I rarely buy lottery tickets but when I do, it is a gift to someone who gets entertainment from examining their numbers hoping to get rich. If the money spent on lotteries were to go to the benefit of the environment, animals or people in need, I probably would join in for the sake of charity. At least the money would not be wasted on unrealistic fantasies
If you want to get a feel for why I don't play, take a coin and flip it until you get the same outcome (say, tails) several times in a row, then keep going hoping you continue getting tails. If you get heads on the ninth or tenth flip, you just lost on one lottery ticket. Now buy another "ticket" and try again. perhaps eventually you are astoundingly lucky and get 20 tails in a row but see heads on the 21st flip. Tear up that ticket and buy another.
If you keep flipping every two seconds without stopping to eat or sleep and heads never shows up in 15 years, on average you would win.
But if gambling entertains you, and you occasionally delight in hitting a $2 or $5 return, or seeing 3 of 6 winning numbers on your ticket, or fantasizing about what it would like to live without any financial constraints (after someone among the hundreds of millions of lottery buyers will occasionally win), don't let this pessimistic blog deprive you of those pleasures. In the meantime, I will enjoy spending my few dollars on a glass of wine knowing I will get the full benefit of the expense. And perhaps take in a free sunset as a bonus.
Best of luck to you. But don't forego your favorite beverage to buy one more ticket.