# Why don't psychics win the lottery every week? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 9, 2001, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829 "2001-05-09T02:06:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RiffRaff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@RiffRaff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RiffRaff)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2001, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/21 "2001-05-11T16:24:54Z")
How so? ---
**Author:** ![Tymp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tymp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tymp)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2001, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/22 "2001-05-11T17:02:59Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by RiffRaff_ > Consider this: > Jimmy, rather than taking the easy dough, announces his power and becomes the wonder of the scientific community. Or he becomes a laughingstock when he’s unable to substantiate his claims. > [@](#): > > Jimmy will see in his future a whole bunch of days/weeks/years being examined by research teams and made to predict things at their whim. Goodness! It’s as if psychics would all be subhuman and subject to the will and whims of Joe Scientist. Never would have guessed such weakness to be a natural result of possessing psychic abilities. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2001, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/23 "2001-05-11T22:06:22Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* \*\* > [@](#): > > And anyway (sorry, tired I know, but someone had to say this) - why do you have to make an appointment to see them? - they should just know you’re coming, right? \*\* Because you aren’t psychic. You don’t know when other people are coming so that psychic has to force you to come one at a time. As for the doorbell, the issue there is that psychics can tell the future but that doesn’t mean they are always cognizant of all the entirety of the future. Yes, if the psychic is concentrating on whether someone is at their door, they’ll know you are out there, but frankly they have better things on which to concentrate. Easier to just let you ring the bell. As for whether psychics can see their deaths. Yes, if they want to. But as with most people their mortality is frightening and most don’t look into it. That said, all psychics know the time of their deaths. The reason for this is that the mechanism for seeing the future is really a conscious connection to their future self. Through quantum tunneling their being communicates backward and forward through time with other instances of themselves. Thus, they are unable to truly read the future past their own death. Some interesting experimenation in the psychic community has indicated that quantum tunneling can cross the reincarnative barrier, perhaps explaining the ability of some psychics (Nostradamus being the prime example) to forecase well beyond their lifetime. The case studies on this are inconclusive and with a carnation gap of over 125 years between lives a gap is created that makes longterm forecasting almost useless for most psychics. As for the original lottery question, the answer is that true psychics do not play the lottery (and win) because it is too obvious and dangerous. The majority of true psychics support themselves through small-time stock market success (too much can, and has, bring about SEC investigations for insider trading) and consultation fees. Much like the Methuselaians among us, true psychics must minimize their impact for fear of personal harm (seeing a harm coming doesn’t necessarily mean you can avoid it). Any other questions? ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2001, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/24 "2001-05-11T22:22:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by obfusciatrist \* > As for the original lottery question, the answer is that true psychics do not play the lottery (and win) because it is too obvious and dangerous. The majority of true psychics support themselves through small-time stock market success (too much can, and has, bring about SEC investigations for insider trading) and consultation fees. > > Any other questions? I have some questions! Can you cite an SEC investigation of a psychic? If it’s dangerous for psychics to play the lottery (which would be entirely legal), why do they go for consultation fees? Surely they would only earn a % commission, and reveal their powers in the process. Are you a true psychic? if so, why don’t you take James Randi’s $1,000,000? ---
**Author:** ![RiffRaff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@RiffRaff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RiffRaff)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2001, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/25 "2001-05-11T22:25:41Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Tymp \* \*\* > [@](#): > > Goodness! It’s as if psychics would all be subhuman and subject to the will and whims of Joe Scientist. Never would have guessed such weakness to be a natural result of possessing psychic abilities.\*\* Well, the obvious question then becomes how Jimmy could possibly be a boon to science without letting them test him… I’m imagining that when Joe Scientist sits down to study something, 2 key elements come into play: 1. The experiments need to be repeated a number of times to ensure the result wasn’t a fluke 2. The experiments are done under controlled conditions, to ensure that the only things affecting the outcome are the things that they choose Basically, if Jimmy wants to be of use to the scientific community, he needs to do what Joe tells him to. Not because he’s weak - Jimmy can look out for Jimmy, thank you very much - but because any other course of action will make him useless to Joe and the rest of the Scientist family. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2001, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/26 "2001-05-11T22:49:20Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by glee \* \*\* > [@](#): > > Can you cite an SEC investigation of a psychic? \*\* No, there are no legal or regulatory citations. No such investigation has resulted in charges against any psychic. That said, however, the trading activities of an incautious psychic can look like insider trading. Preliminary investigations show no insider connections and no likely conspiracy with an insider. Investigators end up either perplexed or believers, but there have been no criminal or civil charges. \*\* > [@](#): > > If it’s dangerous for psychics to play the lottery (which would be entirely legal), why do they go for consultation fees? Surely they would only earn a % commission, and reveal their powers in the process.\*\* I did not mean to imply that they took consultation fees for giving other people winning lottery numbers. No true psychic would long survive free if they did that too often (though I’m sure it has happened on occasion). I meant only that many true psychics survive on income from life-help consultations. Relationships, decision-making, general financials, etc. They show their powers every day, but in ways not likely to draw too much attention to themselves. I am not saying that most “psychics” aren’t frauds. Most media psychics are indeed fraudulent. \*\* > [@](#): > > Are you a true psychic? if so, why don’t you take James Randi’s $1,000,000? \*\* No, I am not. ---
**Author:** ![Opus1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/858c86/32.png) [@Opus1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opus1)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2001, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/27 "2001-05-11T23:28:59Z")
All I can say is how shocked I am at how many otherwise intelligent Dopers actually believe in psychic abilities despite the total dearth of evidence. If this gets kicked to great debates, all the better. I’d love to see any believer in psychic abilities try to defend his beliefs. I know somebody has an Einstein quote about how human stupidity is infinite. It certain applies here. ---
