GoLoud Cash Machine

Dub13

How are they still getting away with this for so long in this day and age, its pure gambling. They must be making a fortune from this as its going nearly a year. Its putting me off the GoLoud stations with he constant plugging of it.

radiotrickster

It’s almost the exact same as what tons of tv shows like the Late Late have been doing for years. I’ve even seen some tv stations run the same competition across a multiple of shows with the closing date weeks away which I would argue is worse.

The Uk Bauer stations have been running it for ages as well so it must work well or else they wouldn’t have introduced it here

Dub13

It's out and out gambling and I hope it falls under some legislation. I have no idea % they put in the prize pool and cream off the rest. But say it's a 50/50 split they have made a few million for poor folks trying to hit it big.

It just doesn't sit well with me, it could be all above board but so easy to manipulate and have a "roll over big jackpot".

Plus you have the continued pushing it on all shows. It has given me a real turn off the group.

NIMAN

I have noticed the figures are getting bigger in it.

Are they jacking it up to attract/entice more callers?

plodder

Has always annoyed me as well. At the very least, it should be transparent and they publish accounts that show how much they rake in and how much they pay out (showing what your chance of winning is). I suspect a lot of people believe these are a kind of loss leader and the chance of winning is higher than it is. Or I could be wrong, but it would be nice to know.

NIMAN

Fool's and their money....

Losty Dublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058264652/goloud-cash-machine

It isn't gambling if it involves an amount level of skill and knowledge. You still need to know the answer when a call comes in, and the call needs to be answered within a certain frame as well. But Mastermind it ain't :)

Genghis

The definition of skill Vs luck has been completely diminished not just with this but all similar competitions. All are de facto lotteries operating outside gambling / lottery regulation. Consumer has no idea of chance to win, prize %, oversight of operation etc.

Risk is that this will eventually attract regulation (the bigger it gets), if it does not burn out first (if punters tire of it).

I suspect prizes are not 50:50, but even if it is now there must be a continuous temptation in Bauer to reduce the prize %. It may die out that way.

Sheep Shagger

Global in the UK don't across their network of stations. Does anyone really think only the station they listen to run this comp?!?

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119661352#Comment_119661352

From some of the posts I have read on this forum, it does appear that some think they are listening to a station-specific cash competition. In fairness, if you only listen to one station and you are not aware of its ownership and the station keeps being referred to beside the words "cash machine", you could be mistaken for thinking that. Except, of course, it must occur to some of these one-station listeners that the phrase "playing across the Go Loud network of stations" must have some significance.

zg3409

It really turns me off the station(s) as a non gambler. It also turns me off the presenters how they try to sell out their listeners. It's running radio into the ground.

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119661535#Comment_119661535

Radio is dumbing down anyway, this is just another example.

Take 'The Last Word', and it's ridiculous 5 at 5 and 6 at 6. Trying to be all trendy when it's actually awful to listen to..."yeah, that's right Matt".

And then we have Claire Bryne. Took over a very good quality, prime time radio show and turned it into hairdresser material.

And do you ever listen to the crap that Ray D'Arcy peddles for half a mill a year? It's standard is awful, like hospital radio stuff.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119661535#Comment_119661535

I'd say the presenters have NO say in this. Its coming from their paymasters and part of their contract. Pat Kenny at times says the "Cash Machine" through gritted teeth, Sean Moncrieff too. They hate it.

But believe me the next time they try and have a discussion on gambling in Ireland I will be the first one to text in and point out they are promoting it!! It's incitement to gambling pure and simple. Hard pressed people could spend up to €50 a month if they play every day. I am surprised at Newstalk to be honest but as someone said, its dumbed down radio at this stage. Pat Kenny had segments on Love Island this Summer (a far cry from Today Tonight!)

on a side note I am with An Post mobile and I cannot play! I cannot text any of those "57557" numbers, they are not allowed as the network sees them as competition (scam I presume?) numbers.

Glaceon

This reminds me a bit of the old 98FM cash call back in the day (early 90s I’d say). It seemed to be similar, they’d give out a cash total and make a call. How did you register for it? I doubt they just picked a number out of the phone book?

