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[RubxQub]

Growing up, my dad's side of the family regularly played the lottery, including scratch-off tickets. Every single time I've gone to visit my relatives or gotten a card in the mail, it always had a lottery ticket in it. After all these decades of getting lottery tickets and watching others get lottery tickets, the most anyone ever won was my sister getting $1000 on a scratch-off.

If I had to guess, I'd say the total financial impact of purchasing lottery tickets to actual winnings has to be something like 10:1 over the lifetime of all of us playing.

...and yet...everyone keeps on playing.

I've had extensive conversation with everyone in my family about what they'd do with the money if they ever won a huge powerball style jackpot. Everyone's given it significant thought.

After all this time I still play the huge lotto drawings from time to time. Like if it gets newsworthy big, I'll buy a ticket or join the office pool so I can be part of the hysteria and it's fun.

Why do we do this to ourselves?!

Why do you play? Why don't you play?

What would you do if you won?

 

[off duty ninja]

Buy an island and say peace to society.

Society, you're a crazy breed
I hope you're not lonely without me
Society, crazy, indeed
I hope you're not lonely without me
Society, have mercy on me
I hope you're not angry if I disagree
Society, crazy, indeed
I hope you're not lonely, without me

Eddie Vedder knows what's up

 

[MC Safety]

I'm too lazy to look up who said it, but there's a famous quote about the lottery: I figure your odds of winning the lottery are the same whether you play or not.

 

[lil puff]

Some members of family was/is the same.

I always thought it was the small high they get from the few seconds when they imagine the possibility of winning, not that the believe they'll actually win. The tiny moment to daydream that you do not get if you don't try.

I rarely but tickets, but I enjoy scratch offs occasionally and find I can get a little win streak going from time to time. It's kinda nice to start off with 2-4 dollars and double that and invest again. Free lunch or whatever.

I do find it a bit sad when I see people with $30 and all the numbers pre-written on a notepad/ledger as if there's a science to it. Taking all day. At least stand aside, let me buy my red bull real quick so I can move on.

 

[BibiMaghoo]

I play because other than crime and inheritance, chance is the only route to extreme wealth without decades of time spent earning it, assuming you have a path to earn it. I don't get any buzz from the gamble, just desire for the win. The loss is insignificant. While it adds up over time, it wouldn't have been spent on anything important. I would never play if the price of entry was not disposable.

If I ever win enough, I'd really like a week in space. Not sure how much that would cost but it is on my to do list.

 

[Skyn3t]

I buy lottery tickets from time to time. Why? Just want to have enough money to not give a shit till the end of my life, so a moderate sum would be sufficient No extravaganza like Ferraris, yachts and stuff. Unfortunately without a success, but I'm still counting on my luck!

 

[Mochilador]

I played a few times, it's cheap. I have stopped though.

 

[5secondrulesucks]

yeah my dad always buys scratchers and always wins the exact same amount of money that the scratcher costs and then goes gets more. i will say that scratching that shit off the scratcher is very fulfilling

 

[RubxQub]

I always tell myself that I'd buy a nice house that I knew I could afford the property taxes on outright. I know houses aren't the best investment, but the way I think about it....I'd remove one major expense from my budget every month, freeing up that money to be used in other ways.

So even though I'd potentially not be able to recoup all that money, I'd have a nice place to grow and raise my family in, and a lower monthly expense to worry about...so it'd feel like I won one of those "Win $1000 a week for life!" tickets, only I got a sweet ass house with it.

 

[Drake]

I play very very seldomly. Like, only when the Mega Millions get to $400 million+

If I won? Quit my job and do nothing for the rest of my life and enjoy every single second of it. Some people say they need to work to find meaning in life. Fuck that, I don't. I'd read a crap ton of books, play a crap ton of video games, go to gym 5 or 6 days a week and go on multiple vacations a year. I'd buy a very nice, but not too gaudy house and keep my money in super low risk investments.

 

[Trogdor1123]

I don't really play to win, I think of it as a tax on dreaming myself. My wife and I know exactly what we would do if we won some money.

I have a fairly large disposable income as well and don't spend much on it.

 

[bitbydeath]

I don't play. I know I won't win so there is no point trying.
I'm instead going to have to rely on hard work to get my money and I'm at peace with that.

 

[JORMBO]

I buy a $5 scratcher every week. Can't win if I don't play

 

[Gander]

My dad use to have shoe boxes full of pick 3 tickets.

If I won I'd probably not tell anybody and just live comfortable.

I'd probably spend money on vacations, other than that just chill

Of course at some point I'd go down the unemployment office and make somebody's day.

 

[DESTROYA]

It’s a cheap fantasy.
Everyone has always dreamed of being rich so why not unless your out of control and it’s a problem.
I might spend $10-$20 bucks a week knowing the odds are against me but you never know.

 

[Gander]

There are some people apparently that make almost an income through sports betting. I don't know if they are lying but I've heard of people making 40-60k a year through sports betting. I'm a fairly good poker player if I could make an income through poker that would be my dream life.