**Author:** ![ignatzmouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b2d939/32.png) [@ignatzmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ignatzmouse)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2001, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/28 "2001-05-12T01:01:20Z")
> [@](#): > > Some interesting experimenation in the psychic community has indicated that quantum tunneling can cross the reincarnative barrier, perhaps explaining the ability of some psychics (Nostradamus being the prime example) to forecase well beyond their lifetime. Sounds vaugely scientific. Thats good enough for me!!! Put me down for twenty of whatever you’re selling. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2001, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/29 "2001-05-12T01:30:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by obfusciatrist \* > > (Can you cite an SEC investigation of a psychic?) > > No, there are no legal or regulatory citations. No such investigation has resulted in charges against any psychic. That said, however, the trading activities of an incautious psychic can look like insider trading. Preliminary investigations show no insider connections and no likely conspiracy with an insider. Investigators end up either perplexed or believers, but there have been no criminal or civil charges. I meant can you give details of any such investigation. Can you give us the name of an SEC investigator who has, as you state, ended up a believer? If psychics want to keep a low profile, why do they tell Government investigators that they are psychic? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by obfusciatrist \* > They (psychics) show their powers every day, but in ways not likely to draw too much attention to themselves. Wouldn’t any demonstration of psychic ability be the most astounding scientific advance the human race has ever seen? Wouldn’t it draw some attention?! If you’re not a psychic, how do you know someone else is? What convinced you they exist? Why don’t they take Randi’s money? ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2001, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/30 "2001-05-12T01:32:17Z")
Couldn’t find this thread again when I got home. Finally did a search for it. “OH SHIT!! IT’S IN GQ!” I could have sworn this was in MPSIMS where having my tongue so firmly in my cheek would be more appropriate. For anybody wondering, I don’t believe a word of what I’ve said above (as I hope was immediately clear to anybody around here who knows me well). I’ve been so worn out defending rationality around here that I decided to play the other side of the net for a while. Wrong forum for it. Sorry about that (but good to know that I can do a decent job of spewing nonsense when I put my mind to it). ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2001, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/31 "2001-05-12T01:38:08Z")
now if I’d been psychic, I’d have known you were kidding… ---
**Author:** ![Universal\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dfb087/32.png) [@Universal\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Universal_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2001, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/32 "2001-05-12T03:00:16Z")
\*cough > [@](#): > > 1-800-547-2526 > Must be 18 Years of Age and Over. For Entertainment Purposes Only. I am psycic. but miss know-it-all is a fake. \*looks around, then floats into a dark hole. ---
**Author:** ![FEotU](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@FEotU](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FEotU)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2001, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/33 "2001-05-12T05:57:59Z")
All I know about psychics is that at a “psychic fair” on the west coast of Canada several years ago, when the psychics shut down temporarily and left the hall to go for lunch, someone broke in and ransacked the place, robbing the booths. No one foresaw it. Also, why don’t they ever hold these fairs outside? Surely they could choose a day when the weather would cooperate! “This year’s Psychic Fair will be held on June 23rd. In the event of rain, it will be held the previous Saturday.” ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2001, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/34 "2001-05-12T14:45:48Z")
If any of you were psychics, you’d already know the answer to this OP. ---
**Author:** ![Amedeus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de0a6/32.png) [@Amedeus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amedeus)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2001, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/35 "2001-05-12T16:00:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Opus1 \* > \*\*All I can say is how shocked I am at how many otherwise intelligent Dopers actually believe in psychic abilities despite the total dearth of evidence. If this gets kicked to great debates, all the better. I’d love to see any believer in psychic abilities try to defend his beliefs. > > I know somebody has an Einstein quote about how human stupidity is infinite. It certain applies here. \*\* Your just close minded. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2001, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/36 "2001-05-12T19:16:05Z")
Psychics don’t need to play the lottery… they RUN the lottery! ---
**Author:** ![gadgetgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c5a1d2/32.png) [@gadgetgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gadgetgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2001, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/37 "2001-05-13T10:49:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Amedeus \* > Your just close minded. :rolleyes: \*\* I knew you were going to say that…somehow… ---
**Author:** ![buck1969](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@buck1969](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buck1969)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2001, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/38 "2001-05-14T08:11:48Z")
these people are perpetrators of fraud. they knowingly prey on people looking for hope. if they’re honest why do they need $60? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2001, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/39 "2001-05-14T14:19:09Z")
If they’re honest, why not allow everyone a free phone call instead of three measly minutes out of every call? ---
**Author:** ![RiffRaff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@RiffRaff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RiffRaff)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2001, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829/40 "2001-05-14T17:41:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jeff Olsen \* > \*\*If they’re honest, why not allow everyone a free phone call instead of three measly minutes out of every call? \*\* I don’t see what the one thing has to do with the other, really. If I were running a psychic hotline, real (if there is such a thing) or fake, I don’t think I’d be giving anyone any free calls. Why? Same reason you don’t get free milk and eggs and the grocery store. I’m not psychic, but I can make a pretty good prediction about the future of a 900 number that starts giving away their services for free. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by buck1969 \* > **these people are perpetrators of fraud. > they knowingly prey on people looking for hope. if they’re honest why do they need $60?** I agree, the chances are pretty slim that anyone from whatever psychic line you call will know anything about your future other than that your wallet will soon be a few dollars lighter. That being said, what does honesty have to do with needing $60? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Opus1 \* > **I know somebody has an Einstein quote about how human stupidity is infinite. It certain applies here.** See, now if it were me that was about to call everybody stupid, I’d go ahead and make that quick spelling/grammar check before I did it… but to each their own. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-psychics-win-the-lottery-every-week/64829.md?page=3)