I am ethically and morally opposed to state lotteries, but tonight

[Rabrrrrrr]

I will play.

I feel so guilty, but when it goes over $300 million, I play. There's a lot of good I can do with the money - scholarship fund for the family, lots of money to my alma mater that needs it, establishment of a professorship chair, establishment of a theological scholarship fund, and, on a selfish note, a nice Upper West Side apartment in NYC, one in Kyoto, one in Cornwall, a house on the Big Island, and a house with a shitload of land back home... and a new stereo.

[GOPisEvil]

1. Half a percent...that's all I ask.

I'm not greedy. :)

[Deja Q]

7. I'd beg (or do other things) for 1/20th of a percent

:rofl:

[Oeditpus Rex]

2. I don't understand this

I had an editor who was the same way. If the jackpot was, say, $60 million, he wouldn't bother. If it got over $100 million, he'd drop a couple bucks on it.

I totally don't get that. Sixty million dollars isn't worth the investment? :shrug:

[northzax]

5. makes sense, in a way

given that your odds of winning are the exact same infintesimal number either way, the potential value of that dollar you invest goes up with the payoff.


think of it this way, would you risk a dollar on a 50/50 chance of winning $1? maybe. 50/50 on winning $10? or $100? gets easier to justify everytime doesn't it?

[Oeditpus Rex]

8. Mathematically, sure

But at some point, "It's not worth it" becomes ridiculous. I guess people put that point at different places.

I don't play, though. I'd rather have the buck than the infinitessimal chance.

[northzax]

16. when the numbers get big enough

I get my buck's worth of entertainment talking with my friends about how we'd change the world with that kind of cash. So it's worth a buck to me (and only a buck, my girlfriend and I alternate every time it's over about 250 million buying two tickets, one for each of us.) I'd never buy two for myself, that's a waste, but one is amusing, since I don't really need the 4-5 bucks a year it ends up costing me.

[LSK]

15. i agree, 1 million would drastically change my life

365 million wouldnt change it any more. Might be more of a headache if anything. 364 million might go to the DNC if I won.

[lakemonster11]

17. I think the main thing is that you need some way to decide

when to play. If you played every week, you would end up spending quite a lot of money over your lifetime and probably never win anything.

If you play once or twice a year, you'll still probably never win anything, but you won't be throwing a significant amount of money away.

And if you're only going to play a couple of times a year, you may as well play when the jackpot is super high.

[Radical Activist]

3. A bigger jackpot means you're more likely to split the prize

since there's a higher odd that another person will pick the same number. As if the odds weren't already astronomical enough.

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. Oh, believe me, I know the math.

For whatever reason, the draw line for me is $300 million.

:shrug:

[Blue-Jay]

6. That's as good a figure as any, I guess.

Get a cool car if you win.

[laheina]

13. I usually don't play

So it has to be large enough to grab my attention. That's the only time that I bother.

I also *never* win. The most that I ever get is a number--not even the bonus number. :P

[many a good man]

9. The odds are 143 million to one

So I play $1 for each 143 million in the jackpot. This way the odds are in my favor.

[momster]

10. Alas, that I live here

in a non-Powerball state. But my mom will probably play. What would I do with the money? Lots of good -- so many worthy causes. But I'd stay as anonymous as possible, doing good by stealth is just more fun! From dropping a hundred bucks for a tip to sending money to help Doctors without Borders and the like, money can do so much for others. Too many people want to keep it all for themselves -- their own, other people's, the government's. There's a word for them -- what is it, on the tip of my...oh, yeah. Republicans.

[laheina]

14. May someone with your sensibilities

win the big jackpot.

Cheers!

[Elidor]

11. I'm going to buy Costa Rica and appoint myself Dictator

Then I will resign and live a life of decadent extravagance. I will also donate to Lieberman's primary opponent. :evilgrin:

[applegrove]

12. I know how you feel. Gambling is bad. But to some it is a fun passtime.

If only there were a way to separate the vulnerable from the ones having fun and supporting sports at the same time.

As with everything that is a vice.

[Chemical Bill]

18. I always buy a powerball ticket.

Otherwise the state will raise my taxes.:silly:

Bill