split the pot nights

This may be a dumb question, but would it be inappropriate to participate in a split the pot contest at a football game that you were covering?

At the games i cover, they always announce that Joe Blow won like $700 just for buying a raffle ticket for $5. It is always tempting to drop some money in, but I wasn't sure if it was ethical to do so while I was covering the game.

 

don't do it. just looks bad, even if it really isn't. unless you do it and then donate the winnings back to the school -- which can make you look good and give your paper some goodwill.

 

Absolutely, positively unethical to play the 50/50 as a reporter.

Save the money for the lottery, Vegas, AC, Biloxi, Tunica or the reservation.

 

Don't do it.

When I was a young cub reporter, I bought a 50-50 ticket at a youth baseball tournament. I basically thought of it as a $1 donation ... but I won. I felt sick when they read my ticket number.

I wish I would've thought to donate the money back to the baseball league, but I was so flustered I couldn't think straight, so I kept it and felt bad about it, though I did spend most of the money (it was only $25 or $30) at the concessions stand that week, so I guess I did donate it back, in a way.

Don't do it.

 

Yeah, I don't think it's a good idea to play, although it was tempting the other night when the winner received $3,300 at the game I was covering.

 

Only way you do it is if you donate all winnings back.

 

I did it for years and have no qualms about doing it. I paid more than my amount of money and got a few bucks back (including the 1995 season when I hit four times for chump change each time and haven't won since).
I figure the least I can do is buy 50-50 tickets.

 

I've done it and won $20 once. Didn't see the difference in ethics, really. If I'm hungry, should I not go to the concession stand to buy a hot dog? I'm giving money either way.

 

Sorry, I though this thread was about something completely different.

 

Me too, Granny. Me too.

 

So did I, I am holding though.

 

Wouldn't giving the money back to the school look bad, too?