But only on Tuesdays.

are you picking on us?

are you saying lotteries are bad??

what kind of point are you trying to make?

I consider it to be a tax on people who don't understand probablity.

I don't see much thrill in it, and I've got better things to do with what little money I've got.

But keep it to $5/week

Depends on the person and how much they're spending.
Some of the biggest bible-thumping conservatives have an un-official office pool going.
One dyed in the wool Republican talks about going to the casinos on the weekend - it's a cultural thing with him and his family. He's the"Big man" and plays cards, his wife plays the penny slots while he's in the card room; they leave after they've either lost $200, or got tired.

My take - once in a while - eh, who cares?
If it affects the rent or mortgage, then there's a problem - but that's not a political issue, that's a personal issue.

Haele

Why shouldn't we play?

I saw something like that on a bumper sticker once.

tonight on 20/20. He said he bought 5 tickets in the Mega Millions drawing. We all have our dreams.

A person can choose not to play the lottery. True, a losing lottery ticket takes more out of a poor person's paycheck than that of a rich person, but that's the risk. You can choose not to play.

but all you need is one ticket for each draw. The chances of winning are astronomical but absolutely zero if you don't buy one ticket.

I can't see how winning a huge sum of money will not change one's life - to me, it wouldn't be for the better. No more privacy, no more urgency - to my wife and I, it's not how it works.

So no, thanks - not for me - but it is a personal choice, and I have no issues with those who are avid lottery players.

If I win the lotto I plan to try to do a lot of good with the money I get after taxes. All I need is enough money to not have to worry about basic needs for what remains of my life and to give my grandsons a decent education and the rest can go to help others. I have no problem living a simple life and have little desire to live like the rich and famous.

Ideology has little to do with it. I bought ten tickets for the Mega Millions tonight (only to be shocked to find out I lost). I'm OK with it because 1) I can afford buying $10 of tickets and 2) The money goes to education here in Michigan.

I don't think lower income people should be buying so many lottery tickets. But if they choose to, it's their right. That's an opinion based off of income, not ideology.

I say No.

It's not a regular thing. I won $24 last time. I don't make a habit of it.

Got a position you'd like to take?

If you haven't played the lottery yet, you are a BAD liberal!!!

There, conflation of apolitical concept to really serious business complete.

If the chance of winning is 1 in 170 million, and you stand to win more than 170 million dollars, then game theory says you should play that game all day long.

Expected value of playing > Price of playing

Yes, I did take probability and statistics.

Remember that you have to factor in how many people might pick the same numbers as you. While prize money carried over from previous draws could, in theory, mean one has a higher expected value of playing than price, in practice any big prize like that attracts enough new players to keep the price higher - even though they haven't bothered to work out the value and price.

Win or lose, you're programming yourself to be dumb.

Nick the Greek had it right. Wait until someone is willing to bet with bad odds because they're SURE they're going to win this time. Bet against the. Rake in the dough.

Just don't bet your right arm merely because the odds are in your favor. The odds are in favor of the odds screwing you if you let them.

I get a couple of tickets now and then.

I don't think the lottery is a political issue.

or attend dances, go to movies or play cards or engage in impure thoughts...

"Whenever I see an American with a glow in their eyes talking about workers and peasants uniting..Something deep inside my heart tells me to watch out...There is a new brand of Irish Catholicism on the rise." - Eugene O'Neill


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