• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Powerball Lottery Approaches 1 Billion Dollars

Crosscheck

Crosscheck

Banned
DP Veteran
Joined
Dec 15, 2009
Messages
12,008
Reaction score
9,396
Location
NW USA
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Undisclosed
Unless you have been in a coma you have been seeing the frenzy over the Powerball lottery as it approaches $1 Billion.

What is mind boggling is that with addition of more balls the odds have increased from one in 175 million to one in 292.2 million!
I mean that is absurd. Holy crap. That is like I am thinking of a number from one to 292 million , can you guess it? No, you were close though, try again.


The best line I saw was from the executive director of the Alexandria, Virginia-based American Statistical Association who said, "I can assure you," he said, "there is no office pool for the lottery at the American Statistical Association."
 
Crosscheck said:
Unless you have been in a coma you have been seeing the frenzy over the Powerball lottery as it approaches $1 Billion.

What is mind boggling is that with addition of more balls the odds have increased from one in 175 million to one in 292.2 million!
I mean that is absurd. Holy crap. That is like I am thinking of a number from one to 292 million , can you guess it? No, you were close though, try again.


The best line I saw was from the executive director of the Alexandria, Virginia-based American Statistical Association who said, "I can assure you," he said, "there is no office pool for the lottery at the American Statistical Association."
Click to expand...

Well, of course.

I bought ONE ticket on the off chance.... (no chance at all really, but who knows?)

My contribution to the fallacy that anyone can become a millionaire, even if you don't have any real ability at all. Simply rely on luck. ;)
 
Crosscheck said:
Unless you have been in a coma you have been seeing the frenzy over the Powerball lottery as it approaches $1 Billion.

What is mind boggling is that with addition of more balls the odds have increased from one in 175 million to one in 292.2 million!
I mean that is absurd. Holy crap. That is like I am thinking of a number from one to 292 million , can you guess it? No, you were close though, try again.


The best line I saw was from the executive director of the Alexandria, Virginia-based American Statistical Association who said, "I can assure you," he said, "there is no office pool for the lottery at the American Statistical Association."
Click to expand...

the lottery, as far as i'm concerned, is a voluntary tax on poor and stupid people.

this week, i'm stupid, but not poor... so i went ahead and brought 5 tickets.:lol:

by my math, I have a 50/50 shot at getting the big money.... either i'll win it, or i won't.
 
Thrilla said:
the lottery, as far as i'm concerned, is a voluntary tax on poor and stupid people.

this week, i'm stupid, but not poor... so i went ahead and brought 5 tickets.:lol:

by my math, I have a 50/50 shot at getting the big money.... either i'll win it, or i won't.
Click to expand...

well..... if you think of it.... it's the ONLY chance of the stupid poor to ever get that kind of money.... so whynot? lol
 
American lotteries are over-hyped, IMO.

The prize is never as big as they claim. It is either watered down with payments or you can take a greatly reduced cash payout (still tons of money in this case though).
And certain state lotteries do not even pay all that they claim to pay...like Illinois.

Illinois Lottery winners sue for interest payments on delayed prizes | Chicago Sun-Times

Plus, most have to pay tax on their winnings.

Forbes Welcome


Canada does it right.

The amount they advertise is (to my knowledge) exactly how much you will win (if no one else has the same numbers). And it all comes to you at once and tax free.
 
Last edited:
celticwar17 said:
well..... if you think of it.... it's the ONLY chance of the stupid poor to ever get that kind of money.... so whynot? lol
Click to expand...

There is truth to that. I just think of the line from Jeff Foxworthy "Sophisticated people have retirement plans. Rednecks play the lottery. "

But I am no different and probably will go buy a couple tickets even though my inner voice says, Fool. I expect to win as much as I expect to have Kaley Cuoco come up to my front door because she has a flat tire.

And in a case of your fellow co-workers going together to buy an office pool you definitely buy one because you don't want the local news station interviewing you as the one employee who doesn't get to share the millions.
 
The IRS will be a big lottery winner very soon yet never needed to buy a single ticket. ;)

Your odds of winning are about 1 in 292 million per play but the IRS wins about 1/3 of every pot no matter who picks those lucky numbers. Your local bookie or football pool maker offers much better odds, takes far less out of the pot and remains illegal only because they refuse to give IRS their fair share.
 
Captain Adverse said:
Well, of course.

I bought ONE ticket on the off chance.... (no chance at all really, but who knows?)

My contribution to the fallacy that anyone can become a millionaire, even if you don't have any real ability at all. Simply rely on luck. ;)
Click to expand...

What I have never understood is why so many folks only buy lottery tickets (and tend to buy many of them) when the pot gets "really big". Do they really believe that the "investment" value of a $1 lottery ticket changes, even though the extremely lousy odds of a win remain the same but the odds of having to share that big prize increase precisely because of morons just like themselves?
 
ttwtt78640 said:
What I have never understood is why so many folks only buy lottery tickets (and tend to buy many of them) when the pot gets "really big". Do they really believe that the "investment" value of a $1 lottery ticket changes, even though the extremely lousy odds of a win remain the same but the odds of having to share that big prize increase precisely because of morons just like themselves?
Click to expand...

What I've always thought funny is those who say that the pot's only $3 million, so why bother?

Uh, that would be $3 million before taxes that you don't have?

