Chance

    As many Americans have already realized, the McDonald's Monopoly game is back again. I mean how could you not notice this with the suffocating number of billboard and television advertisements. After looking at a few game pieces I found myself confused at how exactly the game works, especially since I had never heard of anyone who has won anything more impressive than a free hamburger. After doing some brief research I came to the realization that this was truly one stupendous business scheme. Let me begin first by explaining how the game works:


1.) You order food.
2.) You peel off the game pieces that come stuck on the wrappers of your food (game pieces only come on select menu items, generally those of a larger size).
3.) You either win a small food item or become confused at what you do with all the random colored monopoly game pieces you now possess.
4.) If you care enough you can keep collecting colored game pieces till you have 3 of the right color, street, and winning number combination
    
    The odds of instantly winning $500 are 1 in 824,142. The odds of instantly winning $10,000 are 1 in 206,035,400.  The odds of winning the ultimate prize of $1,000,000 by collecting the game pieces of Park Place #341 and Boardwalk #342 are 1 in 618,106,200 and 1 in 3,141,832,163. If you have not yet noticed it by now, your chances of winning even five hundred dollars are stacked heavily against you. This game also reminded me of another highly improbable opportunity to win, The Lottery. So I wonder, Why do Americans keep trying to win something where the odds are so stacked against them?
    
     It's because it is an American value to beat the odds and be the underdog, the cinderella story. It is something that most American's greatly admire. It is something that we strive for in society, to be the person that sets them self apart from the others. Being in the spotlight is what everyone envy's. 
    
     Another reason people buy into these types of "games" is for hope. Similar to religion, these types of things become rituals for people, and gives them a sort of hope and optimism. It helps them to believe in something more. Although nearly all of the people who invest in these little games win less to nothing, it is defying the odds and hope that keeps them coming back for more.