Author Topic: primitives discuss Mega Millions lottery (Read 4332 times)

franksolich · « **on:** March 25, 2011, 06:44:48 PM »

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x740762

Oh my.

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Kadie (1000+ posts) Fri Mar-25-11 05:38 PM
Original message

Win the Mega Millions and Retire Today!

Millions Lottery Website: Save for Retirement With Friday's Big Jackpot

Given the long odds of winning tonight's $312 million Mega Millions jackpot, the multi-state lottery's website welcome page message to use your payout to "Save For Retirement" is a curious one -- and possibly a dangerous one, gambling experts say.

Those three words are etched above the image of a piggy bank against a clear blue sky on the Mega Millions website. It's one of a series of serving suggestions for your lottery "dreams" along with exotic trips and gifts. Click here to see the homepage image.

But, you'll have better luck getting struck by lightning. And, given your life span you might have better odds of getting struck by lightning more than 5,000 times before winning the big prize Friday.

Asked about the homepage message, a spokeswoman for the 12-state lottery was quick to defend its 176 million-to-1 odds retirement plan.

more...

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/mega-millions-lottery-hi...

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FiveGoodMen (1000+ posts) Fri Mar-25-11 05:41 PM
Response to Original message

1. These stupid ****ing lotteries are one reason that 'Murkins never want to tax the rich

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HughBeaumont (1000+ posts) Fri Mar-25-11 05:50 PM
Response to Reply #1

3. "I kin FEEL ITS! I'm-a gonna win this suckah ANY DAY NOW!!!"

It's sad, really.

It's even sadder (or funnier) if they do win it and blow the money on stupid shit like private jets. It's like "you were an unemployed teabagger from Kentucky before you got this money. What the shittery bollocks do you need a PLANE for?"

They don't seem to get that they only receive this money ONCE. Tom Cruise is the one that gets 20 million a movie, not you.

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RaleighNCDUer (1000+ posts) Fri Mar-25-11 06:11 PM
Response to Reply #3

8. You know what? At 176 million to one odds, if they sell 200 million tickets somebody IS going to win. And the odds are no worse for me than for anyone else who buys a ticket.

Now, blowing several thousand dollars to try to guarantee a win IS stupid. But buying one ticket won't break anyone. Risk vs potential gain. It's worth a dollar or three for a multi-million dollar payout.

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SDuderstadt (1000+ posts) Fri Mar-25-11 06:52 PM
Response to Reply #8

12. Your post assumes....every possible combination is played. That's simply not true.

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HughBeaumont (1000+ posts) Fri Mar-25-11 05:46 PM
Response to Original message

2. "A tax on people who are bad at math" . . . but someone who's bad at math is likely to win that.

That is kind of lame of the MM Commission to ad that way.

Here's something that would be interesting though - take the average person out there and for each year, calculate their odds of being able to retire comfortably following a normal, non-lottery-jackpot plan of just working hard and attempting to save money. You know, given the enormous amounts of roadblocks, benefit takeaways, wage stomping, multiple layoffs, job offshoring, unplanned career obsolescence and general evilness bestowed upon workers by corporate America's leaders.

I'd like to see THOSE odds. Dollars to donuts they're getting longer and longer each YEAR.

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zorahopkins (1000+ posts) Fri Mar-25-11 05:52 PM
Response to Original message

4. Some Men From Nigeria Have A Better Offer

Some nice men from Nigeria keep sending me emails that seem to be a better offer.

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ejpoeta (1000+ posts) Fri Mar-25-11 05:59 PM
Response to Original message

5. my husband likes to play. i don't mind. it gives him something to dream about.

what would we do with that much money! i know what i would do. go around telling my teabagger family members to pull themselves up by the bootstraps like i did! of course i would not do that, but then again, i won't win either.

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Bonhomme Richard (1000+ posts) Fri Mar-25-11 06:02 PM
Response to Original message

7. Some people think that 312 million is a lot of money.

It just doesn't go as far as it used to.

Least that's the gist I get from one segment of our society.

Well, it would buy a lot of dope.

Chris_ · « **Reply #1 on:** March 25, 2011, 06:49:24 PM »

Can't lose if you don't play.

BlueStateSaint · « **Reply #2 on:** March 25, 2011, 07:16:14 PM »

A rather humorous true story about Mega Millions, which happened today at work. In NY, we have both MM and Powerball. When one of them gets over $100 million, we have a pool in my unit. Well, MM is $312 million and PB is $125 million, so there's two pools going. I'm in charge of the PB one. Well, we got all of the MM tix yesterday. I got all of the co-workers in and went to get the tickets . . . and said "Mega Millions" instead of "Powerball" (accidentally). So, we've got zero tickets for the one that has the $125 million pot . . . and close to 100 tickets for the one that has the $312 million pot. I heard "Well, you ****ed up--but you did it in the right direction" more than once this afternoon.

bijou · « **Reply #3 on:** March 25, 2011, 07:18:10 PM »

