least with four rounds, it feels more statistically plausible and not like a giant middle finger from the universe.
Last game is a round of Tic Tac Toe, which I haven't seen on any other scratcher yet, so that's really exciting. Especially since you get the same thrill you'd experience with a Bingo scratch-off: the feeling of being close.
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| Some of the jankiest O's I've ever seen |
But no cigar.
Final shot is to uncover the Bonus window and see what hides behind it. Could be anything up to $20.
Including $0.
Oh well, that's how it goes.
A lot of fun, though. I'm glad I was swayed in this direction. Otherwise, I would've probably gone my whole life not knowing what Let's Make a Deal has to offer.
And now I'm wondering if the game show also has grown-ass adults playing Tic Tac Toe on a giant board for some serious money. I'll probably never find out though (too busy gambling to watch TV).
Bonus Round: Chasing My Losses
Here's a little peek behind the scenes at Mr. Lucky Duck HQ: I write and publish these accounts based on whatever narrative I want to tell (it's called poetic license and I am free to wield it as I please). But in real life, the timeline doesn't always match up.
Case in point: I bought the $20,000 Casino and the Let's Make a Deal at the same time.
I scratched them off back to back, too.
Or really, Mrs. Lucky Duck did. I can't be having all the fun, so I get her in on the action sometimes.
So I had sank and lost $25 on the same morning.
And later in the early evening, I got a chance to redeem myself.
I ordered Mrs. Lucky Duck some pad thai and biked down to pick it up. Except, I got there way too fast (not bragging, the Thai place is really close by) so I had time to kill. And it just so happens I was right around the corner from a Shoppers Drug Mart.
Which means I was right around the corner from a spot that would indulge my newest hobby.
And look, I'm perfectly aware that you're not supposed to chase your losses. You make your wagers, take your lumps, and move on with your life.
And yes, I should be finding better ways to fill my time - movies, books, baking, gardening, that sort of thing.
But it felt right, and sometimes I just do what feels right.
So I walked up to the till, took a quick glance at the stacks, and asked for the first two that caught my eye: Bingo and 5X Blitz. (Forgive the horrendous lighting, it was getting dark.)
2X Blitz has done me dirty in the past, so I need a bit more time before I give them another chance. And 10X Blitz is tempting, but after sinking $25 and getting nothing back, a $10 ticket felt reckless.
5X Blitz was right in the sweet spot.
Sadly, the Bingo was a dud. But the 5X Blitz wasn't.
One matching number, with $10 underneath it. And because this game has multipliers, I could get 1X, 2X, 3X, or (dare I dream?) 5X that amount.
But in keeping with my luck that day, I only got 1X the prize and nothing in the Bonus lot.
Hey, I'll take it. I spent $8 recklessly but made back $10, so that's $2 profit on my impulsive decision.
I guess the lesson here is: sometimes doing the wrong thing is actually the right move.
But that's a dangerous idea - one that I will force myself to forget immediately so I can go back to play it (relatively) safe.
Tally
Wagered This Session: $13
Profit This Session: -$3
Total Profit Overall: -$43
Thanks for reading and feel free to support my nonsense.
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