Who here plays the Lottery? Suckers.

[ImpulsE69]

Like we didn't always know it was probably rigged.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...kpot-fixing-investigation-20151218-story.html

Eddie Tipton, former security director of the Multi-State Lottery Association, has been convicted of fraud for fixing one jackpot in Des Moines, but prosecutors say his high-tech scheme extended far beyond Iowa. He's accused of tampering with lottery drawings in four states over six years, and investigators are expanding their inquiry nationwide.

I haven't paid any attention to the lottery in probably 20 years. I did not know they have moved from televised bingo balls to behind closed doors computer selection. The other was easy enough to rig itself, but this? LMAO. Yea....prime for the taking. Guessing this has been going on for a long time and in every state.
Hard to say if this guy is the guy, or the fall guy, but either way something has been found. I have a feeling this will get buried. The states want their money too badly. I can just imagine the number of class action suits coming otherwise.

 

[Markbnj]

I buy a ticket every now and then, maybe four or five times a year. I risk a minuscule amount of capital for an astonishingly small chance at an amazingly large return. For a couple of hours I get to run "Haha, what if..." scenarios through my head, and then I lose and go on with my dreary existence. It's fun.

 

[bradly1101]

I've spent exactly $1 on the lottery. I didn't get a single number and realized what a stupid ripoff it is.

 

[tortoise]

In a Match 5 air-ball context:

Mega Millions
$1 for 1 in 18.5 million odds for $1 million
$2 for 1 in 18.5 million odds for $2-5 million

Powerball
$2 for 1 in 11.7 million odds for $1 million
$3 for 1 in 11.7 million odds for $2 million

Every line on every ticket has equal odds.

 

[twinrider1]

Throw a few dollars a few times a year. As mentioned, the 'what-if' thoughts are entertaining.

But yea, here you can check numbers against all past drawings, going back to 2000. I check my numbers and they've NEVER won more than ten bucks.

 

[MongGrel]

I've actually personally know three people who have hit Lotto's in my lifetime, so I figure that lowers my chances a bit maybe in and of itself.

One was a huge Power Ball, one was a average one solo, the other was a pool at a workplace where they still had a pretty large payout. My friends wife at the time used to gripe at him for doing that, until he hit. She said she would never gripe about it again.

We still buy a couple tickets with numbers that we play twice weekly.

 

[FelixDeCat]

I expect to hit it big any day now. :|

 

[88keys]

The only time I'll play the lottery is if there is a lottery pool going around at work. I could care less any other time because I have no interest in gambling. It has been my personal observation that the people who spend the most money on lottery tickets are people who shouldn't be spending their money on lottery tickets. Given this fact, I wouldn't be surprised to find out that most lottery winners end up blowing through their jackpot within several years.

 

[Shlong]

There's probably a lot of fraud in the smaller games but probably none in the large nationwide ones (Powerball & Mega Millions). My cousin's buddy won the Fantasy 5 (smaller game in Georgia) for $250,000.

 

[Ricochet]

I pay my fair share of taxes besides cigarettes & booze. Thank you very much.

 

[Pocatello]

I probably buy one powerball lottery ticket a month over the years. It's buying a dream. Hookers and blows, 2 chicks at the same time, etc. If I win it big, I probably be broke within a few years, but what a few years it would be!

 

[Imp]

My "state" found that lottery ticket sellers were winning a disproportionate amount of lotteries... Then they put in ticket self-checking systems.

I played like $1 or $2 a week for a year, didn't even get a free ticket.

Some fuckwit gambling addict I know, he's been doing it for like 30 years, lives like a hobo and has been spending his entire retirement gambling. Doesn't sleep, spends his days buying tickets, checking tickets, picking bottles, sorting bottles, and selling bottles to pay for more tickets. Hasn't won yet. But hey, don't tell him about all the extra money spent on food -- no sleep + walking the hood all day hauling bottles needs fuel -- and the deterioration in health because he says he doesn't have a problem. Government loves him.

