As a buyer on eBay, you're not paying just to place a bid. On this, you pay to bid, even if you don't win... Think about how much money you could end up spending in bids, only to be outbid every single time. How many times and how much money before you start to think it's a scam? Sure it's like playing the lottery and as long as it's run by "honest" people (no friends buying the snakes and reselling, etc...) I don't see anything illegal about it. Is it ethical? Questionable at best IMO...