Tattersalls started a promotion this week around the Cox Plate. People who buy a 50 line lottery ticket get what appears to be a free entry. They open this and then send a text message with the code word printed on the ‘free’ entry to see if they have won. The text message costs 55 cents. One customer threw the scratch ticket away, angry at being asked to pay for what they felt ought to be a free entry. I agree with them. This kind of competition which costs money to enter can do more harm than good to a brand.