Texas Standard - Expert says the big jump in people playing the odds is nothing new in times of recession.
Devin Mills, assistant professor of community, family, and addiction sciences at Texas Tech University, told Texas Standard that the big jump in people playing the odds this year isn't surprising.
"This is actually very common. ... We saw a variety of different cases in the 2008 recession where individuals were turning to the lottery," Mills said. "Gambling is a recreational activity, and so there's a variety of different motivations that might explain why individuals are turning to any sort of gambling, whether it be lottery tickets or something else."