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No winner yet, Powerball at $675 Million biggest in U.S History

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Doesn't the vendor who sold the winning ticket get some kind of bonus as well? I mean the business, not the employee, but still.

I've heard that the store gets $10,000 but that's just a rumor AFAIK. Never seen any evidence. And not to sound too cynical, but even if it's true I doubt I'd see any of it.
 

Werd

Member
So it's only the jackpot that increases over time? All the smaller prizes you actually have some small chance of getting are the same as any other day?
 
So it's only the jackpot that increases over time? All the smaller prizes you actually have some small chance of getting are the same as any other day?

I believe so. I see a few people win $4 off their Powerball tickets each day, but they usually spent more than that on the tickets :/

Most I've personally seen someone win off Powerball was around $550, which to me is nothing to sneeze at, but the man who won it just shrugged his shoulders and then bought more lotto tickets and some beer.
 

MIMIC

Banned
The problem is also that your name, face, and address pretty much gets broadcasted everywhere, especially with 'historical' jackpots like this. I know you can not have it announced but I feel like it'd eventually get out. After that happens, you'll have more "family and friends" then you'll know what to deal with.

Well your close friends who see you every day would probably figure it out. I'd probably move to a more affluent area (gated community with snipers and a moat, lol).

But seriously, I think if you have a good head on your shoulders, you'll be fine.
 

Mascot

Member
I've never understood why people who never play the lottery with its 'normal' multi-million jackpot suddenly buy tickets when it rolls over to hundreds of millions. It's like the 'normal' life-changing jackpot isn't worth bothering with.
 
I've never understood why people who never play the lottery with its 'normal' multi-million jackpot suddenly buy tickets when it rolls over to hundreds of millions. It's like the 'normal' life-changing jackpot isn't worth bothering with.

Because the odds are stupidly big, so some people only bother when the prize is stupidly big as well.
 
I won $4 from the tickets I bought yesterday. Might as well use that $4 to buy more tickets :/

Pls help

That's what most people do. Honestly it's very rare for people to ever take the winnings in cash, they almost always use it to buy more tickets. Even if they won hundreds of dollars.

Please don't get addicted to lotto :p
 

Jonm1010

Banned
I've never understood why people who never play the lottery with its 'normal' multi-million jackpot suddenly buy tickets when it rolls over to hundreds of millions. It's like the 'normal' life-changing jackpot isn't worth bothering with.
Honestly it is probably forced awareness.

For instance I had no clue what the powerball was up to til yesterday when everyone was talking about it.

A few friends wanted to get a few tickets each for the heck of it and now I'm like why not. A few bucks that really wasn't going to go to anything meaningful anyways, so why not. Gives us an excuse to all hang out for a bit.
 

Greecian-

Member
That's what most people do. Honestly it's very rare for people to ever take the winnings in cash, they almost always use it to buy more tickets. Even if they won hundreds of dollars.

Please don't get addicted to lotto :p
No worries. I don't have one of those "addictive personalities" that I hear people talking about ;)
 

Slayer-33

Liverpool-2
I've never understood why people who never play the lottery with its 'normal' multi-million jackpot suddenly buy tickets when it rolls over to hundreds of millions. It's like the 'normal' life-changing jackpot isn't worth bothering with.

To not waste your money the vast majority of the time (throwing away money constantly on the lottery is stupid) and just jump on opportunities like these only since you never know. Even if it's just one line.

Totally worth it like this
 
To not waste your money the vast majority of the time (throwing away money constantly on the lottery is stupid) and just jump on opportunities like these only since you never know. Even if it's just one line.

it's no more an opportunity than a $10M prize
Both are life changers, the odds are the same, it doesn't matter if it's 10M or 10B, you're wasting money playing this
 

Slayer-33

Liverpool-2
it's no more an opportunity than a $10M prize
Both are life changers, the odds are the same, it doesn't matter if it's 10M or 10B, you're wasting money playing this

So you justify buying lottery tickets to no end just because there's always a low end jackpot that would be life changing regardless? You understood the logic as to why do it like I said right?

That's the point. Someone that's never inclined to waste money on these oods can justify spending $2 for a quarter of a billion. I don't gamble but I don't mind buying a line on these occasions.
 

Slayer-33

Liverpool-2
I don't justifiy buying tickets whatsoever, it's always a waste of money, no matter how big the prize is

Yeah, but no one is going bankrupt or checking into gambling therapy over $2 dude.

I addressed what mascot was asking and gave him a reason why some do it like that. Totally understandable.
 

Fuzzery

Member
it's no more an opportunity than a $10M prize
Both are life changers, the odds are the same, it doesn't matter if it's 10M or 10B, you're wasting money playing this

Actually, you can do a hell of a lot more with 10B. That's enough leeway to seriously change the world some
 
it's no more an opportunity than a $10M prize
Both are life changers, the odds are the same, it doesn't matter if it's 10M or 10B, you're wasting money playing this

Also the odds of winning when you buy one ticket and the odds of winning when you buy 20 tickets are virtually the same*, so if you've got to play at least be kind of smart about it and don't spend enough money to where you could be going out for dinner or filling up on gas instead.

*Yes, obliviously 20 chances is a lot more than 1, but think of it like diminishing returns. Not even 1,000 chances would give you much of an advantage at all. You'll still almost certainly lose.
 

Rootbeer

Banned
Guess i'm buying some tickets for Saturday's draw.

Oh and I'm following that Reddit post's advice. That was some good reading.

I'm not afraid of winning. I don't have a lot of the bullshit in my way that most of those people who failed terribly had. Family being the #1 issue.
 

