# Taking Bets on the powerball preacher **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 27, 2002, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094 "2002-12-27T03:58:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FireWitch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e4f/32.png) [@FireWitch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FireWitch)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/1 "2002-12-27T03:58:52Z")
Starting today, I’d like to lay even (albeit virtual) money on the probability that the recent powerball winner from pig knuckle depot W.Va. will be either… A. Embroiled in a scandal after he’s caught with a 15 year old boy (or girl) he paid for sex. :smack: B. Stone broke from giving his winnings to his church, that is in need of a constant supply of paper fans and serpents. ;j C. Shot dead by a jealous and scorned lover or employee after denying thier demands for compensation whilst in the midst of an attempted blackmail. :wally: or D. His pick-up truck will be struck by a speeding freight train after getting stuck at the crossing in the rain, while en route to the prison with his mama to pass out fudge and bible tracts to the inmates. :wally: 100 virtual bucks and all of my hope on “D” ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/2 "2002-12-27T04:02:24Z")
Okay… and why do you feel this way, and where is the debate in this vile post of yours? ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/3 "2002-12-27T04:19:21Z")
I’ll be glad when school is back in session. **FireWitch** , do your mommy and daddy know you’re using their computer? ---
**Author:** ![Kalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Kalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalt)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/4 "2002-12-27T05:59:33Z")
he’s not a preacher, he’s owns a small construction company. He did give 10% of his winnings to the church and say “thank you god for letting me win.” Had he lost, he wouldn’t be thanking god for letting him lose. Meanwhile, his church just got $17 million which will surely be squandered. Oh well, at least someone won’t have to pay taxes on all this lottery money. that being said, i don’t see any debate here. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/5 "2002-12-27T08:24:43Z")
Strange take on the situation there, Kalt. For one thing, the winner elected to take his prize in one lump sum and paid a huge tax bite for doing that. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/6 "2002-12-27T14:44:37Z")
One vote here for moving this non-debateable thinly disguised rant to the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/7 "2002-12-27T14:48:46Z")
Uhm, **firewitch** , first of all, no bet. Second, my best friend lives in that town in West Virginia. Third, from all the reports I’ve seen, he sounds like a pretty decent, respectable, well-balanced type. Buying a helicopter and donating 10% to charity sounds like a pretty good balance between fantasy and practicality to me, and one doesn’t run a successful business without a lot of practicality. CJ ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/8 "2002-12-27T14:53:30Z")
[Moderator Hat ON] I see more of a rant than a great debate here, so I am moving this to the Pit. [Moderator Hat OFF] ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/9 "2002-12-27T15:11:11Z")
I admit, his CNN profile does sound like one of those _Reader’s Digest_ “Profiles in Courage” inspirational stories… "…Single grandmother raises 16 grandchildren while battling floods, famines, brush fires, and Evil Developers who want to take the family land, while slinging hash at the diner and studying for her law degree on the side. Plus she had brain cancer. …but it must be true. The man’s apparently a saint, and as for the money “being squandered” by “his church”, he’s giving it to three different churches and they’re going to set up a fund. [http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/12/27/whittaker.profile.ap/](http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/12/27/whittaker.profile.ap/) > [@](#): > > The pastors – in Hurricane, a bedroom community between Charleston and Huntington; in Jumping Branch, Whittaker’s hometown near the Virginia border; and a third who now lives in California – will administer a fund he wants to create to help the poor. ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/10 "2002-12-27T15:13:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cjhoworth \* > \*\*Uhm, **firewitch** , first of all, no bet. Second, my best friend lives in that town in West Virginia. Third, from all the reports I’ve seen, he sounds like a pretty decent, respectable, well-balanced type. Buying a helicopter and donating 10% to charity sounds like a pretty good balance between fantasy and practicality to me, and one doesn’t run a successful business without a lot of practicality. > > CJ \*\* And one of my best friends is from that town, I went to college 30 minutes away, and I saw this guy on TV last night—he seems like a respectable, nice guy. Good for him. By the way, not _all_ churches in WV are serpent-laden. Oh, and many of them have air-conditioning! Go figure! Putz. Ava ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/11 "2002-12-27T16:00:59Z")
This guy is a real American. The kind of capitalist that you want to see in your town. It makes me proud to hear about it. Seriously. Self-made millionaire, gets more money… and he uses it to hire people he had to lay off back. AND he, fully in a voluntary fashion, sets up a fund for the poor… wisely, with three local churches so he knows where the money goes. Ayn Rand would be proud, before she went raving loonie. ---
**Author:** ![Splanky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@Splanky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Splanky)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/12 "2002-12-27T16:32:29Z")
I agree with most of you. I’d rather see this guy win than some hobo who hasn’t worked a day in his life. This guy is hard working, compassionate, practical, and generous. I’m glad he won. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/13 "2002-12-27T17:00:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by E-Sabbath \* > \*\* > Ayn Rand would be proud, before she went raving loonie. \*\* Waddaya mean, “went”? > [@](#): > > _Ms. Rand–_"NATHANIEL! MORE GIN! BRING ME MORE _ **GIN** _!!! That barking-dog she-troll merely inverted Communism, except for the athiesm, & put her name on it. :wally ---
**Author:** ![Jurhael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@Jurhael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurhael)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/14 "2002-12-27T20:18:20Z")
Yea, he seems great. Too bad most people AREN’T like him. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/15 "2002-12-27T20:49:19Z")
On top of the donations he said he was going to do, he also said that he was going to hire back some 25 people who he had to lay off from his construction company - it seems to me that’s a pretty laudable aim. Firewitch, what’s your problem? I’m not being mean, I’m really curious. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/16 "2002-12-27T20:56:05Z")
Sooooo, from your OP, we can figure that you’re stupid AND jealous, **FireBitch**? ---
**Author:** ![Sunglasses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5fc32e/32.png) [@Sunglasses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunglasses)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/17 "2002-12-27T21:06:44Z")
Thanks for moving this to the Pit, Gaudere, so I can tell the OP what freaking, bigoted moron he is. FireWitch, I live approximately ten miles from “Pig Knuckle” Depot, WV. This is NOT a state full of ignorant, incestuous, child molesting, bible thumping idiots, though we have our share like any other state (yours, maybe?) You ignorant ass! ---
**Author:** ![quixotic78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3ab097/32.png) [@quixotic78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quixotic78)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/18 "2002-12-27T21:11:14Z")
I gotta admit, when I first read the article about how this guy was praising God for the winning ticket and was going to give the money to his church(es), I was cynical, just like the OP. I had a knee-jerk reaction of, “Well, I bet he didn’t curse God for all the other times he spent $100 and **didn’t** win.” Which is still probably true, but it’s no longer relevant. The guy _does_ seem like a good fellow, and he’s being as responsible as anyone could ask of him, considering he just won an unimagineable windfall. So I guess this atheist isn’t too big to admit that he was apparently wrong. Good on ya, Mr. Whittaker, and keep up the good works. Quix ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/19 "2002-12-27T21:17:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Missy2U \* > \*\*Firewitch, what’s your problem? I’m not being mean, I’m really curious. \*\* I’m guessing sour grapes, and **FireWitch** is off burning all the the lottery tickets he/she purchased that were losers. :wally ---
**Author:** ![truthbot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@truthbot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthbot)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094/20 "2002-12-28T01:46:29Z")
Tut, tut **FireWitch**. You’re talking about the man I love! Gadzooks! I’m channeling Ana Nicole! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-on-the-powerball-preacher/145094.md?page=2)