Back on topic, I’ve heard the whole “playing across the GoLoud network of stations” spiel. Do they give different cash totals on different stations? Or does it mean that you could end up getting a call from Spin even though you heard it on Today FM?

bennyx_o

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119662055#Comment_119662055

That's exactly what 98FM did in the days of the cash call - I remember my parents getting a call.

The same amount is given across all the GoLoud stations and the presenter from one of the stations (98FM I think) calls someone

dxhound2005

The biggest mystery to me is how many times it rolls over. People go to the trouble and expense of making a call, and they only have to be ready for a few hours to get a call back to win. But then they don't answer the phone.

jippo nolan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119662106#Comment_119662106

Maybe they have a “Burner” phone they call to avoid paying out!

radiotrickster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119662165#Comment_119662165

That would be against the terms and conditions and illegal. If anyone seriously accused them of this, I’m sure they would have the phone records to prove the numbers they tried and the length of the calls.

I wouldn’t blame presenters for putting in an effort to sell it either. Surely it gets boring doing the same stuff every day? Their PDs are more than likely paying attention to who puts in an effort and who just says “the cash machine is worth twenty grand today. Listen to win” too…

plodder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119659418#Comment_119659418

Poker or gambling on horse racing involves skill and knowledge. I think the distinction is between lotteries which are pure games of chance, and seem to be quite tightly regulated, with other types of gambling that aren't. So, I guess that's why they put in the question you have to answer. The cash machine idea takes that to an extreme, where the "skill" is being able to write down a sequence of numbers and read it back again. Which makes me wonder about the rollovers as well. How do we know they are genuine? It's one thing to not be listening to the radio when they make the call. But, you don't have to be listening. You just need to have your phone with you. Though, I think the entries roll over as well, if I'm not mistaken ...??

xhomelezz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058264652/goloud-cash-machine

What about all other lotteries, tools will always find the way how to waste money. It's fine by me.

xhomelezz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119662412#Comment_119662412

The only skill involved in poker or gambling on horses is to have some cash to make a bet. I think.

dxhound2005

I notice in the terms and conditions that they reserve the right to have a "must win" draw, where they keep ringing numbers until someone answers with the correct amount. I suspect that is because of the recent Lotto rumpus. They would make a judgement when to pay out if it rolled over to a very big amount. So as not to attract too much interest from the usual crowd who want to get offended by everything.

radiotrickster

They usually do must-wins on a Friday. They have an ‘entry period’ in the terms so I would assume it’s the last day of the entry period where they need it won because a new period starts the next day.

It would be interesting to keep an eye on and see when they do a must-win does correspond with the last entry period day or if they just do it at random too.

Dub13

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119662541#Comment_119662541

Poker is a game of skill with a huge element of luck. You are effectively playing against the other players at the table and not "the house".

xhomelezz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119663238#Comment_119663238

I get it, but still, any fool with money can join. So no skills required. That applies to any gambling. That's what I think.

plodder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119663315#Comment_119663315

Sure, but that applies to a lot of things. Eg, I could probably find a piano competition I could enter, but never having learned how to play, I wouldn't do very well. A relation of mine buys the Racing Post seven days a week and studies it closely. Knowledge definitely helps when you're punting on horse racing.

xhomelezz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119663460#Comment_119663460

Knowledge helps fook all when it comes to gambling. Doesn't matter how many racing posts anybody buys. It might get you better chance, but that's all . And what are the chances? Personally I'd rather spent 2.50 a week on cash machine instead of investing and trying to figure out horse racing. Imo.

plodder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119663510#Comment_119663510

Well, would you like to know what your chances are in the cash machine, or what percentage of the entries are given back in prize money? Would it make a difference to you if 500 people entered, or 5000 or 50,000? You don't have any visibility of that right now, or how much money they are making out of it.

Indestructable

Newstalk have gone utterly silent on gambling and gambling addiction segments since the cash machine started. It used to be a pretty common topic and an important one too.

They also don't seem to run ads on gambling addiction awarenesses any longer.

