# 8 People Win Largest Lottery: About Those Who Didn't Chip In $5... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 22, 2006, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676 "2006-02-22T20:08:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/21 "2006-02-24T15:48:36Z")
When the jackpot gets crazy high, I purchase tickets on my own outside the pool, too. If I should win, I’ll take care of my child, my parents, and my brother. For the rest of my relatives and a few friends, I’ll just deposit several millions of dollars with a good investment house. They’ll administer the account and send each person on the list a check for a share of the interest a couple times a year. The first such check will be accompanied by a note that says: Remember: Don’t Ever Ask Scumpup For Any Additional Money. Any who violate that one simple rule will be removed from the list. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/22 "2006-02-24T15:55:04Z")
1. Almost certainly not. I don’t do the lottery. If someone had really bugged me about it I could see buying in just to get them to shut up. But almost certainly not. 2. Both! I’d be happy for the others. But human nature being what it is, I’d be kicking myself in the ass for not joining in, even though I know full well I never join in such things. 3. I’d get some mild-mannered ribbing about it. But most of my family has the same attitude I do towards the lottery, so not much ribbing. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/23 "2006-02-24T16:16:56Z")
One of my co-workers bought a big mess o’ Powerball tickets and sent out an email saying “This is for everyone who works here.” (Actually getting everyone who works on my show together in the same room is impossible. We have shift workers, freelancers, we work 7 days a week, overnights… no way is it going to happen). Not a single number from any of the 50 tickets came up 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/24 "2006-02-24T17:12:33Z")
I would tell all my coworkers what joy I felt in their good fortune, and how much I felt it was karma that they finally got to experience the finer things in life. I would wax poetic about what good people they were. I would make sure that they knew that I was entirely happy for them. And if that didn’t work, I would beg. Bastards. Tris ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/25 "2006-02-24T17:29:15Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > I run the lottery pool where I work. These are the rules I set up for it: > > 1. If we win a jackpot, the very first thing we will do is retain the services of a lawyer and get down on paper exactly who is a partner in the ticket and how much of the prize money each partner receives.\* If you do this regularly, wouldn’t it be better to have everyone sign an agreement **before** you have to deal with a jackpot? I seem to remember a lawsuit about a big jackpot, and disagreement about who was entitled to a share. It wouldn’t have to be complicated, would it? Just have everyone agree to the terms (and sign something) before they play. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/26 "2006-02-24T18:24:44Z")
> [@Barbarian](#): > > Not a single number from any of the 50 tickets came up 😉 That is statiscally impossible. Now, not a single _winner_, sure. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/27 "2006-02-24T18:48:12Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > That is statiscally impossible. Now, not a single _winner_, sure. Statistically improbable, perhaps, but how would it be statistically impossible? ---
**Author:** ![Feydeau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Feydeau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feydeau)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/28 "2006-02-24T18:54:34Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > Statistically improbable, perhaps, but how would it be statistically impossible? It’s my understanding that there are only 49 numbers to choose from, and 50 tickets would certainly have each number once (As each ticket has, what?, 5 or 6 numbers?) Therefore, some of the _numbers_ must have come up, even if no tickets were winning tickets. ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/29 "2006-02-24T20:27:44Z")
You’re asking if I’d be upset if my co-workers won the lottery and left me here alone, pitifully trying to maintain IT support for whoever was still around? I’d probably have a huge, undulating cow in a shower of golden sparks as flame blased out my nostrils. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/30 "2006-02-24T20:37:32Z")
> [@Feydeau](#): > > It’s my understanding that there are only 49 numbers to choose from, and 50 tickets would certainly have each number once (As each ticket has, what?, 5 or 6 numbers?) > > Therefore, some of the _numbers_ must have come up, even if no tickets were winning tickets. Speaking statistically, that’s not true in the least, assuming these were all quickpick tickets. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/31 "2006-02-24T21:53:57Z")
