“The expansion of gambling in BC has only hurt the non-profit sector. The greater the BC Lottery Corporation revenue, the worse it gets for charities”

I went to buy a $4.00 mini-dip (one ticket with one each of the 649, BC49, & the Extra) yesterday, and was told the price had increased over the weekend and that my regular ticket is now $6.00.

WHAT ... a 50% increase??  Did I just get a clerk that didn't know what she is doing -- or is that indeed what they now cost?  Well it didn't take long for a friend to confirm that:

Looks like they have increased the jackpots so that's why it costs more.  The BC Lottery Corporation website says the jackpot will start at $5 million instead of $3 million, and there will be an additional prize of $1million paid out each draw. Either way, you have a better chance of being struck by lightning!

And indeed, a quick look at the Lotto Corp website does indeed state:
With the new guaranteed $1 million prize and the improved odds, the price of Lotto 6/49 changes to $3 per play from $2. Each $3 play includes a unique number exclusively for the new $1 million prize that is guaranteed to be won each draw. Players are automatically entered into new $1 million prize draw from the tickets sold across Canada

A story in the Globe and Mail a few years ago stated a few comparison on your chances of winning.  You are ... three times more likely to be killed in a traffic accident driving 16 kilometers to buy your ticket than winning the jackpot ... you are about 10 times more likely to die after being bitten by a poisonous snake or lizard than to win a Lotto 6/49 jackpot ... if you want to increase your odds just buy 50 tickets a week. You are very likely to win the jackpot at least once — in 5,000 years.

I don't know if it was just me not paying attention, however I have to say the announcement of increased rates on Lotto 649 tickets seems to have been conspicuously absent.

Not to be a conspiracy theorist, but I'm just wondering if BC Liberal government will be taking an even bigger whack of profits into general revenue?  As it is, for the last fiscal year (2012 to 2013), the BC Lottery Corporation sent nearly $1.12 BILLION dollars into the government treasury

I'm sure the non-profits, that have been getting screwed big time in the amounts the were PROMISED by the government when they took over the fundraising they had been doing with soft-gambling, won't be getting anywhere near the 30 odd percent they were once promised (but never received).

A quick look at Mother Lotto Corp shows that while the government took in $1.12 BILLION ... charitable and community organizations received a mere $135 million in gaming grants.

Yes, the BC Liberal government calls them "Gaming Grants" ... however the reality is this was REVENUE for charitable organizations in BC before the government forced them out of soft gambling that community groups and organization had previously done to 'directly' fund the work they did in their communities.