Lottery

[Mazzin]

I live in Georgia, and the mega millions is up to $216 million dollars to the winner. I bought two tickets today for $2.00, well worth the money, just curious how many of you guys actually play, i dont even have an idea what I would do with that kind of money, but I'm sure I would be a season ticket holder at Lambeau. Also it was worth the two dollars, because ALL day I have been day dreaming what i would do with it if i did win.

What is your opinion of the whole thing?

What would you do if you won after taxes say just to be safe 100 million dollars, what would ya do?

[HarveyWallbangers]

Where's the answer for "No?"

[Bretsky]

Best way to win money in the lottery is by not playing and setting the giveaway money in savings.

Yes, that's what I keep telling my wife....over and over...

So I had to vote in the yes area

[oregonpackfan]

Best way to win money in the lottery is by not playing and setting the giveaway money in savings.

Yes, that's what I keep telling my wife....over and over...

So I had to vote in the yes area

I agree with Bretsky except to qualify the "savings" should have the money go in your IRA, 401K, or other type of mutual funds. Savings accounts yield minimal percentages.

[Bretsky]

Best way to win money in the lottery is by not playing and setting the giveaway money in savings.

Yes, that's what I keep telling my wife....over and over...

So I had to vote in the yes area

I agree with Bretsky except to qualify the "savings" should have the money go in your IRA, 401K, or other type of mutual funds. Savings accounts yield minimal percentages.

Agree, or they can call me and buy an appreciating house (P.S.- don't tell RG I said that...lol...j/k)


B

[MadtownPacker]

Like all things in life, you cant win if you dont play.

Where is the option for "all the above"?

[GBRulz]

Where is the "Go the casino" option?? :lol:

[Mazzin]

I swear I had three more options up, and i don't know where they went. I'm a bit rusty you guys must forgive me, mtp, you can add them in if you want.

[Bretsky]

I swear I had three more options up, and i don't know where they went. I'm a bit rusty you guys must forgive me, mtp, you can add them in if you want.


Sounds like you need to get your booty in here and post more often then :wink:


Cheers,
B

[MadtownPacker]

I swear I had three more options up, and i don't know where they went. I'm a bit rusty you guys must forgive me, mtp, you can add them in if you want.I dont think I can after poeple have voted. It will reset the current votes.

[retailguy]

Best way to win money in the lottery is by not playing and setting the giveaway money in savings.

Yes, that's what I keep telling my wife....over and over...

So I had to vote in the yes area

I agree with Bretsky except to qualify the "savings" should have the money go in your IRA, 401K, or other type of mutual funds. Savings accounts yield minimal percentages.

Agree, or they can call me and buy an appreciating house (P.S.- don't tell RG I said that...lol...j/k)


B


Isn't $2.00 about all you need to put down on a house these days? :wink:

Hey, Mazzin, screw the lotto, buy a house! Next week, they'll have a "cash back" zero down, zero interest plan.... followed closely of course, by a "reverse mortgage".... LMAO.

[Joemailman]

Bought my Powerball tickets today. 90 million on Wednesday. :D

[Bretsky]

Best way to win money in the lottery is by not playing and setting the giveaway money in savings.

Yes, that's what I keep telling my wife....over and over...

So I had to vote in the yes area

I agree with Bretsky except to qualify the "savings" should have the money go in your IRA, 401K, or other type of mutual funds. Savings accounts yield minimal percentages.

Agree, or they can call me and buy an appreciating house (P.S.- don't tell RG I said that...lol...j/k)




B


Isn't $2.00 about all you need to put down on a house these days? :wink:

Hey, Mazzin, screw the lotto, buy a house! Next week, they'll have a "cash back" zero down, zero interest plan.... followed closely of course, by a "reverse mortgage".... LMAO.


Yesterday I closed a No Money Down 30 Yr Fixed Rate Mortage and the family did not have to come to closing with a penny. $500 Earnest money was all they put into the transaction.

