Mrs M
yoda76Beware the chocolate wheel
November 14th 2006 04:04
This is a community service announcement. Last weekend we had the $21million Lotto jackpot. Tuesday just gone millions of dollars were won and lost on the Melbourne Cup. These two gambling vices are well known, and for the most part, participated in with a sense of caution and well-judged risk.
Earlier this year at my daughter’s school fete I was introduced to the chocolate wheel. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Old ragged spinning wheel with numbers, complete with an air of innocence that you would expect from a catholic primary school fete. But please beware. The chocolate wheel will suck you in faster than the ding dings and flashing lights of the pokies.
The concept is simple. There are prizes. There’s a spinning wheel. There are tickets with numbers. You buy a ticket. Your number comes up – you get a prize. The clincher – tickets start at 50 cents. They are so cheap. $2 buys four tickets. And we all love the thrill of watching the wheel spin and spin until it comes to a stop. The tension and adrenaline that is generated by the spinning wheel is addictive.
You don’t win the first time round. But that’s okay. Because someone you know did win. And you are genuinely happy for them. Let’s go again. Hang on, this time round the tickets are $1. But the prizes are worth more. I’ll have another 4 tickets. The wheel spins and spins. No luck again.
We’ve got a $3 dollar spin. Each numbered ticket costs $3. But the prizes - my goodness! They are worth hundreds of dollars. Let’s go again.
The spruiker has the gift of the gab (as he should). He keeps you coming back for more. The ticket sellers’ find you and say “Go on, have another go. It’s all for a good cause – the school”.
I see people bringing out chairs and sitting in prime position in front of the sacred chocolate wheel. And around and around and around it goes, where it stops, nobody knows. But I know. It stops when there is a wallet lacking in money.
So to any first time parents going to a school fete, please be aware of the chocolate wheel. It’s a lot of fun!
Earlier this year at my daughter’s school fete I was introduced to the chocolate wheel. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Old ragged spinning wheel with numbers, complete with an air of innocence that you would expect from a catholic primary school fete. But please beware. The chocolate wheel will suck you in faster than the ding dings and flashing lights of the pokies.
The concept is simple. There are prizes. There’s a spinning wheel. There are tickets with numbers. You buy a ticket. Your number comes up – you get a prize. The clincher – tickets start at 50 cents. They are so cheap. $2 buys four tickets. And we all love the thrill of watching the wheel spin and spin until it comes to a stop. The tension and adrenaline that is generated by the spinning wheel is addictive.
You don’t win the first time round. But that’s okay. Because someone you know did win. And you are genuinely happy for them. Let’s go again. Hang on, this time round the tickets are $1. But the prizes are worth more. I’ll have another 4 tickets. The wheel spins and spins. No luck again.
We’ve got a $3 dollar spin. Each numbered ticket costs $3. But the prizes - my goodness! They are worth hundreds of dollars. Let’s go again.
The spruiker has the gift of the gab (as he should). He keeps you coming back for more. The ticket sellers’ find you and say “Go on, have another go. It’s all for a good cause – the school”.
I see people bringing out chairs and sitting in prime position in front of the sacred chocolate wheel. And around and around and around it goes, where it stops, nobody knows. But I know. It stops when there is a wallet lacking in money.
So to any first time parents going to a school fete, please be aware of the chocolate wheel. It’s a lot of fun!
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