Droplet

Member
I've never understood why people who never play the lottery with its 'normal' multi-million jackpot suddenly buy tickets when it rolls over to hundreds of millions. It's like the 'normal' life-changing jackpot isn't worth bothering with.

Expected returns are decently close to ticket price
if you don't account for taxes
.

It's for fun.
 

JeffZero

Purple Drazi
Went to WaWa to buy a ticket but the machine is down because too many people were banging on it or something.

I have until Saturday night, IIRC?
 
it's no more an opportunity than a $10M prize
Both are life changers, the odds are the same, it doesn't matter if it's 10M or 10B, you're wasting money playing this

statistically, it makes sense to buy a lottery ticket when the total is above 292 million since the odds are 1 in 292 million.
 
but a ticket is $2 or more no ?
and this would make sense if you had a good chance at winning in your lifetime if you played everytime

the odds are 1 in 292 million according to CNN.

not saying youre chances of winning are all that great, but mathematically it's a smart thing to buy a single ticket just for the fun of it.

If they're $2 a ticket though, never mind!

edit: boooo, it is $2. Call me when it's at 584+ million then lol

double edit: oh wait, the jackpot is at $600+ million. Worth it again!
 
Went to WaWa to buy a ticket but the machine is down because too many people were banging on it or something.

I have until Saturday night, IIRC?

Man, I love Wawa. It's like a religion in south Jersey (where I'm from) but I live in Florida now, far away from any Wawas. My girlfriend got my brother to send me a bag of Wawa coffee for Christmas, though.

Anyway, yeah, you have until Saturday night :p
 

JeffZero

Purple Drazi
Man, I love Wawa. It's like a religion in south Jersey (where I'm from) but I live in Florida now, far away from any Wawas. My girlfriend got my brother to send me a bag of Wawa coffee for Christmas, though.

Anyway, yeah, you have until Saturday night :p

Thank you!

Also, I'm in Florida, too. We have WaWas everywhere in Tampa Bay, and they've fast become a religion here as well. So... maybe you'll see them soon!
 

sarcastor

Member
I don't justifiy buying tickets whatsoever, it's always a waste of money, no matter how big the prize is

Going to a bar or sporting event and paying $10-15 for a beer is a waste of money. You can buy the same same exact beer for $2 at a grocery store.

Spending a couple of bucks once in a long while to play the lottery is not that bad. You might even win a couple of bucks. If not, you just wasted $10. Big fucking deal.
 
Going to a bar or sporting event and paying $10-15 for a beer is a waste of money. You can buy the same same exact beer for $2 at a grocery store.

Spending a couple of bucks once in a long while to play the lottery is not that bad. You might even win a couple of bucks. If not, you just wasted $10. Big fucking deal.

you're paying the price and get a beer, you don't pay for a chance in 200 million to win a beer
 
Thank you!

Also, I'm in Florida, too. We have WaWas everywhere in Tampa Bay, and they've fast become a religion here as well. So... maybe you'll see them soon!

Ah man, I have family in Tampa but I haven't been there in nearly 10 years. I live way out in the boonies.
 

Bad_Boy

time to take my meds
Id like to think i could handle it after a lump sum and set up securities against myself so i couldnt blow it. But no way, i would take yearly payments. That way if i go broke, ill be back on top within a year.

Even the yearly payments would be more money than id ever imagine.
 

ncslamm

Member
It's always fun to think of all the things you could do with a lot of money. I used to buy tickets all of the time when I was really poor in hopes that I could win something to pay off all my debts. As I've grown older I realized more and more that the lottery sucks and it's like having a tax on the poor who seem to buy tickets in mass. i've heard all of the horror stories of big jackpots winners whose lives went to shit after winning or shortly thereafter. I think I'd rather not win that much especially considering I can't claim it anonymously in my state. I'd be fine winning the daily drawings with jackpots of $500 because they can be claimed at the gas station or store you bought the ticket from.
 

Johndoey

Banned
Id like to think i could handle it after a lump sum and set up securities against myself so i couldnt blow it. But no way, i would take yearly payments. That way if i go broke, ill be back on top within a year.

Even the yearly payments would be more money than id ever imagine.
I don't even think you could really fuck up such a large lump sum.
 

I'm an expert

Formerly worldrevolution. The only reason I am nice to anyone else is to avoid being banned.
At least 12 people won $1mil yesterday and there were a bunch of 4 match+powerball in states. Again, someone always wins..why wouldn't you throw your name in the hat every once in a while.
 

FStubbs

Member
I've never understood why people who never play the lottery with its 'normal' multi-million jackpot suddenly buy tickets when it rolls over to hundreds of millions. It's like the 'normal' life-changing jackpot isn't worth bothering with.

I think the jackpot gets big enough to where your potential ROI actually comes out in your favor lol.
 
I'll buy a couple of tickets for Saturday. Good times watching the playoffs and then top it off with a couple hundred million before midnight.
 
I won!

$36 smackers, baby!
nice now you can play 18 more times for even bigger gainz !
At least 12 people won $1mil yesterday and there were a bunch of 4 match+powerball in states. Again, someone always wins..why wouldn't you throw your name in the hat every once in a while.
what a bargain !
I think the jackpot gets big enough to where your potential ROI actually comes out in your favor lol.
you have to count taxes though, and the price of a ticket
and even then you'd have to play millions of time to come out on top so uh
 

Sanjuro

Member
nice now you can play 18 more times for even bigger gainz !

what a bargain !

you have to count taxes though, and the price of a ticket
and even then you'd have to play millions of time to come out on top so uh

Big payouts are for chumps. I'm going to chisel away at the millions!
 
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