P.S.- Reverse mortgages are screw jobs IMO


Cheers,
B

[GrnBay007]

I won 10,000 once. I got 6,700 after taxes. Not a huge amount but it was fun....x-mas in July! I paid off a car and had fun with the rest. :P

[Partial]

Lottery winners are statistically miserable and get no respect from their wealthy peers since they didn't earn it and lose all their friends who become jealous.

I don't play that stupid, stupid game. You couldn't pay me enough to win :D

[oregonpackfan]

Bretsky,

Aren't Reverse Mortgages aimed primarily at Seniors? I was under the impression one had to be at least age 62 to qualify for a reverse mortgage.

This "Inquiring Mind" wishes to know! :)

[oregonpackfan]

[quote=Mazzin]I swear I had three more options up, and i don't know where they went. I'm a bit rusty you guys must forgive me, mtp, you can add them in if you want.


Sounds like you need to get your booty in here and post more often then :wink:


Bretsky,

Speaking of "Booty" whose booty is that shaking in your avatar?

[GrnBay007]

Lottery winners are statistically miserable and get no respect from their wealthy peers since they didn't earn it and lose all their friends who become jealous.


I wouldn't change a bit!! 8)

[Kiwon]

Do you play the lottery? - No. It's just a voluntary tax paid to the state.

It is funny though to watch the Native American Indians sticking it to whites through casino gambling. Talk about revenge.....

[MadtownPacker]

Lottery winners are statistically miserable and get no respect from their wealthy peers since they didn't earn it and lose all their friends who become jealous.The words of a broke ass student. :P

[Freak Out]

I bought $10 worth of Powerball tickets when I was in Oregon on Tuesday....I'll buy you a beer after I win.

[Joemailman]

Lottery winners are statistically miserable and get no respect from their wealthy peers since they didn't earn it and lose all their friends who become jealous.


I wouldn't change a bit!! 8)

So you'd still be a grailee, just a really rich one?

[Bretsky]

Lottery winners are statistically miserable and get no respect from their wealthy peers since they didn't earn it and lose all their friends who become jealous.


I wouldn't change a bit!! 8)

So you'd still be a grailee, just a really rich one?


:laugh: :doh: :glug: :glug: :bow: :bow: :hug:

[Scott Campbell]

Do you play the lottery? - No. It's just a voluntary tax paid to the state.


I've heard it called "stupid tax", as in you only have to pay the tax if your stupid.

:D

[GrnBay007]

Lottery winners are statistically miserable and get no respect from their wealthy peers since they didn't earn it and lose all their friends who become jealous.


I wouldn't change a bit!! 8)

So you'd still be a grailee, just a really rich one?

No!! ....no grailee here!!!

But I would buy you and B your own private grailee harem.....ya pervs!!! :P :wink:

[Mazzin]

Bought two more today, after tonights drawing 276,000,000.00 DOLLARS! ILL BE RICH!

[Mazzin]

Don't care who ya are or what ya say, you can't beat paying a dollar for a set of numbers to possibly win that much money, its easly worth it just in day dreaming, and dividing it up in your head.! All day ive done that.

[The Shadow]

Won 1,200 once on a 2 dollar trifecta ticket.
It's better to be lucky than good.

[Kiwon]

Do you play the lottery? - No. It's just a voluntary tax paid to the state.


I've heard it called "stupid tax", as in you only have to pay the tax if your stupid.

:D

I'd have to agree, Scott.

Here are some testimonials:

"Mega Millions tickets are sold in California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas, Virginia and Washington state.

In New York City on Tuesday, Shahid Saleem, a cashier at the Kwik Stop Convenience Store, said "People are buying like crazy — 400 tickets, 500 tickets, 600 tickets apiece."

In California, 4 million tickets were sold between noon and 2 p.m., lottery spokeswoman Cathy Johnston said."
.................................................. ............................

Now, do those same people in NYC put away $400, $500, or $600 a year in an investment for their retirement or to purchase health insurance or to pay down their credit card debt? Probably not. But when it's bad times suddenly it's the "goberment's fault" for not taking care of them.

