# Co-winner of $330 M. Mega Millions credits Wiccan gods for his good fortune. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 3, 2007, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900 "2007-09-03T15:12:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/1 "2007-09-03T15:12:25Z")
[Link.](http://www.nypost.com/seven/09032007/news/nationalnews/mystickal_millionaire.htm) Ye Gods! As an atheist who finds all religions absurd, if not equally so, this made me chuckle. Take _that_, conformist monotheists! Is the apparent injustice of this situation allayed by the old canard that “God works in mysterious ways”? Between the Michigan’s and Notre Dame’s losses over the weekend and this, I’m positively high on _Schadenfreude_… or is it anticipation of the upcoming fall equinox? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/2 "2007-09-03T15:30:38Z")
Well, if the Wicca gods and goddess can make someone win a mega million, where do I join? ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/3 "2007-09-03T20:05:23Z")
What is so different from all the christians who say god or jesus got them everything? Personally, I find crediting everything good to god/jesus is smarmy when you also dont blame them for the bad stuff that happens. I dont happen to think that any particular diety would give enough of a care to make sure that someone won something, be it a baseball game or a lottery. Wll, maybe if you were pagan and it was the goddess of luck=) ---
**Author:** ![hlanelee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@hlanelee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hlanelee)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/4 "2007-09-03T20:22:55Z")
I’m with **Annie-Xmas** , where do I join? ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/5 "2007-09-03T20:53:20Z")
If you saw a picture of the winner I think you will agree the real reason he went into that store was to buy, and eat, 25 Twinkies and a few Snickers before class. But more power to him - although the promise to teach if he wins was a little strange…most teachers promise to STOP teaching if they win. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/6 "2007-09-03T21:09:33Z")
That’s funny. I’ve always wondered what I would say if I won $10 million in the lotto. That’s so random, yet I just might start believing in God. OTOH, if I kept my wits about me, it’d be really fun to thank Isis for answering all those small animal sacrifices I’ve been making. Reporter: “What? Cut camera, now!” ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/7 "2007-09-03T21:54:05Z")
[QUOTE=aruvqan] What is so different from all the christians who say god or jesus got them everything? [/QUOTE] It’s no different at all, in that both are giving credit to non-existent beings for a probability exercise. It’s just that this particular set of non-existent beings don’t usually get the air time. I would definitely, were I to win the lottery, be giving all kinds of “Jesus is a fake and had nothing to do with this!” soundbites. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/8 "2007-09-03T23:03:21Z")
If I were a wiccan god, I’d strike down any poseur who inferred that I gave a rat’s ass about the lottery. In fact, all utterly selfish pleas would be routed directly to my Spam prayer folder. As far as striking them down, I’d be torn between an old fashioned lightning bolt and having him choke to death on a Twinkie. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/9 "2007-09-04T01:13:14Z")
I tend to attribute this sort of stuff to pure blind luck (though I do believe in Something and lean toward pagan, frankly), but I don’t see why he’s any more mockworthy than people from a more standard religion doing the same sort of thing. Equally, yes, but not more so. ---
**Author:** ![Terrorcotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@Terrorcotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrorcotta)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2007, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/10 "2007-09-04T11:57:41Z")
I don’t know about you guys, but I misread the ad at the bottom of this page for 'Buddism Ringtones" and thought that was pretty astute of Google. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2007, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/11 "2007-09-04T12:48:12Z")
Once in DC, the number 666 came up on Power Ball or something. Almost makes you wish you could have been in line with all the people who bet 666 every week, doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2007, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/12 "2007-09-04T12:57:15Z")
[QUOTE=DMark] If you saw a picture of the winner I think you will agree the real reason he went into that store was to buy, and eat, 25 Twinkies and a few Snickers before class. . [/QUOTE] Hee. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2007, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/13 "2007-09-04T12:58:58Z")
When I win the next Powerball, I’m thanking the Flying Spagetti Monster. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2007, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/14 "2007-09-04T13:02:32Z")
> [@](#): > > He and his wife, Denise, were on their way to Mystickal Voyage, the new-age shop **where he teaches Wicca** , when they stopped at a liquor store and bought two $5 Mega Millions tickets for Friday night’s $330 million jackpot. Yesterday, he said one was a winner. > > Bartlett said he made a bargain with the gods associated with his Wiccan beliefs: “You let me win the lottery and\*\* I’ll teach\*\*.” (bolding mine) Um…wasn’t he teaching already? Doesn’t sound like much of an exchange to me. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2007, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/15 "2007-09-04T16:37:55Z")
[QUOTE=The Scrivener] Ye Gods! As an atheist who finds all religions absurd, if not equally so, this made me chuckle. Take _that_, conformist monotheists! Is the apparent injustice of this situation allayed by the old canard that “God works in mysterious ways”? [/QUOTE] It always amazes to see the absurd lengths atheists will go to to attack Chrisitanity. If you knew more about the bible, you’d know that God does not consider having a lot of money to be a good thing. Quite the opposite, in fact. Being rich tends to lead to greedy, self-centered behavior, and generally makes it much harder to be a good person. That’s not the sort of gift God would give. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2007, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/16 "2007-09-04T16:41:57Z")
[QUOTE=Diceman] It always amazes to see the absurd lengths atheists will go to to attack Chrisitanity. If you knew more about the bible, you’d know that God does not consider having a lot of money to be a good thing. Quite the opposite, in fact. Being rich tends to lead to greedy, self-centered behavior, and generally makes it much harder to be a good person. That’s not the sort of gift God would give. [/QUOTE] Uhhhhhh…cite? I’ve read in the Bible that “the **love** of money is the root of all evil” (and I believe this) but nowhere do I see where “God does not consider having a lot of money to be a good thing.” Any religious person who complains about being stereotyped should consider this statement. Bill Gates is not like this. Oprah Winfrey is not like this. I could list a million millionaires who are good people. It is impossible to make a lot of money with your own abilities if you are a greedy, self-centered, bad person, simply because other people won’t put up with you. ---
**Author:** ![Borborygmi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/borborygmi/32/217_2.png) [@Borborygmi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Borborygmi)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2007, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/17 "2007-09-04T17:09:33Z")
**I WANT THANK OG FOR MAKE THIS HAPPEN! OG SAY MONEY BUY HAPPINESS! I PROMISE TEN PERCENT RIGHT OFF TOP GO HELP OG SMASH ENEMIES! OG SAY CAN’T WIN iF DON’T PLAY! ALL YOU NEED IS DOLLAR AND DREAM! PRAISE OG!** ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/18 "2007-09-04T17:20:59Z")
**Thank you Satan! \m/** ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2007, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/19 "2007-09-04T17:22:15Z")
[QUOTE=Diceman] If you knew more about the bible, you’d know that God does not consider having a lot of money to be a good thing. Quite the opposite, in fact. Being rich tends to lead to greedy, self-centered behavior, and generally makes it much harder to be a good person. That’s not the sort of gift God would give. [/QUOTE] Boy, I bet the Calvinists hate to hear that. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2007, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900/20 "2007-09-04T18:30:12Z")
I’d like to thank Cecil Adams and all the folks at the Straight Dope, wait, I’ve got a list here … “Sorry! The administrator has disabled the list of members”? What?!? Well, fuck them! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-winner-of-330-m-mega-millions-credits-wiccan-gods-for-his-good-fortune/417900.md?page=2)