 

[zombie_gamer87]

What would you do if you won?

Tell no one, buy a house, a nice car, invest the rest, use money to live comfortably while pursuing things I want.

 

[LordPezix]

I'd donate it to charity.

Money is a tool turned too often into a trap.

Besides once you discover living for yourself through love and not minding the little things, you'll discover you've already won the greatest lottery there ever was.

 

[5secondrulesucks]

all of you guys buy lotto tickets tonight and our chances of winning are that much better and since i gave you all the idea you have to split the money 50 50 with me if you win. and thats being generous since im the brains here

 

[It's Jeff]

Alright - so I'm not a huge lotto player; however, when I'm out in the field I'll go to the casino and play slots for an hour every other day. It's not even really the fantasy of big money - there's just something about winning and the prospect of winning that gives you just the quickest anticipatory buzz.

For me, anyway. It's probably a little different for everyone.

 

[idontlikeusernames]

My life wouldn't change all that much if I won. I don't give a shit about nice cars, or houses. I'd end up putting the money in the bank and start a business as a hobby, which is what I'm already planning on doing.

 

[Grinchy]

I've probably bought less than 10 tickets in my life. I would just have change sitting in my car and go up and spend $1 of it on a ticket every now and then when I got gas.

When it came time to see that I had matched up one number or no numbers, I felt like I'd rather have the change in my car.

 

[ipukespiders]

A fantastic (although overly dramatic) post on reddit some years back about what to do if you win big:


Congratulations! You just won millions of dollars in the lottery! That's great.

Now you're fucked.

No really.

You are.

You're fucked.

If you just want to skip the biographical tales of woe of some of the math-tax protagonists, skip on down to the next comment, to see what to do in the event you win the lottery.

You see, it's something of an open secret that winners of obnoxiously large jackpots tend to end up badly with alarming regularity. Not the $1 million dollar winners. But anyone in the nine-figure range is at high risk. Eight-figures? Pretty likely to be screwed. Seven-figures? Yep. Painful. Perhaps this is a consequence of the sample. The demographics of lottery players might be exactly the wrong people to win large sums of money. Or perhaps money is the root of all evil. Either way, you are going to have to be careful. Don't believe me? Consider this:

Large jackpot winners face double digit multiples of probability versus the general population to be the victim of:

1. Homicide (something like 20x more likely)
2. Drug overdose
3. Bankruptcy (how's that for irony?)
4. Kidnapping

And triple digit multiples of probability versus the general population rate to be:

1. Convicted of drunk driving
2. The victim of Homicide (at the hands of a family member) 120x more likely in this case, ain't love grand?
3. A defendant in a civil lawsuit
4. A defendant in felony criminal proceedings

Continued at the link....

 

[Gander]

That's only if you're a moron and don't know how to live your life in the first place.

A well balanced person is going to handle money just fine.

 

[ipukespiders]

That's only if you're a moron and don't know how to live your life in the first place.

A well balanced person is going to handle money just fine.

This is just completely wrong.

 

[Gander]

This is just completely wrong.

Bill Gates seems to be OK. I have not heard about any suicidal thoughts or coke binges.

 

[Gandara]

It sounds nice, but with many states forcing you to announce that you won, your pretty much screwed. Everybody will be after you. They even suggest getting bodyguards for you and any one close to you in case somebody decides to kidnap someone close to you and ask you for a ransom. If you could be anonymous, then it would be so much better.

 

[Gander]

It sounds nice, but with many states forcing you to announce that you won, your pretty much screwed. Everybody will be after you. They even suggest getting bodyguards for you and any one close to you in case somebody decides to kidnap someone close to you and ask you for a ransom. If you could be anonymous, then it would be so much better.

There is a way around that. All you have to do is setup a dummy corp and make your lawyer (you'll need a lawyer anyway) your CFO. Then all you have to say an employee of X corp won. They will print that in the paper, you shouldn't have to go on TV if you don't want to.

 

[ipukespiders]

Bill Gates seems to be OK. I have not heard about any suicidal thoughts or coke binges.

It would seem as though I am wrong and you are correct.

 

[TheShadowLord]

I probably would never buy as i couse the money on important ones. But if someone gave me a ticket it and if I did won, I probably would move out of the country. Maybe to europe. like norway or denmark

 

[Gander]

It would seem as though I am wrong and you are correct.

Don't get me wrong money is definitely not everything but if your right in the head and you have spiritual balance you should do just fine.

 

[Gander]

I probably would never buy as i couse the money on important ones. But if someone gave me a ticket it and if I did won, I probably would move out of the country. Maybe to europe. like norway or denmark

I think what you'll find is there are so many ways to protect yourself from other people when are rich you won't actually have to leave.

I mean millionaires walk among us everyday unless they are super celebrities most people don't bother them.

 

[ipukespiders]

I think what you'll find is there are so many ways to protect yourself from other people when are rich you won't actually have to leave.

Unfortunately you are going to be protecting yourself from your friends and family.