I have a ticket for tonight's Euromillions lottery (about $200 million tax free) I haven't checked my numbers yet because I haven't worked out how I'll spend the winnings. I see it as Â£2 for the entertainment value of the daydream for a few hours and if I actually win Â£10 or so then that's a result. I only enter it when the prize gets above Â£40 million the odds are too extreme to bother with anything less.

franksolich · « **Reply #4 on:** March 25, 2011, 07:25:19 PM »

Quote from: bijou on March 25, 2011, 07:18:10 PM

I have a ticket for tonight's Euromillions lottery (about $200 million tax free) I haven't checked my numbers yet because I haven't worked out how I'll spend the winnings. I see it as Â£2 for the entertainment value of the daydream for a few hours and if I actually win Â£10 or so then that's a result. I only enter it when the prize gets above Â£40 million the odds are too extreme to bother with anything less.

I guess the lottery in Canada's tax free too.

Both Powerball and Mega Millions are using what I consider deceptive advertising in their "jackpots," which is what one would have if one took the jackpot and invested it at 2% per year for twenty years. It's nothing like the amount one would get upon winning.

A rough rule-of-thumb--very rough, though--is that the "jackpot" actually amounts to roughly, circa, about, one-third of the stated "jackpot" prize, after deductions for federal and state income taxes, and discounting for the annuitized amount.

In other words, one "wins" 100 million.....but when all is said and done, one gets.....33 million, or thereabouts.

Disclosure: franksolich always buys three each of the Powerball and the Mega Millions, no matter how "small" or "large" the "jackpot."

Evil_Conservative · « **Reply #5 on:** March 25, 2011, 07:29:08 PM »

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It's even sadder (or funnier) if they do win it and blow the money on stupid shit like private jets. It's like "you were an unemployed teabagger from Kentucky before you got this money. What the shittery bollocks do you need a PLANE for?"

My FIL bought us some tickets since we don't have a lottery in Nevada.

And just because you made this stupid ****ing comment, if we win, I WILL buy a private jet. Oh, and I am an unemployed "teabagger" from NEVADA. I need that plane just to piss you off.

Chris_ · « **Reply #6 on:** March 25, 2011, 07:30:24 PM »

Quote from: Evil_Conservative on March 25, 2011, 07:29:08 PM

And just because you made this stupid ****ing comment, if we win, I WILL buy a private jet. Oh, and I am an unemployed "teabagger" from NEVADA. I need that plane just to piss you off.

franksolich · « **Reply #7 on:** March 25, 2011, 07:31:26 PM »

Whoa.

Wait.

What?

Quote from: Evil_Conservative on March 25, 2011, 07:29:08 PM

.....we don't have a lottery in Nevada.

I thought Nevada had it all, when it comes to gambling.

Evil_Conservative · « **Reply #8 on:** March 25, 2011, 07:34:49 PM »

Quote from: franksolich on March 25, 2011, 07:31:26 PM

I thought Nevada had it all, when it comes to gambling.

From what I understand, the casinos don't want to compete with a lottery.

I wish we had one here though. There was talk about it last year, I believe, but that obviously went no where.

PatriotGame · « **Reply #9 on:** March 25, 2011, 07:52:44 PM »

Quote from: Evil_Conservative on March 25, 2011, 07:34:49 PM

From what I understand, the casinos don't want to compete with a lottery.

I wish we had one here though. There was talk about it last year, I believe, but that obviously went no where.

Screw all that!!!111

Can I still rent blow up dolls?

Blow up dolls are the bomb and a Nevada without blow-up doll rentals is NOT a Nevada I could ever visit!!!111

Chris_ · « **Reply #10 on:** March 25, 2011, 07:57:49 PM »

You were going to rent one? Were you going to ride in the HOV lane or something?

PatriotGame · « **Reply #11 on:** March 25, 2011, 08:01:13 PM »

Quote from: chris_ on March 25, 2011, 07:57:49 PM

You were going to rent one? Were you going to ride in the HOV lane or something?

Yes BUTT a different kind of HOV line...

Chris_ · « **Reply #12 on:** March 25, 2011, 08:03:13 PM »

It just seems like the kind of thing you would purchase for future use. You rent movies. You rent cars. Renting a sex toy just seems wrong. Maybe they do things different in your neck of the woods, though. That's okay. Whatever makes you happy.

GOBUCKS · « **Reply #13 on:** March 25, 2011, 08:17:36 PM »

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.....we don't have a lottery in Nevada

Compared to a lottery, the casinos are a sure bet. Instead of spending five bucks a week on the lottery, why not have a tradition of taking five $50 bills on your birthday every year and flushing them down the toilet? You would lose the same amount of money, but you'd at least have a story to tell.

longview · « **Reply #14 on:** March 25, 2011, 10:46:44 PM »

We don't have lottery here, but I routinely donate $5 to whatever state I'm in that has one.

