# Office wins huge lottery, what about that one guy? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 4, 2019, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993 "2019-06-04T02:09:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/41 "2019-06-04T17:31:29Z")
I might bring in doughnuts on my last day, and Jerry can have one. Suppose he buys his own ticket and wins. Would he be obligated to share the winnings with you? Why? Because you work in the same office? Sorry, but if I win enough in the lottery (I won’t) I don’t share it with anyone in my office. They are nice people and I like them fine - but I don’t give them money. If I ever win millions, I suspect I will need to get good at saying “Sorry, no” pretty quick. No reason not to start right away. Guy dies, and goes to heaven. He shows up at the pearly gates, and St. Peter says, “Why should we let you in?” The guy thinks for a minute, and says, “I gave a dollar to a beggar once.” St. Peter goes back in, and talks on the phone for a minute. Then he comes back out. “Here’s your dollar back. Go to hell.” Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/42 "2019-06-04T17:46:51Z")
BTW, if Jerry had ever participated in the pool, he’ll probably sue for a share, and either he’ll win or you’ll wind up settling just to make sure your money isn’t held up. Just google “lottery pool lawsuit” for dozens of similar stories. So it may be easiest to buy him out for a few hundred K. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/43 "2019-06-04T17:51:01Z")
His only reward from me would be job security (maybe) since I’m outa there sucker. That and I may toss him a fiver on the way out the door. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/44 "2019-06-04T17:55:59Z")
If Jerry had said to me, “Look, I really want to be in on this but my parents are sick, I’m on the verge of foreclosure, I’m in so much debt I don’t even have $2 to chip in” then I would spot him the $2, and eat it if we don’t win. But Jerry just doesn’t believe they’re going to win the lottery and he keeps his two dollars. Why should I give Jerry any more money of my winnings than I would give to a family member, friend, or any random person on the street? Sorry Jerry. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/45 "2019-06-04T18:10:38Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Offer Jerry $1,000,000 to let me hunt him for sport. I’m rich now, so I can do those things. That’s not very sporting. Jerry is still chained to his desk. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/46 "2019-06-04T18:40:09Z")
They just started one where I’m working- I’m ‘Jerry’, as I only normally work a few hours a week, and what they want to join the pool works out as about 5% of my wage. Oh, plus the plan for winning a few thousand but not a crazy amount is ‘Let’s all go on holiday together!!’ which sounds like hell. I would not expect anything more than maaaybe a donut at the leaving party, but as it happens, I was talking about it with the only other non-participant today; she believes one of those who buy in _would_ give her a share. A smaller share than everyone else, but a share. ---
**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:** [June 4, 2019, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/47 "2019-06-04T18:50:42Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Yeah, the hell with Jerry. I’d probably not pester him about the $5 he borrowed last week for lunch, but I’d expect him to pay me back. > [@kopek](#): > > His only reward from me would be job security (maybe) since I’m outa there sucker. That and I may toss him a fiver on the way out the door. Yeah, I’ll take the five.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/48 "2019-06-04T20:49:44Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I might bring in doughnuts on my last day, and Jerry can have one. . . . Around here, if something happens to someone that’s worth celebrating, the person celebrating brings in the doughnuts, or the bagels, or the pizza, depending on the size of the celebration. For a big lottery win, with that many people, I’d say everyone should toss in for some high-stakes catering at lunch. It’s not because anyone owes anyone, it’s just spreading the joy. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/49 "2019-06-04T20:55:03Z")
In real life I’m Jerry. Not that I have anything against gambling. I’m a DFG for sure. But even I know better than to buy lottery tickets. But having said that, if I’m one of the winners in this scenario, and there is a “Jerry” left out, not only do I \*not \*give him anything, I beat him up and take his lunch money. Why? Because he’s a snake-bit loser and no DFG likes to be around a snake-bit loser. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/50 "2019-06-05T02:19:04Z")
One of my friends, an artist, was burned out in a bushfire. Afterwards, some of his friends gave him back some of the art they’d been gifted. The only art he had in his house after the fire and the rebuild, _was stuff he’d given away_. I’m going to be giving some stuff away. Most of it too worthy people and organisations. Jerry gets some too, not because he’s a nice guy, but because I am. If half of us chip in (I’m not making demands on the 1/3 of you who are giving nothing), he can get 100K, which is a nice gift from a bunch of people who suddenly got rich. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/51 "2019-06-05T03:52:13Z")