Politicans preying upon their own constituents for a quick buck - "Let's impoverish them now and worry about the consequences later." Yeah, thanks.

[AtlPackFan]

As I am sure Mazzin knows, Georgia does a really cool thing with their lottery earnings. All earnings go into a scholarship fund called HOPE (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally). Hope is distributed based purely on grades. If you go all four years to a Georgia high school and graduate with a 3.0 then HOPE pay for your first year tuition and a small amount for books. Then, each year in college that you continue to maintain a 3.0, your tuition is paid for the following year. The max they pay for is four years, no 5 or 6 year plans allowed. :wink:

If the GPA drops below 3.0, then your not eligible the next year. However, if you get your grades back above 3.0 the next year then your eligible again the following year.

What's the catch? None!!! It's not race based, income based, gender based, age based, religion based - just good student based. I'm proud to say all three of my kids made it through college on Hope. Well my oldest took a couple of extra years so he had to pay for two years but still pretty awesome.

Of course, as always happens with a good thing, politicians look at that revenue and salivate. Some politician is always "discussing" ways to change who gets how much - probably because they want the revenue for their pork projects. Leave it to politicians to fuck up a good thing!

At any rate, for the time being, I don't mind putting a few bucks down on the lottery now and then - its goes to a good cause.

[Kiwon]

What's the catch? None!!! It's not race based, income based, gender based, age based, religion based - just good student based. I'm proud to say all three of my kids made it through college on Hope. Well my oldest took a couple of extra years so he had to pay for two years but still pretty awesome.

Congrats, AtlPackFan! Three kids through college is something to celebrate. I'm glad that there are a few politicians that still care about their people.

Typically, however, when gambling revenues rise, the educational budgets for the coming year get cut or proposed increases are left unfunded. State lawmakers just don't have the fiscal discipline and morals to do the right thing.

The odds of winning the above lottery were 1 in 176,000,000. A few win something. The vast majority, tens of thousands of people, get nothing in return except a few minutes of excitement.

I think that states that promote the lottery are doing their people a huge disservice. They appeal to everyone's "get rich quick" impulse and the net result is that many of the most vunerable (and guible) take the bait and voluntarily fork over to the state money that their families need. Instead of teaching their citizens fiscal responsibility and independence they are promoting irresponsibility and making their people ever more reliant on the government system.

It's a huge negative in my view.

[AtlPackFan]

What's the catch? None!!! It's not race based, income based, gender based, age based, religion based - just good student based. I'm proud to say all three of my kids made it through college on Hope. Well my oldest took a couple of extra years so he had to pay for two years but still pretty awesome.

Congrats, AtlPackFan! Three kids through college is something to celebrate. I'm glad that there are a few politicians that still care about their people.

Typically, however, when gambling revenues rise, the educational budgets for the coming year get cut or proposed increases are left unfunded. State lawmakers just don't have the fiscal discipline and morals to do the right thing.

The odds of winning the above lottery were 1 in 176,000,000. A few win something. The vast majority, tens of thousands of people, get nothing in return except a few minutes of excitement.

I think that states that promote the lottery are doing their people a huge disservice. They appeal to everyone's "get rich quick" impulse and the net result is that many of the most vunerable (and guible) take the bait and voluntarily fork over to the state money that their families need. Instead of teaching their citizens fiscal responsibility and independence they are promoting irresponsibility and making their people ever more reliant on the government system.

It's a huge negative in my view.

For the most part I agree with your assessment. In general, politicians/lawmakers have not demonstrated fiscal care. And, yes, the odds of winning are incredibly high.

But in general, I don't see anything wrong with putting a few dollars down here and there on lottery tickets or scratch off games. I think most who play view it as entertainment and do so within their financial means. And while they may entertain the thought of "what would I do with millions of dollars", all realize the odds.

Yes, there are those who obsess and play beyond their means and that is tragic. But you can't say you want less govemment on one hand and then say the state needs to teach fiscal responsibility on the other. It is not the state's job to teach fiscal responsibility. That, in my view, should be done at home and at an early age.