I can't lie. I'd love to win. And, like everybody else who plays, I'm pretty sure I would manage the money just fine and not end up broke in three years!

BEG · « **Reply #15 on:** March 25, 2011, 10:48:10 PM »

My high school friend's husband won well over a million dollars in Vegas AFTER they divorced (I believe it was around 1.7 million jackpot ). He quit his job right when he arrived back home, built a new house, kept the one he lived in before and rented it. Bought his new wife a tanning salon, his mom a new car and bought himself and his new wife new cars. He was broke in less than two years. His new house and old house were foreclosed on and he filed for bankruptcy (for the 2nd time, he filed when he was married to my friend too). Lost his new wife's tanning salon (what a stupid investment, he lost that first), he now rents a house.

Money doesn't make you smarter. If you were a **** up before you won money, you just end up ****ing up in a bigger way after.

GOBUCKS · « **Reply #16 on:** March 25, 2011, 11:09:17 PM »

Quote from: BEG on March 25, 2011, 10:48:10 PM

Lost his new wife's tanning salon (what a stupid investment, he lost that first

Should have gone with a pie shop.

Evil_Conservative · « **Reply #17 on:** March 26, 2011, 12:47:12 AM »

Quote from: longview on March 25, 2011, 10:46:44 PM

We don't have lottery here, but I routinely donate $5 to whatever state I'm in that has one.

I can't lie. I'd love to win. And, like everybody else who plays, I'm pretty sure I would manage the money just fine and not end up broke in three years!

I would still clip my coupons. The biggest purchase we would make would be a house... probably around $200,000 (with a lot of land).

Ree · « **Reply #18 on:** March 26, 2011, 01:26:28 AM »

I would buy a house and try to invest in something I could just live on the rest of my life..No big fancy house just nice house with land. Some place I could be comfortable

catsmtrods · « **Reply #19 on:** March 26, 2011, 05:26:01 AM »

I would keep 3 million and give the rest away. Most likely to cancer reserch. I hate cancer.

NHSparky · « **Reply #20 on:** March 26, 2011, 06:45:01 AM »

Dear DUmmies--the average lottery payout is about 52 cents of every dollar spent, with the remaining 48 going to "da gubmint" for schools, etc., (aka, "It's for the CHILDREN!!!") Now out of that remaining 52 cents, about 22 cents goes to the state and federal government, for a "double dip", leaving you with a whopping 30 cents on the dollar.

And one-third to one-half of lottery millionaires end up bankrupt (not broke, BANKRUPT) within 2 years. Then again, the biggest players (20 percent of players account for nearly 85 percent of lottery revenues) tend to be--surprise--minorities, low-income, and undereducated (HS diploma or less.) Sounds a lot like the typical DUmmies. And let's not even get into the legal troubles lottery winners face.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'll play a ticket every now and then once the PB or MM gets above $200M, but only then, and only one ticket.

As far as what I'd do? First I'd hire an accountant to minimize those pesky taxes, and an attorney to 1--keep the leeches at bay, 2--audit the accountant and watch him like a hawk.

Oh, and I rather doubt I'd quit working.

GOBUCKS · « **Reply #21 on:** March 26, 2011, 10:29:30 AM »

The typical lottery winner is the guy in WV who left $300K in a paper bag at a tittie bar.

Evil_Conservative · « **Reply #22 on:** March 26, 2011, 01:38:31 PM »

Some guy in New York won last night's jackpot. My numbers were no where close to the winning numbers. What's up with that? Didn't even win $2.

BlueStateSaint · « **Reply #23 on:** March 26, 2011, 04:22:48 PM »

Quote from: Evil_Conservative on March 26, 2011, 01:38:31 PM

Some guy in New York won last night's jackpot. My numbers were no where close to the winning numbers. What's up with that? Didn't even win $2.

Really, now? I'm in New York.

I_B_Perky · « **Reply #24 on:** March 26, 2011, 06:16:23 PM »

Quote from: GOBUCKS on March 26, 2011, 10:29:30 AM

The typical lottery winner is the guy in WV who left $300K in a paper bag at a tittie bar.

His name was Jack Whittaker and he owned several construction companies before he won and was already a millionaire. He won like a 110 million after taxes, if I recall correctly, and he and his family then proceeded to go off the deep end. The end result is he is now divorced, his granddaughter is dead, his business is gone, he has two DUI's on his record with a 3rd pending, a weapons charge, multiple assault and battery charges, several lawsuits against him by Atlantic City casinos, became an alcoholic and I think he is now broke. And it was more like $500,000 he had in the trunk of his car at the Pink Pony tittie bar. Only reason why I know so much about him is my dad worked at one of his companies for a short while many years ago and when he won my dad said it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. He lived about 15 miles from my house. Dunno where he lives now. He may be homeless for all I know. Every time he had a problem it was all over the local papers. Haven't read much about him in the papers the last few years.

Free money like that just screws people up in my opinion.

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Author Topic: primitives discuss Mega Millions lottery (Read 4332 times)