Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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I CAN HAZ CROISSANTZ?

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ATM “Random” selection
  (+1)
(+1) 		  [vote for,
against]

Adventurous account holders here would have the option to select a random transaction. Perhaps a bill will be paid to your utility company. Or some cash will be issued from your account. Maybe you’ll be required to deposit a certain sum of money, facing a fine if you’re not in compliance by a certain date. There’s always the remote chance of winning a fortune (or facing ruin and penury, of course).

As with all gambling, the house always wins in the end. The incentive to the end user, of course, is the lure of beating the odds and coming out ahead.

Advantages:

1) Banks make more money.

2) Some account holders can have a fun game to play at the ATM, while others can have a thrilling opportunity to indulge their compulsions.

—snarfyguy, May 28 2003

[link]






       And some collapse in a flood of tears at the ATM, forced to forfeit their house and watch their car towed away by the repo man. I love it. +
—sambwiches, May 28 2003
   

       And why not with every account? Why not at the supermarket? The movie theater? The car dealership? The stock market? Oh wait--that already is gambling, except for sorcerers.   

       There is a time and place for everything, including intentional, compulsive gambling.
—Eugene, May 29 2003
   

       I want access to the account as well.
—skinflaps, May 29 2003
   

       I cannot ever remember being more *scared* by an idea ever <g> I aint going near this one.
—po, May 29 2003
   

       Thinking back to slot machines, and the people that camp out to use them, I don't even want to consider what kind of vestibule lurkage this would encourage.   

       That is, if they even let anyone else use their "lucky" machine.
—rapid transit, May 29 2003
   

       Would suck if you pressed the button by accident.
—calculust, May 29 2003
   

       There's a joke in Finnish, when someone's at the ATM:   

       "I love playing this game! I always win."   

       Gambling machines are quite common in bars, grocery stores, etc. in Finland.
—lawpoop, Jul 22 2003
   

       This is similar to your link, jutta, but that person's idea is for a certain game you can play with your money at the ATM, while mine generates and executes random transactions. If you think that's too small a hair to split, then by all means - jettison this. Maybe someone else will weigh in.
—snarfyguy, Jul 22 2003
   
      
[annotate]
   


 

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