My parents bet on sheepshead, bingo-bango-bongo in golf and once and awhile a few bucks at the casino - always within their means. They have imparted their views on how to handle money to their children and we to ours. That is - in my humble opinion - where the responsibility for this lies, not with the state.

Don't get me wrong. I don't promote state sponsored gambling. It would be nice if programs - even good ones like HOPE - could be funded another way. But is it any more irresponsible than accepting revenue from alcohol and cigarette taxes? Isn't that also sanctioning unhealthy and addictive behaviors?

Anyway, not a huge fan of the state sponsored gambling, wish revenues would be generated in other ways but I am glad that Georgia - at least to this point - is using the revenues wisely. That was all I was really trying to say - not that I supported gambling, but that I was glad the revenues were funding a good program. :)

[Charles Woodson]

ATL, Florida does the same thing with what we call Florida Bright Futures Scholarship. They will pay all 4 years if college if you do a certain amount of Community Service.. I think its something like 75 hours. The only catch is that they will only pay if the college is in Florida. and i think thats the same thing for hope that the college has to be in the state. Florida along with a few other states does the same thing with the lottery that it goes to education.

[Partial]

I think its kind of funny that the profits from "the fools game" go towards improving education and schools. Perhaps the next generation of "fools" will realize exactly how foolish it is to play the lottery.

[AtlPackFan]

ATL, Florida does the same thing with what we call Florida Bright Futures Scholarship. They will pay all 4 years if college if you do a certain amount of Community Service.. I think its something like 75 hours. The only catch is that they will only pay if the college is in Florida. and i think thats the same thing for hope that the college has to be in the state. Florida along with a few other states does the same thing with the lottery that it goes to education.

Yes, school has to be in GA but I think there is enough quality schools in most states that one can USUALLLY find a school that handles their major well.

[AtlPackFan]

I think its kind of funny that the profits from "the fools game" go towards improving education and schools. Perhaps the next generation of "fools" will realize exactly how foolish it is to play the lottery.

Perhaps.... :roll:

[Partial]

I think its kind of funny that the profits from "the fools game" go towards improving education and schools. Perhaps the next generation of "fools" will realize exactly how foolish it is to play the lottery.

Perhaps.... :roll:

:wink: I am not trying to offend anyone, its just kind of funny.

The odds of winning are astronomical. If I was to play, it'd be more to have a little bit of fun and play a game versus trying to actually winning money.

[Guiness]

Won 1,200 once on a 2 dollar trifecta ticket.
It's better to be lucky than good.

Best I did was a ~$2000 payout on roulette - I was playing the el cheapo $2 bets, and hit on a number - wow, $72, right? I was talking, and didn't pick up the winnings, so let it ride - and the stupid number hit again! I just about pissed my self laughing.


My opinion is with SC's - except I've heard it called 'idiot tax' because it's a tax on idiots. When people talk about buying tickets, I tell them I'm going down to the store, just give me the money...I'll let them know if they win.

[AtlPackFan]

I think its kind of funny that the profits from "the fools game" go towards improving education and schools. Perhaps the next generation of "fools" will realize exactly how foolish it is to play the lottery.

Perhaps.... :roll:

:wink: I am not trying to offend anyone, its just kind of funny.

The odds of winning are astronomical. If I was to play, it'd be more to have a little bit of fun and play a game versus trying to actually winning money.

None taken.

I can't imagine anyone playing these games not knowing the odds. My wife puts a couple of scratch off games in our stockings at Christmas every year. Anyone who wins over $20 (no one has yet) has to buy everyone a drink the next time we are out. And with the price of drinks at restaurants, the winner would probably wish he hadn't. :D

Did we buy tickets for the MegaMillions the other night? You bet! Spent five whole bucks...and then we forgot to watch the drawing! Completely forgot about them until they talked about the winners the next morning on the news. :oops:

And no, we didn't win anything. :D

[MJZiggy]

I'd like to think you'd have said something if you had... :idea: