logo
episode-header-image
May 2022
24m 17s

Using lotteries to make us better people

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Lotteries aren’t just about winning money. They’re also being used to nudge people to change their behaviour.

In the UK we try out a mobile app that enters users in to a £25,000 lottery every time they pick up a piece of litter.

We see how heart patients in the US can win smaller prizes for taking their pills… and if they don’t take their medicine, are told what they could have won.

And we look at receipt lotteries, where customers are encouraged to get receipts as each one is an entry to a big monthly draw. The scheme started in Taiwan but has been replicated in a number of countries, helping governments find the businesses avoiding tax.

Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Claire Bates Producer: Francois Wibaux Executive producer: Tom Colls Editor: Penny Murphy Image: Illustration from Getty Images

Up next
Mar 10
The power of poetry
Can poetry change how we think, feel and act? We’re looking at how poetry is being used in some innovative and unexpected ways. We’ll hear from the Hot Poets - a group who ‘live translate’ at conferences on everything from climate change to coding. They’ve taken part in several U ... Show More
23m 17s
Mar 3
Super seagrass
Seagrass meadows are one of the world’s most valuable underwater habitats. As well as providing food and shelter to thousands of species, seagrass is also known for its ability to store carbon and improve water quality, making it a powerful natural solution to tackle the impacts ... Show More
23m 24s
Feb 24
The school run by kids
If you could invent a new kind of school what would it look like? What skills would you teach children, and how would the school be run?On this edition of People Fixing The World we visit the Mechai Pattana School in Thailand which was founded by the campaigner Mechai Viravaidya ... Show More
23m 22s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2023
For a Dollar and a Dream
<p>From scratchers to the Powerball, the lottery is the most popular form of gambling in the United States, even though the odds of winning a big jackpot is infinitesimally small. Jonathan D. Cohen is a historian and the author of the book  <i>For a Dollar and a Dream; State Lott ... Show More
39m 7s
Apr 2022
War scams: The criminals exploiting conflict in Ukraine
When war broke out in Ukraine, President Zelensky’s plea for financial aid triggered a wave of donations from ordinary people around the world. But scammers also heard the call. They fired into action, spreading emotional appeals into every corner of the internet. On TikTok, unve ... Show More
18m 5s
Feb 2022
Subscription scams
From pills that resolve chronic pain issues overnight to diet supplements which promise to help shed pounds in days, the internet is awash with adverts making bold - and often outrageous - claims. Some come with a celebrity endorsement, where household names appear to give their ... Show More
27m 26s
May 2023
Kenya's Free Money Experiment
Thousands of Kenyan villagers are being given free cash as part of a huge trial being run by an American non-profit, GiveDirectly. Why? Some aid organisations believe that simply giving people money is one of the most effective ways to tackle extreme poverty and boost development ... Show More
29m 12s
Mar 2021
Hot Lotto
In 2010, a $16.5 million Hot Lotto ticket was sold at a gas station in Des Moines, Iowa. At first, no one showed up to claim the prize. And then, a series of lawyers tried to claim the money on behalf of a client they would not name. Things got stranger, and eventually investigat ... Show More
32m 26s
Jan 2023
How Nonprofit Hospitals Put Profits Over Patients
<p>Nonprofit hospitals — which make up around half of hospitals in the United States — were founded to help the poor.</p><p>But a Times investigation has revealed that many have deviated from those charitable roots, behaving like for-profit companies, sometimes to the detriment o ... Show More
31m 49s
Aug 2023
NHS Prescriptions and Banks Defy Customers to Stop Fraud
<p>Sick people in England are being caught out by the complex rules which exempt some from NHS prescription charges. The Patients Association says the rules surrounding the £9.65 per item levy should be simplified. The call comes after Money Box listeners told us how they struggl ... Show More
24m 15s