At 640 million..

..It would take the average American family 12,800 years to make that much cash.

...it takes the US government 1 hour and 29 minutes to spend it.

The lottery is for people who are bad at math.

I didn't win. Damn it.

I won. Just like always. I didn't buy a ticket. I did at least come up with what my numbers would have been. They wouldn't have won.

(03-30-2012 11:30 PM)Machiavelli Wrote:  I didn't win. Damn it.

I didn't win either. No early retirement for me. :(

And the government gets half of what you win yet they didn't invest or take a risk in the game. It's nice to be a guaranteed winner.

Winning tickets in Kansas, Illinois and Maryland. 3 way split.

How about the Maryland winner that has the option(by state law) to remain anonymous? How cool is this!! Now THAT winner has it made.:ncaabbs: 165 million and your neighbors don't know you won.

(03-31-2012 09:36 AM)smn1256 Wrote:  And the government gets half of what you win yet they didn't invest or take a risk in the game. It's nice to be a guaranteed winner.

I look at it as a contract. I understood up front that by freely participating in this game that the state would get its cut of the payout. There was not gun pointed at me. I like this way of financing government better than the coercive method of taxation in which I have zero control over.

(03-30-2012 11:53 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  I won. Just like always. I didn't buy a ticket. I did at least come up with what my numbers would have been. They wouldn't have won.

It is entertainment for me...just like going to Vegas. I expect to lose. The remote prospect of hitting is the entertainment.

(03-31-2012 09:36 AM)smn1256 Wrote:  And the government gets half of what you win yet they didn't invest or take a risk in the game. It's nice to be a guaranteed winner.

If I won 165 million, I would not be upset that I had to pay some taxes. Even after paying the taxes you sill have enough to live on and invest to last a multitude of lifetimes. You could even buy a million dollar high end stereo system and have change to spare.

(03-30-2012 11:24 PM)SumOfAllFears Wrote:  The lottery is for people who are bad at math.

Holy $hit, this is from the guy who just said he thinks 1/3 = 50%. You must've maxed out your credit cards for this didn't you?

The people buying lottery tickets are usually those who can least afford them. And those who don't understand math, like SOAF here. I think we should do away with it, even if much of it helps fund education. It makes poor people poorer and at the same time gives them false hope (GOPers love that part because some poor people object to raising taxes on the rich because they think they might be rich someday by winning the lottery). It's sad.

(03-31-2012 05:39 PM)RobertN Wrote:  

(03-31-2012 09:36 AM)smn1256 Wrote:  And the government gets half of what you win yet they didn't invest or take a risk in the game. It's nice to be a guaranteed winner.

If I won 165 million, I would not be upset that I had to pay some taxes. Even after paying the taxes you sill have enough to live on and invest to last a multitude of lifetimes. You could even buy a million dollar high end stereo system and have change to spare.

It would be pretty hard to go broke with that kind of money unless you are a complete Torch-level moron. You could basically have a multi-million dollar return each year just on really sh!tty interest rates alone, so with some wise conservative investment you could be living Romney style with your 10% income tax on 10 million in income each year.

It's got a similar probability to slipping that dollar into the dancers g string....

(03-31-2012 05:39 PM)RobertN Wrote:  

(03-31-2012 09:36 AM)smn1256 Wrote:  And the government gets half of what you win yet they didn't invest or take a risk in the game. It's nice to be a guaranteed winner.

If I won 165 million, I would not be upset that I had to pay some taxes. Even after paying the taxes you sill have enough to live on and invest to last a multitude of lifetimes. You could even buy a million dollar high end stereo system and have change to spare.

For clarity.....The 165 is after taxes..... Lucky SOB!!

(03-31-2012 07:02 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  It's got a similar probability to slipping that dollar into the dancers g string....

I have a friend that put it in the best words..."The second I win the lottery...my life expectancy drops."

(03-31-2012 06:41 PM)Max Power Wrote:  

(03-31-2012 05:39 PM)RobertN Wrote:  

(03-31-2012 09:36 AM)smn1256 Wrote:  And the government gets half of what you win yet they didn't invest or take a risk in the game. It's nice to be a guaranteed winner.

If I won 165 million, I would not be upset that I had to pay some taxes. Even after paying the taxes you sill have enough to live on and invest to last a multitude of lifetimes. You could even buy a million dollar high end stereo system and have change to spare.

It would be pretty hard to go broke with that kind of money unless you are a complete Torch-level moron. You could basically have a multi-million dollar return each year just on really sh!tty interest rates alone, so with some wise conservative investment you could be living Romney style with your 10% income tax on 10 million in income each year.

Never underestimate the stupidity of the average man or the deviousness of his friends, relatives, accountants and dare I say..his lawyers.

(03-30-2012 11:24 PM)SumOfAllFears Wrote:  The lottery is for people who are bad at math.

Yes.

I will say though....zero investment = zero return.

(03-31-2012 05:47 PM)Max Power Wrote:  The people buying lottery tickets are usually those who can least afford them. And those who don't understand math, like SOAF here. I think we should do away with it, even if much of it helps fund education. It makes poor people poorer and at the same time gives them false hope (GOPers love that part because some poor people object to raising taxes on the rich because they think they might be rich someday by winning the lottery). It's sad.

Bull Sh!t. The overwhelming majority of people that play the lottery are not poor. Common sense dictates this.

Max...Just how many other things are you in favor of doing away with because someones poor choices might decrease their spendable income? I expect the list has to be very long. Lets start some new prohibitions!!!!! We know how well they work.

(03-31-2012 07:02 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  It's got a similar probability to slipping that dollar into the dancers g string....

I disagree, I've never hit the lottery.