Honest Ads Season 3 Episode 13 If The Lottery Was Honest

If The Lottery Was Honest is the thirteenth episode of the third season of Honest Ads. The show is a comedic series that satirizes the often deceptive nature of advertising. Hosted by Cracked.com's Roger Horton, each episode takes a humorous look at a different product or service and its marketing strategies.

In If The Lottery Was Honest, the Honest Ads team takes on one of America's favorite pastimes - playing the lottery. The episode begins with Horton standing in front of a backdrop of a giant lottery jackpot. He introduces the topic by pointing out that despite the long odds of winning, millions of Americans continue to play the lottery every day.

The show then dives into a series of sketches that highlight the dishonest tactics employed by state lotteries and the companies that sell lottery tickets. The sketches poke fun at the exaggerated odds of winning, the misleading advertising, and the hidden costs of playing the lottery.

One of the sketches features a fictional lottery ticket company called "Lucky Larry's." In the sketch, a customer goes to purchase a ticket and is bombarded with a barrage of upsells from the cashier. She is offered a chance to double her odds of winning for an extra fee, as well as a variety of additional games and scratch-offs. The sketch ends with the customer leaving the store with a pile of tickets and empty pockets.

Another sketch takes a closer look at the odds of winning the lottery. The Honest Ads team points out that the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are approximately 1 in 292 million. They compare those odds to other unlikely events, such as getting struck by lightning or becoming President of the United States. The sketch ends with Horton holding a sign that reads "You have a better chance of being mauled by a polar bear than winning the lottery."

Throughout the episode, the Honest Ads team also delves into the darker side of the lottery. They point out that the lottery is often marketed to the poor as a way to escape poverty, despite the fact that the odds of winning are almost nonexistent. They also highlight the stories of lottery winners who have lost everything due to mismanagement and poor financial decisions.

Despite the bleak subject matter, If The Lottery Was Honest never loses its sense of humor. The sketches are witty and sarcastic, and the show remains engaging and entertaining throughout its runtime.

In the end, the Honest Ads team concludes that the lottery is not the get-rich-quick scheme that it is often marketed as. They point out that the money spent on lottery tickets would be better put towards investments or savings accounts. The episode ends with Horton standing in front of the same backdrop of the giant lottery jackpot, imploring viewers to think twice before playing the lottery.

Overall, If The Lottery Was Honest is a hilarious and eye-opening episode of Honest Ads. It takes a critical look at one of America's most popular pastimes and exposes the often-deceptive tactics used to sell lottery tickets. Whether you're a regular lottery player or a skeptic, this episode is sure to make you laugh and think.