But I did spent $2 on a Powerball ticket yesterday because of a lemming impulse. Walked into a little country store on my way home, the two people in front of me in line bought some, so I went wild and crazy.

This much I do know: If you don't play, you can't win. ;)
 
I'm buying a ticket today. If I win, I'll let you all know. The one guaranteed way to NOT win, is to NOT buy a ticket. If $2.00 is the difference between eating this month and not, then you have bigger problems than spending (wasting) that two bucks on the lottery.
 
nota bene said:
What I've always thought funny is those who say that the pot's only $3 million, so why bother?

Uh, that would be $3 million before taxes that you don't have?

But I did spent $2 on a Powerball ticket yesterday because of a lemming impulse. Walked into a little country store on my way home, the two people in front of me in line bought some, so I went wild and crazy.

This much I do know: If you don't play, you can't win. ;)
Click to expand...

You also know that the odds of winning anything really, really suck. If you are going to gamble then bet on the blue team or the home team - you will never get really, really rich that way but you will get poorer much more slowly. ;)

I put my pocket change into a jug and when (not if) it gets full enough then I "win" whatever it will buy at that time. With the lousy interest rates offered on savings I don't lose much either. ;)
 
Today I saw the greatest thing on Fox News as a result of this lotto.

Fox n Friends had a guest on, discussing ways to increase your odds of winning the lottery. They asked him some questions, and I saw them put up the text infographic thingy stating thus:

"Buy as many tickets as you can afford."

Now, if this doesn't have you laughing as hard as I did, it gets better.

Next, the guy was trying to explain that you should always pick the same numbers, not quick picks. Naturally, the next infographic stated:

Play the same numbers each week.

Finally, stressing the importance of playing each week just in case "your" numbers come up. This was a serious discussion on Fox News as a way to increase your odds of winning the lottery.

Now, if you read this and don't understand why that's funny, you're the viewer they want.
 
Crosscheck said:
Unless you have been in a coma you have been seeing the frenzy over the Powerball lottery as it approaches $1 Billion.

What is mind boggling is that with addition of more balls the odds have increased from one in 175 million to one in 292.2 million!
I mean that is absurd. Holy crap. That is like I am thinking of a number from one to 292 million , can you guess it? No, you were close though, try again.


The best line I saw was from the executive director of the Alexandria, Virginia-based American Statistical Association who said, "I can assure you," he said, "there is no office pool for the lottery at the American Statistical Association."
Click to expand...


The lottery is a fools game....one that a majority of Americans play.....including me on occasion

I learned a long time ago, the chance of winning is slim to none

But....you can't win if you don't play.....and 2 bucks for a chance at close to a billion.....yeah....I like those odds

Maybe I never win, and my money just adds to the state fund for education....ok...I can live with that

Maybe I get really really lucky....or maybe someone I know does....good stuff

In the long run...no one hurt either way
 
Deuce said:
Today I saw the greatest thing on Fox News as a result of this lotto.

Fox n Friends had a guest on, discussing ways to increase your odds of winning the lottery. They asked him some questions, and I saw them put up the text infographic thingy stating thus:

"Buy as many tickets as you can afford."

Now, if this doesn't have you laughing as hard as I did, it gets better.

Next, the guy was trying to explain that you should always pick the same numbers, not quick picks. Naturally, the next infographic stated:

Play the same numbers each week.

Finally, stressing the importance of playing each week just in case "your" numbers come up. This was a serious discussion on Fox News as a way to increase your odds of winning the lottery.

Now, if you read this and don't understand why that's funny, you're the viewer they want.
Click to expand...

Well the problem is if you didn't play your numbers and they came up... man that would be depressing:lol:.
 
I'm actually not sure I'd like to win that much money.
 
Winchester said:
I'm actually not sure I'd like to win that much money.
Click to expand...

Tell ya what. If you buy a ticket and win, I'll take as much of that cash off your hands as you like.

And spend every dime on strippers.
 
Winchester said:
I'm actually not sure I'd like to win that much money.
Click to expand...

First thing you would have to do is move far away where nobody knows you.

It would be mind boggling what to do with that much money and also deal with all the hands out to you. Myself I would be just happy with a couple million.
 
Crosscheck said:
First thing you would have to do is move far away where nobody knows you.

It would be mind boggling what to do with that much money and also deal with all the hands out to you. Myself I would be just happy with a couple million.
Click to expand...

I was watching the local news a couple days ago and they interviewed a random man and asked what he would do if he won the money.
He replied, Disappear.

I thought that was great advice.
 
Winchester said:
I'm actually not sure I'd like to win that much money.
Click to expand...
I hope after a brief moment, you got over this silly notion!

But I'll tell you what: If you win, just give me your ticket, and I'll take it off your hands.

After all - What are friends for? ;)
 
Crosscheck said:
First thing you would have to do is move far away where nobody knows you.

It would be mind boggling what to do with that much money and also deal with all the hands out to you. Myself I would be just happywith a couple million.
Click to expand...
You can always collect it anonymously through an LLC.

(Well, you remain anonymous, but the LLC must send a representative - it could be your lawyer or trustee)

Chicago Tribune: The secret millionaires next door
 
At this point, I'm honestly tempted to go out and buy a ticket or two myself.

Frankly, however, even if I won, it'd probably be a waste. I'm waaaaay too absent minded for this kind of endeavor, and I'd probably just wind up forgetting about the whole thing, and missing the announcement of the missing number anyway. :lol:
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom