BRITS firmly believe you don’t get something for nothing as a new survey shows one in four would turn down £1,000 cash for free.
Research has revealed we are a distrusting lot when it comes to accepting any kind of freebie.
And Mancunians have been revealed as the most sceptical of all, with almost one in three ready to turn down a no-strings £1,000 offer.
Some 29 per cent of people from Manchester say they would be dubious of any freebie, with the top five most sceptical cities in the UK completed by Liverpool, Leeds, London and Glasgow.
Nationwide wariness would apply to could be anything from a free cup of coffee, with 28 per cent said they’d turn it down, a new car (29 per cent) or a bunch of flowers (24 per cent) all the way up to offers of free cash.
Brits were even more sceptical when it came to the offer of free money, with 23 per cent insisting they’d refuse a free tenner, rising to 33 per cent for those aged 25-34, and 26 per cent for £1,000.
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There are many reasons why people are so reluctant to accept a freebie, ranging from a belief there will be strings attached to the gift (52 per cent), that they’d be expected to do something in return (33 per cent) or that the gift itself would be shoddy or suspect (15 per cent).
Being a sceptic appears to be a badge of honour in modern Britain with two in five saying they live by the old adage "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is" while "You don’t get owt for nowt" is a favourite motto for one in six of the population.
To test the results of the research polling 2,000 people, Betfair Casino set up an "Everyone’s a winner" pop-up pinball machine in Manchester city centre.
Despite the promise that every single player would get a prize, dozens walked on by rather than taking part.
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However, one who didn’t was Adam Matthews, from Salford, who scooped the £1,000 jackpot prize.
The 31-year-old said: “I can’t believe it. I was out shopping with my sister and walked past the shed because you always think there’s a catch. But I’m glad I came back to give it a go.”
Betfair spokesperson Sam Rosbottom said: “British life, culture and humour is steeped in scepticism and cynicism, it’s our gift to the world.
“We aren’t easy to impress and won’t fall for a lot of the scams and tricks people try to pull.
“People can't believe our Prize Pinball jackpot can be won for free, you might not be able to get ‘owt for nowt’ these days but you can win the jackpot for free.”
The UK’s 10 most sceptical cities
1. Manchester
2. Liverpool
3. Leeds
4. Glasgow
5. London
6. Bristol
7. Belfast
8. Norwich
9. Edinburgh
10. Newcastle
Items Britons would most likely refuse for free
Sandwich 32%
New car 30%
Smart TV 28%
Coffee 28%
Clothes 28%
£1,000 cash 26%
£100 cash 25%
Food 25%
Flowers 24%
£10 cash 23%
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