Quote Originally Posted by Tyndmyr View Post
I believe that, in districts of any decent size, you will get volunteers for the exact same reasons you get volunteers for the military. Since the number taken annually is so low, you can basically assume that someone's gonna take it.
...What? Do you really think we'd have people volunteering for the military if it had a 95% mortality rate (outside of the context of a war in which you'd die/be enslaved if your nation lost)? Especially volunteers from children.

And even if they don't, if the habit of signing up extra for more food is popular...it's the same number of people taken in total. So, you all might as well. The risk comes out the same in the end.
Wrong, every tessera you take increases your chances, regardless of whether or not others take any. Doesn't matter if there's 100 names in there or 1000, your chances of being picked are lower if your name's only in there once rather than say, twice. This is why Katniss doesn't allow Prim to take any.