Half Of Costa Ricans Play Lottery In Hope Of Financial Freedom

The desire to be well off or just not having to pay rent or take the bus by many Costa Ricans is the reason that almost half of the population play the lottery, in hopes of winning the jackpot. Or at last enough to better their financial situation.

According to the Junta de Protección Social (JPS) - the state lottery - the hope of winning millions of colones or at least something, is the motivation for 46% of the population buy some type of lottery tickets.

The JPS commissioned a poll last march that took in the responses of some 1.200 people across the country, who were asked if they had bought a lottery ticket in the preceding 30 days.

Although the national lottery is the most favoured, lottery players also buy "chances", while others play the instant lotteries (raspaditas) - scratch lottery.

The JPS says that Costa Ricans gamble some US$296 million dollars a year in legal gambling and that some US$100 million dollars a year is estimated wagered on "illegal gamboling such as the "tiempos", a an underground numbers game.

The state lottery complains that the illegal gambling means that monies stay in private hands and do not benefit charitable organizations as in the case of legal gambling proceeds.

What the numbers indicate is that the per capita lottery consumption in the country is US$69 (¢35.000 colones) per person last year, up US$10 over the previous year.