I play with zero regularity but throw a few bucks at the Powerball when it gets silly high.
Not that I think I have any chance of winning in fact I know good and well I won't be winning anything aor all.
But for some reason when I buy a few tickets imagining what we would do with the money seems so much more vivid kind of like watching a movie in color vs. black and white.

Lots of money would be given away in some silly ridiculous ways if I won it all.

But all I really need is 1 million after taxes. I'd buy 4 years into my pension so I can retire in 4. My wife would quit work and the house would be paid off and kids school paid off and we'd live just about how we do now. Just no work for my wife.
And a little bit given to charity.

Because it's fun to dream.

My office pool actually won $50k last week. After taxes, we are netting $1,400 each. Not the big one but a nice treat.

Somebody has to win.

Shits n giggles. It's a few bucks for a chance at a ridiculous amount of money. I just won't buy ice cream this week.

I used to play the ones with better odds and lower payouts on an "erratically regular" basis (if that makes any kind of sense) in hopes I'd win enough to retire early. Now that I'm retired I don't do that anymore. We did buy a couple Powerball tickets, tonight, though, when we stopped at a store for something. Why? *shrug* 'cuz

quote:

Because it's fun to dream.

That is it right there.

In the 1950s there was a TV show called The Millionaire. A guy would appear at front door with a check for ONE MILLION DOLLARS {that used to be a lot of money} from a Mr. Anthony.

The person receiving the check would be excited and is disbelief. In the remainder of the show, the person getting the check would have their life literally fall apart. It was your typical morality people, but helped give you the idea that maybe having a lot of money is not such a good thing.

Here is a brief clip:

As a former co-worker (and avid lottery benefactor) used to say:
"Give me my 6 numbers or 6 feet under"

I usually buy a ticket for all 4 draws between pay periods. $4 a week. I'm divorced, with no kids, and I'd blow the money anyway, so why not?

I play regularly because when I stopped smoking I said I'd buy one mega million and one powerball for each drawing as a reward for quitting. It costs me just over 300 a year. I know it's a waste of money and I don't expect to win but I kind of like stopping by the gas station by my house and taking to the guy who used to sell me smokes.

And it costs about what two months worth of cigarettes did.

Because...

Lump sum is worth almost $288M after taxes. Conservative investments and a 2.5% skim off the top means living on a mere $138K per week - and that's without touching the principal, which would be earning quite a bit more than 2.5%.

That's why.

-Rob

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:

Lots of money would be given away in some silly ridiculous ways.
I mean all I really need is 1 million after taxes. I'd buy 4 years into my pension so I can retire in 4. My wife would quit work and the house would be paid off and kids school paid off and we'd live just about how we do now. Just no work for my wife.

You're not really saying that you would give it all away save one million dollars, are you? Don't make me call you a liar.

It's a cheap gamble with a very unlikely but enormous payoff at a whopping $52/year (at one pick a week, always). Even if you did it for 40yrs straight that's only $2080.

Most have spent much more on a great many more things for fun with literally 0% return. This one actually has a chance, albeit very small.

Basically, that and because I can, and it does pay someone or several someones every time.

Of all the things I can do to potentially line my pockets and be a life changer, this is probably the cheapest. It's the only real gambling I do.

(Poker, which I love, is a game of skill, played against people, and thus not the same.)

I don't.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:

Lots of money would be given away in some silly ridiculous ways.
I mean all I really need is 1 million after taxes. I'd buy 4 years into my pension so I can retire in 4. My wife would quit work and the house would be paid off and kids school paid off and we'd live just about how we do now. Just no work for my wife.

You're not really saying that you would give it all away save one million dollars, are you? Don't make me call you a liar.

No, sorry not worded very well.
If I won it all silly amounts of money would be given away in silly ways.

Like I would put a WTB Sig 210 ad in the classifieds meet in person to inspect it. Give the person $20k for it.

Though, clearing 1 million after taxes would have us living status que just without the wife having to work 3 days a week any more.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

It was your typical morality people, but helped give you the idea that maybe having a lot of money is not such a good thing.

Every year or so one of the MSM outlets has an article or a special on people who won the lottery but lost it all or died or whatever. The thing is almost all of those people were idiots before they won and money doesn't make a person smart. Me? I'll do the same as I do now. Low risk investments that make my money grow reliably. I'll maintain a diversified portfolio and live a very nice, but modest life. I'll buy some guns, maybe a car or even two but I live well within my means now so I'm not all that worried I'd change that. I surely won't blow a bunch of it on extravagant parties with cocaine and Louis VIII. You'll find me in a remote house in the woods chilling on my porch with a glass of Evan Williams and Diet Pepsi and a stock Glock 19 on my hip. And maybe a R8 in the driveway .

I know some people fuck it up but I'm willing to risk it.

I don't play often...never when it's high (maybe I'm afraid of what comes with winning that much money)...but I will buy a scratch off or the daily three or four number lotto drawing (only won $100 or less on scratch offs) from time to time.

I'd like to hit for maybe $300,000 or so after taxes (or less...way less would be OK)...at my age and station in life, that would be a life changing amount (without the burden associated with mega millions...I know I dream BIG )...

I just do it to add a little "interest" to my mundane existence (and maybe get lucky)

It's my FU money for a super tiny chance for more FU money!

I play because I aspire to one day own a black minivan with new floor mats that I can park next to a block retaining wall.

quote:

Originally posted by Leemur:
Shits n giggles. It's a few bucks for a chance at a ridiculous amount of money. I just won't buy ice cream this week.

Woah! Woah! Woah! Let's not do anything crazy now!

Hey, somebody has to win it right? Might as well be me.