The Lottery, and what it means to me....

[Pat Germain]

So, one million isn't worth a dollar, but 100 million is? I know. I think the same way. Actually, many people just don't think about the lottery until it hits some huge prize and starts getting media attention.

What puzzles me is it seems the more people are into gambling, the more clueless they are about how it works; which probably explains why they are so into gambling.

I had never gambled until a few years ago. I was going to Las Vegas and decided to do some reading. I learned about blackjack and slot machines. I had only a very basic knowledge. Yet, I knew more about those two subjects than almost everyone I met at casinos!

I met slot players who actually believed they had better odds if they pulled the lever instead of hitting the button. And they really thought they could get a machine "warmed up" by playing it for awhile. Many blackjack players had never of heard of "basic strategy" let alone knew how to do it.

I amazed a whole lot of people at the Tropicana when I stuck a $5.00 bill into a quarter slot and hit a $2,500 jackpot; on the second spin. That's how slot machines work.

[Chris Padilla]

There is the odds, too, Pat. You are NEVER paid real odds...it's always something significantly less...SIGNIFICANTLY!!

Also, for the lottery, you have the same odds as everyone else. Random picks have the same odds as using your SSN, birthdate, anniversary, kid's ages, etc. The only way to increase your odds is to make more picks...that is it.

When the California Lottery hits in the $40M+ area, I start playing. They pull numbers every Wednesday and Saturday. So I do my usual 20 quick picks for each pull until somebody who isn't me wins.

Well, somebody wins, right?! I wish my name was Chris Somebody or Chris Body....

[Pat Germain]

Well, somebody wins, right?!

Actually, no. Quite often nobody wins the lottery. That's how the jackpots get very high.

[Lee DeRaud]

I'm reminded of an old Andy Capp cartoon, where he and the wife are buying food and use their last shilling to get a lottery ticket.

The punchline was, "We don't believe in miracles but we're inclined to depend on them."

[Lee DeRaud]

Many blackjack players had never of heard of "basic strategy" let alone knew how to do it.

There was a smallish casino (I forget the name, this was maybe 30 years ago) in Vegas that advertised single-deck, both-dealer-card-showing blackjack. The fact that the house could still make money doing that tells you everything you need to know about how dumb most gamblers are.

(I seriously doubt any casino in Vegas still does anything like that. They got greedy when they discovered that they can sell rooms, food, and shows at prices that make DisneyWorld look cheap and still pack the tables.)

[Jim Becker]

Darn, I was in New Jersey today for a briefing and forgot to pick up a MegaMillions ticket! Oh, well...gas was only $1.59 the 11 gallons I bought only came to about $18. Nice change from the "large numbers" in the recent past...

[Matt Ocel]

Just remember -

The experts have come to the conclusion that it is mathamaticaly impossible to win, if you don't buy a ticket.

[John Daugherty]

Guys, I want you to know that you're talking to a genuine powerball winner. Yep, a little over a year ago. After I hit it, I took my winnings and bought me and my little boy a chocolate milk and a honey bun. I lite that baby up for 7 bucks. After my celebration meal I had a little over a buck left!

In all seriousness a lady I work with hit a scratch off for 250,000 and a neighbor hit the powerball for over 600,000. I might play the powerball once a month.

[Randal Stevenson]

Interestingly (or sadly) there are a lot of folks who do categorize the lottery (and Vegas...) as a "Banking and Finance" entry. It should really be under "Games and Entertainment".

I think the proper location is Sci Fi and Fantasy, thinking of the tools/shop I would like to buy and build and the chances of me winning. Now I have known a few people that have won what I consider big (more then 20K), but I don't have the funds to play like that. I spend maybe $30 a year. (not many vises, so this is one)

I don't know about Georgia, but they say the same thing in Illinois and it's just a scam. The lottery money does go to education, but they take the same amount away from other funding.

When it passed in Missouri, they said the proceeds would go to education. What people didn't realize, and the ads made no attempt to lead people from thinking, was that amount that went to education, would not be paid by the other "general funds" taxes, that would then go elsewhere. People believed that school budgets could double.

[Karl Brogger]

About five or six years ago the Powerball was up to something rediculous like $360 million. A co-worker of mine at the time got 4 numbers and the powerball. The number that was off, was off by ONE digit. I think he still got $10k.


How cruel would that be?

[Don Bullock]

In California the voters of our state voted in the lottery to help pay for education. What they didn't realize is that it brings in less than 2% of the education budget and soon after it started the state legislature cut the budget by at least 8%. I hope this isn't too political for the TOS.

[Joe Chritz]

My call name with the crew I work with is "gambler" and I don't play the lottery except very very rarely.

Now throw up a good hold em game and I am in with both feet.

Michigan is good about the money going to schools. All the profits get deposited in a "school aid account" to help K-12 education. It is a lot of money but only a tiny drop in the bucket.

Joe

[Belinda Barfield]

Well, Megamillions is up to $207 million so I will definitely be buying 7 tickets for the Friday draw. I won $7 in last night's draw, so I'll just give it right back to them! BTW, according to the GA Lottery website the lottery has given 10.3 billion to Georgia students.

[Jim Becker]

You're right about the total going up, Belenda. I don't feel so bad for forgetting to buy a ticket yesterday while in NJ. I was just talking to my boss who is driving to a meeting in Baltimore...she's stopping for a ticket for the next round. I told her to remember her "friends" if she hits...

[Dusty Fuller]

"In California the voters of our state voted in the lottery to help pay for education. What they didn't realize is that it brings in less than 2% of the education budget and soon after it started the state legislature cut the budget by at least 8%."

Same here in Georgia, perhaps not %-wise, but budgets have been cut according to my mother and wife...


DF