We don’t do a weekly lottery pool but do buy tickets as a shift when it gets able $400 million. If Someone doesn’t happen to be in when it happens then we spot them the money. So far no one has ever said no. If they did I would have no problem excluding them from the winnings. I would probably throw him a few thousand like I would gift to several people I know. > [@Jophiel](#): > > Offer Jerry $1,000,000 to let me hunt him for sport. I’m rich now, so I can do those things. I like the cut of your jib. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/52 "2019-06-05T04:44:59Z")
On a single, one-time only, let’s all just put in a eight bits thing, I think more people would go in, even if they don’t gamble just to be part of the group. It’s only two bucks. Those who don’t want to do that, well thems the breaks. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/53 "2019-06-05T05:12:35Z")
Eh, I’d give him a million. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/54 "2019-06-05T07:19:52Z")
It depends, did Jerry usually play the office lottery? But, He didn’t this year? I’d give him 50k and encourage the other people to do the same. If Jerry always refused to participate in the lottery, then he gets nothing. He obviously had no interest in it. We’re under no obligation to give him anything. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/55 "2019-06-05T11:11:53Z")
If we were all going to quit and the boss were going to close shop leaving Jerry/Garry/Larry/Terry unemployed, then I’d probably pitch in to secure his retirement, but certainly not a full share, unless there were other mitigating circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/56 "2019-06-05T12:28:24Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > His only reward from me would be job security (maybe) since I’m outa there sucker. That and I may toss him a fiver on the way out the door. Some years ago I was working at a small company with about a dozen of us worker bees in the back. When the California lottery topped $50-million we formed pool with everybody chipping in $10. Enough people didn’t want to go the quick pick route so I had everyone give their three favorite numbers and wrote a quick program that picked from that pool, checking for duplicates. Lunchtime we were all sitting with a sheaf of slips and the program’s printout, busily filling in the spots when the boss walked in. “What’s going on?” We explained then added, “You realize, of course, if this thing hits, your workforce is _gone_.” He drew a sawbuck out of his wallet and tossed it on the table; we added him to the pool. There was one guy who declined the pool and spent the lunch period telling us how foolish we were so in that case, he would have gotten zilch from me. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/57 "2019-06-05T14:47:37Z")
If I may hijack the thread, what’s the benefit of playing an office lottery rather than just buying a ticket oneself? With the office pool your chances of winning aren’t meaningfully higher (1 in two million is, practically speaking, almost about as unwinnable as 1 in two hundred million), there is much more hassle and procedure, and you would get a much smaller share of a jackpot. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/58 "2019-06-05T14:56:32Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > If I may hijack the thread, what’s the benefit of playing an office lottery rather than just buying a ticket oneself? With the office pool your chances of winning aren’t meaningfully higher (1 in two million is, practically speaking, almost about as unwinnable as 1 in two hundred million), there is much more hassle and procedure, and you would get a much smaller share of a jackpot. 1 in two million is in a very real and meaningful way 100 times as likely as 1 in two hundred million. You are making the naive error of dividing winning chances into wide bins and treating all approaches in each bin as the same. It’s not as bad as going “I either win or I lose, so it’s 50/50”, but it’s similarly bad math. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/59 "2019-06-05T14:57:00Z")
The odds improve much greater than the utility lost by the lesser winnings. In other words, after the first few million the money is worth less to me. I don’t play mega-millions anyway for this reason even when it is positive expected value according to some metrics (however, it has never gone into positive expected value once you account for both taxes and the penalty for a one-time cash withdrawal.) Now, if a million dollar jackpot went into positive expected value territory, I would play it, so similarly, if I were invited to an office pool in this situation (a very large megamillions jackpot split amongst the office), I would consider it. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993/60 "2019-06-05T15:00:38Z")
I won $50,000 a few weeks ago on Powerball. A couple people related to me thought it was an obligation to “spread the wealth” and give handouts to them and others. Nope, ain’t going to happen, it was my $2 that won the money. I would feel the same for Jerry. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-wins-huge-lottery-what-about-that-one-guy/834993.md?page=4)