[General] Lotto Run?

[Matthew H]

As you should be

On Fri, Mar 30, 2012 at 10:59 AM, Justin Richards <ratmandu at gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm SOOO interested in this conversation...
>
> On Mar 30, 2012 8:16 AM, "Matthew H" <hendrix04 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Definition of a tax:
>>
>> a sum of money demanded by a government for its support or for
>> specific facilities or services, levied upon incomes, property, sales,
>> etc.
>>
>>
>> You are not FORCED to buy a lottery ticket, there for it cannot be a
>> tax. As far as exploiting people, might as well stand up against
>> alcohol and other addictive things as well.
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Mar 30, 2012 at 7:47 AM, Jake McArthur <jake.mcarthur at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> > I think if it is not a tax it is something even worse. It encourages and
>> > exploits people's irrationality.
>> >
>> > On Mar 29, 2012 8:52 AM, "Matthew H" <hendrix04 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Can you call it a tax when it isn't mandatory? Don't think so... I
>> >> really hate the "The lotto is a tax on the poor" bullshit.
>> >>
>> >> On Thu, Mar 29, 2012 at 7:55 AM, Jake McArthur
>> >> <jake.mcarthur at gmail.com>
>> >> wrote:
>> >> > State lotteries have negative expectancy. Always. If they didn't,
>> >> > there
>> >> > would be no reason for the states to have lotteries. They aren't
>> >> > charities.
>> >> > They are taxes on people who can't do the math or who don't read the
>> >> > rules.
>> >> >
>> >> > On Mar 29, 2012 6:19 AM, "David" <ainut at knology.net> wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> BUT, if other people also had the winning numbers, they all split
>> >> >> it,
>> >> >> AIUI.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Devin Boyer wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> "A jackpot-winning ticket must match all five numbers drawn from a
>> >> >> pot
>> >> >> containing 56 balls and then match the Mega Ball, which is drawn
>> >> >> from a
>> >> >> pot
>> >> >> containing 46 numbers. Odds of winning are almost 176 million to 1.
>> >> >> Each
>> >> >> ticket costs $1."
>> >> >>
>> >> >> If I'm reading this right (too lazy to crunch the numbers) for $176
>> >> >> million, you can buy one of every ticket.  Because "Friday's $476
>> >> >> million
>> >> >> prize is payable as an annuity over 26 years," it seems like it
>> >> >> would
>> >> >> make
>> >> >> for a decent return-on-investment.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> If only I had the $176 million...
>> >> >>
>> >> >> On Wed, Mar 28, 2012 at 8:22 AM, Wayne Neumaier
>> >> >> <wneumaier at gmail.com>
>> >> >> wrote:
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>> Any plans for a ticket run up to Tennessee?
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>> http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/28/mega-millions-jackpot-hits-record-476-million/?hpt=hp_t3
>> >> >>>
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>> >> >>
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>> >> >> --
>> >> >> I DO have a reasonable expectation of privacy in my cell phone and
>> >> >> everywhere else.  In fact, gubmnt,I insist upon it.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
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