You just have to pray hard enough.

Any body that can believe that a God who supposedly created the entire universe would actually monitor the thoughts of 7 billion insignificant human beings in one dot in space and then pick and chose whose prayers it is going to answer ,lacks any common sense or logic.Also the audacity to think you are important enough and needy enough for this God to help you is even more ridiculous

Making a deal with god?

well, from a psychological perspective prayer, like meditation and many forms of spell working, can be a method of reprogramming ones own mind to face a situation that one might feel unready for or unable to handle. Many might see it as an exercise in futility. I've done it before on many occasions to ease my mind. It has actually made things easier for me. I'm not an atheist or agnostic though. I believe that the realm of the supernatural is one of understanding that has not yet been seen through the hypothetical microscope. I don't denounce it because some of it seems to be obviously real. I think that the likelihood of there being a creator is increasing as our science looks farther into the infinite. Whether I think we have Gods or not, we will certainly become Gods ourselves in the end.

It think the reason people pray is because it makes them feel like they maybe have a little influence over something they they don't actually have any power over. Pray that the plane lands safely, that the cancer cures, etc. Feeling powerless is a terrible feeling, and this makes people feel a little better, even though it didn't actually do anything to influence their situation.

The point is, what do you use it for. It is really up to the person praying. As I was raised in an organized religion it was to do as I was told, or to repent. As an Atheist, I meditate to collect my thoughts, try to understand better what I feel or think, and to give myself direction for difficult decisions. When travelling in the Thailand, I learned the term Namaste. In general terms its a direct prayer from one person to another meaning "the soul in me respects the soul in you". Which is actually very beautiful when actually meant. I believe more important than what is prayer is "what is your intent? what is in your heart?" Whether it is called prayer, meditation or intent is less relevant to me. Thank you for the question!

Praying, especially for others, is the lazy way to feel like you are actually doing something to help them.

Most successful religions work on (at least) two levels. At the popular level they provide a parent surrogate for the masses, so they don't have to ever grow up. That is actually a good thing, because the majority aren't going to grow up anyway, so it's better that they have a parent figure. Prayer at that level is mostly communication in the context of Stockholm Syndrome (worship your captor). At the esoteric level prayer is a mental discipline for cognitive development, much like meditation. That can actually have real-world benefit.

Prayer is a selfish instrument used to try and sway a deity to do work for you.
The point of it is to abrogate responsibility for your actions and the actions of others, good or bad.
For example, a believer goes into hospital for life saving surgery... she prays for a successful surgery, or entry into heaven. The relatives pray for successful outcome.
If the surgery is a success, they ignore the training and dedication of medical staff, and credit the deity with the save.
If it isn't a success, then they either blame the surgeon, the spiritual opposition, or they make up white lies, that the deity's purpose for that person lay somewhere else.
The point of prayer is that it is a selfish attempt to influence or bargain with a deity, for a positive outcome for yourself.
There are a few that pray for others, but mostly prayer is about the self.
It is also a lazy form of assistance. People pray for you, when they have no intention of lending a hand. But it looks politically correct, and because it requires no effort on the part of the believer, and it is politically incorrect to criticise these "thoughts and prayers", it is a selfish act that they can get away with.
Prayer is bullshit, and a useless thing.
But it isn't going away anytime soon.
Oh, and calling out the faithful on prayer, will get you attacked in social media.

Prayer = verbal masturbation

All through history. Religious believing humanity has prayed to something. The Norse gods, Olympians gods and to the stars. Its a means of showing devout devotion to whatever divinity they pray too. They believe that prayer is a means to get the ear of their deity. They don't know what his plans are and as events unfold in their lives they interpret through their understanding of their god. If something doesn't go as forcasted.. Well it was that damn high pressure ridge that changed it!

prayer is installed from early childhood which we all know is a form of child abuse,and also by people who cannot cope with day to day living, completely man made and never has been proven to be anything but a waste of wind

I don’t really see a point. I mean if this God already have everything predetermined, why pray. I’m sure a little sinner’s prayer won’t change his mind. Just take Adam and Eve for example: he set them up to fail them punished them for what he already predetermined what they would do.