The Lottery - do you play?

[Carolina Red]

Recently the lottery in North Carolina has been in the news, as the state is a member of Powerball, which has a jackpot of nearly $250 million this Wednesday. We got a lottery about a year ago, and I have been playing every now and then but it's mostly the occasional instant game. Some places don't have the lottery, some for good reasons (Nevada, Hawaii) and some for reasons I'm not aware of (Utah, Arkansas).

Do you play the lottery in your area? I know lots of people talk about people losing loads of money in the lottery, but some are supportive because they can fund different things for the state (NC lottery supports education). I'm just supportive because I can have a chance of winning money, and my mom works as a teacher in the Wake County area.

P.S. The odds of me winning Powerball are ridiculous, but someone's bound to win, that's my philosophy with planning the game.

[Stuckey]

I've never bought a lottery ticket, and I've bought at most five scratch-offs in my life. My wife buys scratch-offs semi-frequently. I'd much rather go to a casino where I can get free liquor.

[Zach Logan]

I've never bought a lottery ticket, and I've bought at most five scratch-offs in my life. My wife buys scratch-offs semi-frequently. I'd much rather go to a casino where I can get free liquor.
Ditto. I only play the lottery when it might be fun, or really pay off...like $500,000,000.

[Zubby]

My partner has a PhD mathematics, and I defer to his advanced knowledge of numbers, odds, etc.
His opinion is that playing the lottery amounts to a tax on the stupid. While I find that a bit harsh (my mom and sister both play), I do know that the odds of my winning are extrelemy low. So no, I don't play.

[purplehairedwonder]

Nah. There are other things I'd rather wast-erm, spend my precious small amount of money on anyway.

[Tenku]

There's none in my state, but I think it would help with things. I would gamble, but I'm just 6-ish months of being legal. And I'm 18. >=[

Luckily, I live like 15 minutes from another state that does have the lottery, but I haven't played.

My brother played it and he just won $55,000. Of course, there's just no way in hell I'm getting any of it. :shrug:

[Captain Highwind]

Do I play the lottery? Not unless I'm forced to.

Which is why I can't stand the fact that my family's so immersed in it. It's the biggest waste of time since the internet.

[Jedah Dohma]

Nope. I don't have enough luck I'm afraid. :sweat:

[Dr.Pepper]

I'm not old enough to play but I do like those scratch tickets.

[Scorpio_G]

I played the NY Lottery once I turned 21. I was off the winning numbers either by 2 or 1 numbers. The guy from 711 asked me if I want to try again and I said, " NO. That's okay. Just wanted to experience it.":yawn:

My grandfather won a couple of times, not in the lottery but in horse betting. He got some really good money too but it was not Jackpot huge. But gambling isnt for me. Nope. ;)

[Lord Dalek]

/Throws stones at the lot of ya.





Oh wait, wrong lottery.

[guinaevere]

Ah... Joel you have given me hope. So there is still some form of education going on at schools today?

[bluedeucedodge]

Just bought a $10 scratch off today, and won $50 off of it. It was the first time I have played in months.

[JShaggy]

I haven't even touched a lottery game at all since Tennessee started its lottery in '04, though my brother has played a few scratch-off games until recently.

[Boy Wonder]

Too young by 6 literal months.

[90'sCartoonMan]

I only play Powerball when it gets really up there just for the heck of it. I don't think I've ever played more than 5 times.

[Dukect45]

I play sometimes when its realy high like 100-350 million always wonder what I whould do with that money?

[zmanjz]

In high number lotteries, the odds of winning don't signifigantly improve regardless of whether you buy several hundred tickets, or just 1.

So if you're going to play a "Numbers game" don't spend more than the absolute minimum required to "Have a chance", and expect to lose.

Scratch offs are for *instant-gratification-oriented-individuals and actually have worse odds than the "Numbers games" NEVER play them with your own money.


*P.T. Barnum said there's a sucker born every minute.