 

[Gander]

Unfortunately you are going to be protecting yourself from your friends and family.

Hopefully by now you know who you can trust and who you can't. Family you have known for years will do crazy shit for money unfortunately I've seen it first hand.

 

[ipukespiders]

Hopefully by now you know who you can trust and who you can't. Family you have known for years will do crazy shit for money unfortunately I've seen it first hand.

Your Aunt Margaret had to remortgage her house to pay for her cancer treatment, so you bought her house outright for her. But now the cable bill is due, can you take care of that too? What about her deadbeat son (your cousin) that lives in her basement? Are you gonna bail him out of jail and pay his parking tickets? Don't be such a cheapskate, Mr. High and Mighty lotto winner.
Relentless. Hounded you will be.

 

[Gander]

Your Aunt Margaret had to remortgage her house to pay for her cancer treatment, so you bought her house outright for her. But now the cable bill is due, can you take care of that too? What about her deadbeat son (your cousin) that lives in her basement? Are you gonna bail him out of jail and pay his parking tickets? Don't be such a cheapskate, Mr. High and Mighty lotto winner.
Relentless. Hounded you will be.

That's only if they are nice enough to ask. Some use the fact they know you so well to try steal it from you.

 

[jadedm17]

The house always wins.

They attack poorer communities but they also help fund things like schools.

Don't spend more than you can lose. Simple.

Related : Ever hear of the store owner who'd scan through tens of thousands of them? He had boxes of losers in his house. They removed his right to sell eventually and forced pay back of his debt. It's an addiction.

At least alcoholism or excessive eating you get something, gambling and smoking cigarettes are the dumbest things.

 

[Gander]

I think it's possible to win but like some have said don't spend your critical money on it. If you got a Fiver that you might spend on a chili dog though maybe instead throw that towards a couple tickets.

 

[black_13]

We do it cause it gives us a sense of hope. You wish for a way to live out your fantasy life and not have to work for money.

I buy occasionally but under $5 usually.

 

[jadedm17]

We do it cause it gives us a sense of hope. You wish for a way to live out your fantasy life and not have to work for money.

I buy occasionally but under $5 usually.

That dream is targeted at the poor and helps keep them poor. :/
It's also good to add up your weekly, monthly and yearly expenses to see that maybe that Red bull or fast food is only $4 but that was $12 that week and over $50 that month, so maybe it adds quicker than you think.

 

[TrainedRage]

Buy an island and say peace to society.



Eddie Vedder knows what's up

I love Eddie. This song almost makes me cry every f***ing time I hear it.

 

[Deleted member 713885]

God, I wish

 

[NahaNago]

I usually only play if the jackpot is like huge and if I won, I would give half to friends and family ,disappear by traveling for a few months, educate myself , and then create my own business or repurpose one.

 

[off duty ninja]

I love Eddie. This song almost makes me cry every f***ing time I hear it.

Oh man!! That is one of my all time favorites too. Eddie is one of those singers and lyricists that just connect right to my soul.

Here is the full song for society for those who want to check it out:


Into the Wild was great in a large part because of the amazing soundtrack that he provided for that film.

 

[Super Mario]

If some people took all of the money they spent on all forms of "gambling", and saved it, they would have a sizable chunk of money one day that per the odds, is likely to be far greater than they would ever win.

I like when the big jackpot is $300 million. The reaction from the public is "meh". When it hits 600 million, then omg, let's all play because that is an amount worth playing for. Let's also get a pool going at work. Think about that logic for a moment.

I know it's easy to say whatever you want on the internet, but winning a big jackpot would not ruin my life. The ones that say it would ruin you tend to be similar people who can't handle credit cards and are always poor, no matter what. Poor decision makers continue to make poor decisions. Tell me about my terrible new life when I am on 6 month cruises around the world instead of waking up for a 9-5 and stressing about life.

 

[Gander]

I won close to 200k
Paid off debts, bought house.

Blew it on expensive items.
Sex
Alcohol
Semi-balled out for a year.

Back to normal now. Bills and debts.

Was that after taxes?

 

[Squirrel Killer]

This is just completely wrong.

Are you basing that off the stats in your earlier post? Because if so, lotto players are a biased sample (i.e. those stats compare vs average person, whereas lotto players are not average,) and Gander's comment may be more accurate since it's commenting on people who don't fit the typical lotto player demographic.

 

[Punished Miku]

My lotto fantasy is to be stealth rich. Wear regular clothes and keep a part time job and normal apartment. But at any moment I can tell my boss to kiss my ass if ever feel like it, and call in a private helicopter to pick me up from work, then detonate my car as I leave.

 

[Death Dealer]

I'm not much of a gambler but stuff like Black Jack or even sports betting makes a lot more sense than the lottery. The odds are so incredible, that it feels like a waste of money. I've been caught up in powerball hype a few times, but I've probably spent less than $40 in my entire life on lottery tickets.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

Hopefully I won't get murdered

Or my family members kidnapped

Or lose all my money if I ever buy a ticket