I loath the cash machine and switch off each time it's mentioned, which is constant.

xhomelezz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119663641#Comment_119663641

If I decide to send 2.50 worth of message, all I want to know is the prize I might get.

You do realise whoever is after starting cash machine wants to make profit. And that's normal.

But you have a point, a bit of visibility would be probably nice.

On the other hand, how much visibility in incomes you have on poker tables or horse racing or any other gambling activities.

Dub13

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119663773#Comment_119663773

Well if you play roulette for example the odds are very clearly defined. And if you still choice to pay that's fine, you have made an informed call.

Dub13

Also, if you are gambling online or in a casino/shop they will or are meant to stop you if they think you have an issue. With this text lark they don't honestly know if a person is spending 50 euro of there very low wage on this 'game'

radiotrickster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119663826#Comment_119663826

This is another area covered in the terms… You can enter twelve times max in a seven day period (Friday to Friday) meaning you can spend €30 max per week

technocrat

I sometimes have Spin on in the background on my working from home days, however, its become unbearable lately as they never stop plugging the 'cash machine' competition.

At least the other stations in the Baeur group aren't as annoying about constantly pimping it.

It has to be off putting for listeners like me who have no interest in gambling.

I find myself listening to 98fm and fm104 a lot more lately, hopefully others are doing the same and Spin gsts the hint next time the listenership figures are published!

batistuta9

Would the number of rings correspond? Always thought that might be the biggest issue with it

Losty Dublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119662412#Comment_119662412

In gaming and gambling you are 100% out of control of the result, form or otherwise.

In Cash Machine you are in control of knowing what the total cash amount is. People get called and don't know the answer.

Genghis

I see the 'Summer' cash machine ends on Friday (30/09). Will there be a new competition? Surely.

Will there be a new entry number, like there was when the plain old cash machine became the Summer Cash machine? I wonder.

Genghis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119664121#Comment_119664121

T&C's actually say 12 times *per draw* per week. So 5 draws per week is 60 entries.

There is also a different keyword for each station (Spin /Spin SW share one), each one a different entry route with the same 12 entry per draw limit ... so this may enable play 240 times a week!

Would imagine this is totally imprqctical to enforce - what happens the 13th time you enter a draw. Would your text be rejected? Would you be charged? Would your final text be easily taken out of the draw?

So I would think there is no practical limit, certainly not like there is a limit say on an online gambling account.

plodder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119664474#Comment_119664474

In cash machine you are not in control of whether you receive the call or not. That is the chance aspect you are gambling on.

Dub13

I am surprised they haven't had a rollover to 100k plus yet.

Genghis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119676765#Comment_119676765

Probably know they are operating in a grey area, a six figure prize might bring scrutiny.

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119676765#Comment_119676765

Yeh I think if it gets to the point of needing to go over €100k I think it’s more likely they’ll do a ‘guaranteed winner’ of an amount below that

patrickc

Everytime Iano mentions it now, he basically says enter only if you want/can, its like its suddenly come to light its a form of gambling the way he says it.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119678486#Comment_119678486

Gambling is better than getting robbed and blackmailed by RTE every year.

Declan A Walsh

Seeing as it is still getting plenty of mention on the Today FM thread, I thought I would bump this one up. Incidentally, in case you don't know, it is on all the Bauer Media owned Irish stations: Today FM, Newstalk, 98FM, Spin1038 and Spin SouthWest.

How long more, do you think, will they keep this going?

Sheep Shagger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119906434#Comment_119906434

Global in the UK have had something similar going for a few years so expect it still have some life here.

NIMAN

It'll keep going as long as its making a profit.

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119906434#Comment_119906434

Has their purchase of Red FM gone through yet?

They’re not near done with it yet

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119906974#Comment_119906974

I gather it is subject to regulatory approval. Assuming that it goes ahead and the Cash Machine is still going at that stage, Red FM will be doing it too, no doubt, once they are officially handed over to Bauer Media.

Breaston Plants

Oh..........My.............Goooooodddddd...

radiotrickster

I would imagine in five years time, this thread will still be running of people asking how much longer it’ll be here for. It’s been going for at least three years in the Bauer UK stations.