split the pot nights

[EGM67]

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.

 

[jps]

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.

 

[HackyMcHack]

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

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

 

[Barsuk]

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.

 

[lmcmillan33]

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.

 

[wisportswriter]

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

 

[slappy4428]

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.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

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.

 

[The Granny]

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

 

[Lieslntx]

Me too, Granny. Me too.

 

[RossLT]

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

So did I, I am holding though.

 

[mike311gd]

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

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

If you're a reporter covering smalltime h.s. sports somewhere, don't worry about it. If you want to play, play. No one's calling Poynter on you. It's a raffle for the school, for chrissakes. It's like buying a slice of pizza at the concession stand, except a raffle ticket won't make you sick. And so what if you win? You're probably making $20,000. There are a lot of worse problems to worry about.

The first hockey game I ever covered in college, this was high-level club, I won it, but only about $30. still, as a poor student, I was happy.

 

[wisportswriter]

It's not the same as concessions. When you give out $ to concessions, you're getting something in return.
50/50s are a straight donation. Unless, of course, you win.
Then, you're right, mikey, that could look bad, too.

Yeah, it's stupid. But so is not wearing a certain color shirt to avoid the appearance of bias.
We still do it, though.

 

[mike311gd]

I was asked to buy a ticket one time three years ago, and I looked at the guy and said, "Do you know how much money I make? I need this dollar more than you know."

He never asked me again.

 

[old_tony]

You pays your money you takes your chances. What could possibly be wrong about buying a raffle ticket no matter where? It's legal and you're taking a chance on winning something. You win, you win. You lose, you lose. It's got nothing to do with journalistic ethics. Why would buying a raffle ticket at something you're covering be different than buying a raffle ticket somewhere else?

 

[deskslave]

You pays your money you takes your chances. What could possibly be wrong about buying a raffle ticket no matter where? It's legal and you're taking a chance on winning something. You win, you win. You lose, you lose. It's got nothing to do with journalistic ethics. Why would buying a raffle ticket at something you're covering be different than buying a raffle ticket somewhere else?

Because if you win, and they announce your name, everyone else who bought a ticket and didn't win is going to assume they let you win to make sure they got good pub. Even if you know you wouldn't do that, someone else might not.

It's not the existence of bias here; it's the appearance of it.

That's why I never bought one when I was covering HS sports. I was tempted to, but I knew there was no way I could take the money, so there was no point.

 

[bigpern23]

Not arguing for or against it, but how is it different from horse racing writers betting the ponies at an event they're covering? That seems to be an accepted practice and, from what I hear, they often have a betting window inside the press box.

 

[Overrated]

everyone else who bought a ticket and didn't win is going to assume they let you win to make sure they got good pub. Even if you know you wouldn't do that, someone else might not.

So, should I stop listing the 50/50 winner in my game stories?

 

[MacDaddy]

everyone else who bought a ticket and didn't win is going to assume they let you win to make sure they got good pub. Even if you know you wouldn't do that, someone else might not.

So, should I stop listing the 50/50 winner in my game stories?

No, but you should probably stop putting it in the lede.