Sweepstakes, Drawings, & McDonalds Monopoly

I am a sucker for games of chance.  I may be addicted; it isn't anything major. I haven't wagered my mortgage (I don't have one) or my ticket aboard the Titanic or anything but I seek out opportunities to play games.  I fill out just about every sweepstake, drawing, business card bucket, etc. that I come across in the belief that you lose 100% of the sweepstakes you don't fill out.

Every time I go to the grocery store and if I have a one dollar bill, I will slide that piece of parchment into the scratch off tickets.  If I'm feeling weighed down that day by say 2 or 3 dollars I usually upgrade to the Crossword or Bingo scratch tickets.

I wait until I get home and then sit down and take a few minutes to scratch them very meticulously.  I want my $3 to give me some enjoyment and suspense for a bit even if I don't then get the excitement and monetary enjoyment of winning.  I rarely win but I buy the tickets for those moments as I'm about to scratch off the last letter or number hoping to scratch the N giving me 7 words and $5000 or that B3 that will give me bingo and four corners to win $20,000. 

This could be seen as gambling but its state sanctioned so it can't be, right? Oh nevermind, I don't see the scratch off tickets as gambling for me because I do it in such small quantities $2 every couple weeks.  I look at these scratch off tickets as more of a sweepstakes, one of these times I'm going to win and I really hope it is for one of the houses HGTV gives away.

Not surprising with this behavior I am drawn to the McDonalds' Monopoly game.  I cherish that moment with my medium coke, condensation dripping down the cup as I try to peel off that little sticker.  Hoping that I'll be the lucky person to snag the one Park Place, knowing that instead I'll be the guy with Free Small Fries and two Oriental Avenues.