> [@Feydeau](#): > > It’s my understanding that there are only 49 numbers to choose from, and 50 tickets would certainly have each number once (As each ticket has, what?, 5 or 6 numbers?) > > Therefore, some of the _numbers_ must have come up, even if no tickets were winning tickets. Let’s assume that you could have potentially 49 numbers to choose from. And let’s say, for simplicity, that the numbers drawn are 44-45-46-47-48-49. If you randomly generate 50 tickets, using ONLY the numbers 1-43, and each number must contain six numbers, how many combinations does that leave you, without getting any of the “good” numbers? For fun, let’s try some: 1-2-3-4-5-6 1-2-3-4-5-7 1-2-3-4-5-8 1-2-3-4-5-9 1-2-3-4-5-10 1-2-3-4-5-11 … 1-2-3-4-5-43 2-3-4-5-6-7 2-3-4-5-6-8 2-3-4-5-6-9 2-3-4-5-6-10 2-3-4-5-6-11 … 2-3-4-5-6-43 etc There’s a math formula that will give you the total number, but I forget it and I’m sure if I put a wrong formula a math geek will be in here in an SDMB minute to corret, so I’ll leave that to the reader to solve. Suffice to say that there are A LOT more than 50 possible solutions in that set. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/32 "2006-02-24T21:57:33Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > give you the total number, but I forget it and I’m sure if I put a wrong formula a math geek will be in here in an SDMB minute to corret, so I’ll leave that to the reader to solve. Suffice to say that there are A LOT more than 50 possible solutions in that set. Of course, you could just say that they got 50 quick picks and they all came out exactly the same (that is allowed some of the time) with no matching numbers. The odds of that would be the same as winning 49 lotteries in a row and would possibly be the most unlikely gambling event ever to happen in the universe. Still gets nothing. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/33 "2006-02-24T22:29:04Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I had a minor version of this happen once. My best friend’s little brother loved to play scratch-off lottery tickets even though he was underage. One day he begged me to drive him to the store and buy some tickets for him. I said I would if he would by me five and five for himself. I had an even more minor version of this. I was in Foxwoods and wanted to play a 50 cent slot but only had one quarter. I tell my brother, give me a quarter and I’ll split my winnings with you. Whatever he says and gives me a quarter. I promptly win like $20. He’s like “you’re an asshole”. I did give him $10. Our office did a lottery pool. I chipped in because god forbid I’m the only jerk left in the office after everyone wins $5 m each. ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/34 "2006-02-24T22:51:51Z")
> [@Patty O'Furniture](#): > > My biggest problem with winning 22 million would be in deciding how to spread it around among my family and friends. I’d feel absolutely rotten if I kept it all to myself. > > Take 2 million and divide it up among 40 friends and coworkers for a nice 50 grand each. Then another 5 million for ten family members for a nice 500 grand each. I’m left with 15 million - I think I could cope with winning “only” 15 mil. Baaaad idea, IMHO. I’ve been reading a number of stories recently about mega-winners that still manage to go broke or even end up dead in rather short order, and “generosity” is what usally a large part of what does them in. Money won’t make people happy. You’ve heard it before, you’ll hear it again, and it’s true. If a close family member has a medical crisis or if you want to support your nieces or nephews through school or help someone to escape grinding poverty, go ahead, but you have to remember that you’re rich, but not \*that \* rich and your resources are finite. If you start throwing money at a naer-do-well meth addicted cousin, tossing them $50K is more likely to make them dead than happy. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/35 "2006-02-24T23:39:08Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Our office did a lottery pool. I chipped in because god forbid I’m the only jerk left in the office after everyone wins $5 m each. Yep, that’s pretty much the rationale of my cow-orkers and I as well. Also, the money goes to the school system, so maybe someday there’ll be a generation of kids too smart to play the lottery. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![cmosdes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cmosdes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmosdes)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/36 "2006-02-25T02:33:35Z")
In my office lottery pool, I’ve won over $500 compared to my coworkers. I just have a system for playing the lottery that beats their system for playing the lottery. I’ve never played. I’ll take my chances of being the only one that isn’t in the pool. I once tried to explain to the person buying the tickets that they should select sequences of numbers, like 35, 34, 33, 32, 31, 30 because no one else is likely to pick those numbers and therefore they’d get a bigger pot. They said it was silly because a sequence like that would never come up and randomly selected numbers were more likely to hit. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/37 "2006-02-25T18:21:05Z")
> [@cmosdes](#): > > In my office lottery pool, I’ve won over $500 compared to my coworkers. I just have a system for playing the lottery that beats their system for playing the lottery. I’ve never played. > . Here’s how my thoughts work on this- how much do we pay to watch a movie? 10$+? So, if buy a $1 Lotto ticket a couple time a eek, I can do this great movie daydream of “what would I do if I won the Lotto” in my head- and all for 1/10th the cost of a movie. Thus, I am way ahead of you, by playing a few bucks- as “DrDeth wins the Lotto” is a great movie, I can tell you! 😛 OTOH, I gape with amazement at the rubes who pluck down hundreds of $$ for Lotto tickets. ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676/38 "2006-02-26T04:18:04Z")
My office does this occasionally, when the loot gets high enough for us to enjoy gabbing about what we’d do with all of it. This is maybe 3 times a year or so. Depends on how high it gets and whether anyone is paying attention. If anyone is absent the day we collect, someone always puts in $1 for them (to be paid back later), because god forbid we’d win and the one person didn’t. Even the people who think the effort is stupid and futile (which is pretty much all of us–we’ve all taken math) will put in at least a buck. No one wants to the be the last one working should lightning miraculously strike. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-people-win-largest-lottery-about-those-who-didnt-chip-in-5/345676.md?page=1)