# Got Your Lottery Ticket? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 26, 2022, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590 "2022-07-26T13:44:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/42 "2022-07-28T21:43:49Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > Regarding people who buy lottery tickets as an investment strategy - and especially for people who buy more than one ticket per game - Yes, I agree that it is a tax on stupidity. > > But I never get more than one ticket per game. And I don’t look at it as an investment. To me, it is an entertainment expense. And from that perspective, it is a very, very good deal. A movie ticket is $10 or so, I think, and lasts a few hours. But with a lottery ticket, $2 will buy you a half-week’s worth of fully-customizable daydreams. Where can you get a deal like that? I don’t go to the movies, so I’ll spend the ten bucks on lottery tickets. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/43 "2022-07-28T21:52:54Z")
I put six bucks on it because why the hell not? (I do that maybe once or twice a year. I feel fine about it. Hell, I work with people who spend six bucks on takeout lunch three times a week.) ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/44 "2022-07-28T22:17:43Z")
I bought one, thereby increasing my odds above 0%. > [@dolphinboy](#): > > I love the posts from people who say they won’t buy a lottery ticket for less than a $100 million prize. Really? Are you so wealthy that having an extra $50 million in your bank account wouldn’t change your life? If so, you don’t need the money, and it’s better if it goes to someone who really needs it. Which is why I will buy a ticket for the draw after a big jackpot win, on the assumption fewer people will play, thus increasing my minuscule odds to win. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/45 "2022-07-28T22:33:53Z")
> [@dogbutler](#): > > I bought one, thereby increasing my odds above 0%. You’re ignoring the percentage chance of an unsigned, winning lottery ticket being blown into your lap by the wind. > [@dogbutler](#): > > Which is why I will buy a ticket for the draw after a big jackpot win, on the assumption fewer people will play, thus increasing my minuscule odds to win. It won’t affect your odds of winning but could affect the percentage of the pot you get. But splitting a big pot could still be more than winning all of a smaller pot. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/46 "2022-07-28T22:50:37Z")
I buy a ticket when the jackpot gets huge like now, maybe once every five years. It’s fun to day dream about having the money and then move on. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/47 "2022-07-29T11:02:57Z")
My gf texted me yesterday asking me to get her $20 worth of lottery tickets for the big drawing. I realized I didn’t really know how to go about it, having only purchased scratch offs from a machine. I managed to buy her tickets. When I gave them to her she told me she’d reimburse me out of her winnings. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/48 "2022-07-29T12:03:24Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I managed to buy her tickets. When I gave them to her she told me she’d reimburse me out of her winnings. That’s another way to score some lottery winnings! 😉 I got our tickets this morning. After my winnings on the last drawing ($2!!!) I’m feeling lucky! 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/49 "2022-07-29T13:31:38Z")
It occurs to me that as our society is so fragmented nowadays, one of the few things we all do is play the lottery for large prizes. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/50 "2022-07-29T14:19:48Z")
Let’s see, the odds of getting the big prize are 1 in 302,575,350. Costs two dollars to play. Cash value maybe under a half billion dollars. Plus taxes. OTOH, there’s some chance of getting one of the lesser prizes. Carry the 1, divide by 7, etc. Nope. Still doesn’t pay. … I think. Note that in a way this is similar to the [St. Petersburg Paradox](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Petersburg_paradox). A game where the entry fee can be amazingly high and Mathematically it still has positive expected winnings but … nah, you don’t want to really do that. ---
**Author:** ![2nd\_Law](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/f475e1/32.png) [@2nd\_Law](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2nd_Law)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/51 "2022-07-29T16:59:22Z")
I have those numbers too, but my ticket seems to be lost. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/52 "2022-07-29T17:05:41Z")
I wouldn’t want more than around 35 million or so – too much publicity. And my ex would hear about it. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/53 "2022-07-29T17:16:11Z")
I’m going to a store to use a coupon from the MiLottery app, spend $5 get $2 off. Also spent $6 today to get another 25 free online games. Im going to order the money booth IF I win and invite all you dopers to come out and give it a go 🥳 ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/54 "2022-07-29T18:26:36Z")
I was posting on the 'Raffe about how some states don’t let you remain anonymous if you win. California won’t, so I have to have a plan in place in case the unbelievable happens. How about your state? ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/55 "2022-07-29T18:52:59Z")
That’s me exactly. When it’s in the news and people are talking about it at work, I’ll get some tickets. In fact, I put $10 on it last night. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/56 "2022-07-29T19:01:19Z")
I laid a twenty down on ten quick picks this morning at the 7-Eleven. This is perhaps the second time I’ve played in the last ten years. (I played a few months ago on a lark when a friend did something so unexpected I remarked that this must be my lucky day and I’ll play the lottery – or something like that.) Yes – apparently, according to my text history, Feb 20, 2009 was the last time I played before that (only $120 million for Mega Millions, but I think that was a lot back then.) ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/57 "2022-07-29T19:03:35Z")
OK I am in for another twenty dollars. ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/58 "2022-07-29T19:45:05Z")
Thanks, guys, you helped kick the jackpot up to [$1.28 billion](https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/29/us/mega-millions-lottery-jackpot-friday/index.html). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/59 "2022-07-29T19:45:50Z")
Awesome. Now I won’t feel so bad if I have to split it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Undeposable\_Hand](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_undeposable_hand/32/8502_2.png) [@The\_Undeposable\_Hand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Undeposable_Hand)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/60 "2022-07-29T19:54:08Z")
My syndicate has a total of 36 tickets ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590/61 "2022-07-29T21:39:50Z")
> [@teelabrown](#): > > California won’t You will have time to check with your counsel (because you WILL retain counsel) if California lets you set up a trust and collect that way. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-your-lottery-ticket/968590.md?page=4)