Acquiring that sought after or rare video game can be tough. The market has spiked in the last 5-6 years, and prices are through the roof. A game like DuckTales 2, which could be had for $40 a few years ago, is now over $150.00. Add in the box and the manual, and prices get out of control very fast. Over the years thrift stores like Goodwill have wised up, and started listing more on their sites, preventing both collectors and resellers from obtaining a good deal in store. Independent stores have no choice but to go with the market value, as people would stop trading in games to their business if they were undervalued. Collectors that are strapped for cash have turned to desperate methods for obtaining these games, whether to have them sit pretty on their shelf, or actually play them. One popular method is making or purchasing a reproduction, which is essentially a bootleg copy. But those who want the legit thing have turned to something worse, gambling.

No we aren't talking about slot machines, or black-jack, we are talking about gambling sessions set up by users on social media. Sometimes these are called "Game Wheels" or "Game Lotteries", where users can purchase an entry in the hopes that a seemingly random number generator will draw their ticket and they will win the prize. There are a certain amount of entries, so each contest is limited. The drawing does not start until all entries are fulfilled. If it looks like a contest isn't going to fill all slots, then it is cancelled and players who did enter are refunded. To enter, you have to have a PayPal account, and submit to the administrator the proper amount with a note about which drawing you are entering. When paying, the user must select "Friends and Family" to prevent the administrator from receiving a PayPal fee. Once all entries are collected a livestream is created and the number generator is run, announcing the winner. There are no returns or refunds, so if the item you have won shows up damaged or not at all, you are out of luck.