"The choices we make, we will have to live with down the line..."
That's what I go by each day. If I spend for diamonds (in which I had done without any regrets) then it's on me in doing so. However, I am not going to ask for a refund on something I did on my own.
Now, I just read down the line that someone said they didn't spend the rest of their footballs because of the prizes they yield... well, so what? At least go for other things that might be of use (like forge points or missing blueprints). There were days I didn't play because the top prize was close to useless (or that I had many of). However, on the last day (and hour), I used up all my footballs to get what's left (the other stuff, there's the discard/delete button if you do not want it in your inventory). I liked beta because not of the free diamonds (they do help when it comes to expansions and/or advancements) it gives but because it gives me insight on what to expect when it hits to live servers (on my sole world on the US server) so I can save on the day I really want to play on (while collecting and completing the quests).
I am going to take up Inno on their challenge that one can have a level 10 colossus without spending diamonds. So wish me well.