The article is specious.
1. The Coke provides a genuine, tangible benefit- a drink (admittedly overpriced) of sugar water, Caramel color,flavorings, and caffeine. The benefit is delivered. The lottery ticket, on the other hand, provides a dimyon of a future benefit, but very rarely delivers on it. It’s a complete waste of money
2. The addiction liability of the Coke is one shared by the lottery ticket as well, and in a much more severe form. One imagines “If I triple my investment, I triple my odds of winning!”, forgetting that 3 times basically 0 are still basically 0.
3. Finally, you can make a bracha on the Coke, delivering an instant shefa of bracha to the world (Nefesh Hachaim part II). No such benefit accrues when buying a lottery ticket. Buy the Coke, but brush your teeth.