Broadly speaking, I think lotteries can be split into two categories, the type that you allude to where the top prize might be in the thousands if that, and the type where you can win millions. Of course the odds for the latter are significantly higher and most of us that play will never win big, however as others have touched on, people do win. So whilst I've probably got more chance of seeing Boris skateboarding naked down my local high st than winning millions, I'll still have a punt. You never know, it could be me