 

[Kaido]

Reminds me of the McDonald's Monopoly game fraud story:

In 2000, the US promotion was halted after fraud was uncovered. A subcontracting company called Simon Marketing (a then-subsidiary of Cyrk), which had been hired by McDonald's to organize and promote the game, failed to recognize a flaw in its procedures. Chief of security Jerome P. Jacobson[2] was able to remove the most expensive game pieces, which he then passed to associates who would redeem them and share the proceeds. The associates won almost all of the top prizes between 1995 and 2000, including McDonald's giveaways that did not have the Monopoly theme. The associates netted over $24 million. While the fraud appeared to have been perpetrated by only one key employee of the promotion company, and not by the company's management, eight people were originally arrested, leading to a total of 21 indicted individuals.[3] The relationship between McDonald's and Simon Marketing broke down in a pair of lawsuits over breach of contract, eventually settled out of court, with McDonald's' claim being thrown out and Simon receiving $16.6 million.[4] Due to a constitutional violation, four of those convicted of the fraud were later released as they were not initially charged with the offense.[5]

On the plus side:

In 1995, St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee received an anonymous letter postmarked Dallas, Texas, containing a $1 million winning game piece. Although game rules prohibited the transfer of prizes, McDonald's waived the rule and made its last $50,000 annual payment in 2014.[6] Investigations later indicated that Jacobson had admitted to sending the winning piece to the hospital.[7]

Even crazier is that last bit above, that not only did a guy at Simon Marketing rig the game, but they also got awarded $16.6 million after a breach of contract lawsuit. So McDonalds got hit pretty hard for something that wasn't even their fault (granted, Simon Marketing handled ALL of their promotions, which was a $500 million contract, so it was an even bigger loss for them). The full story is here, it's a pretty good read:

http://priceonomics.com/the-mcdonalds-monopoly-fraud/

 

[Kaido]

Wow, upon further reading on the McDonald's fraud story:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrk_(company)

1. Cyrk was originally one of the largest promotions company in the world, with over 2,000 employees worldwide & was listed on the NASDAQ.

2. Simon Marketing was acquired, which primarily relied on the $500 million McDonald's promotion contract.

3. The Monopoly fraud happened at Simon Marketing. Only one employee was charged, but McDonalds voided their agreement. Philip Morris followed. The combination of these two companies leaving removed more than 70% of Simon's revenue.

4. Simon liquidated a year after the arrests. Cyrk tumbled as well, leading to them laying off all unessential personnel & selling all business units and assets.

Simon was supposed to have two or three people on security on all of the games like the McDonalds Monopoly one, but for some reason only had one for the Monopoly game. The employee took advantage of it, got caught, and subsequently crashed two companies that employed over 2,000 people.

Wow.

 

[lxskllr]

I don't support legal gambling. The state preys on under educated people to make money instead of living within its means. I'd rather give to charity.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I occasionally buy my own ticket, but usually just put in my share for one we buy at work. I don't put much money into it, but you cannot win if you don't play. Just don't overdo it.

Honestly I'd be happy with 1mil. That's enough to be set for life if you keep your life style the same and keep working. But at least if you do lose your job you're not screwed.

 

[lxskllr]

...but you cannot win if you don't play.

Can't lose if you don't play either ;^)

 

[Imp]

4. Simon liquidated a year after the arrests. Cyrk tumbled as well, leading to them laying off all unessential personnel & selling all business units and assets.

Simon was supposed to have two or three people on security on all of the games like the McDonalds Monopoly one, but for some reason only had one for the Monopoly game. The employee took advantage of it, got caught, and subsequently crashed two companies that employed over 2,000 people.

Wow.

But fuck them, he and the people he shared the winnings with got over $20 million!

Or did he have to pay it back? What was left, at least.

 

[IronWing]

I don't support legal gambling. The state preys on under educated people to make money instead of living within its means. I'd rather give to charity.

I believe that separating fools and money is a social good. The alternative is that the allocation of resources remains in the hands of fools.

 

[MtnMan]

Lottery = stupidity tax

 

[destrekor]

I don't support legal gambling. The state preys on under educated people to make money instead of living within its means. I'd rather give to charity.

But the money goes toward education. :awe:


Seriously. I don't mind State-sponsored gambling at all. It goes to education.

If more people tried to learn, it might bring the education funds down. And we'd all be better. But people don't take advantage of what is given to them for free in most cases. Not the state's fault. They aren't preying on these people, these people are just too stupid to help themselves.

I like gambling, but not extensively. It's paid entertainment that sometimes returns some of the investment. That can't be said for all sources of entertainment.

 

[Imp]

They should just force a mandatory lottery. Everyone has to play but you'll all get a chance to win... It'll make tax increases more tolerable?

The system right now is predatory. Preys on problem gamblers. The f-wit I was talking about earlier funneled probably 50% of his net income right back to the gubment -- I'm not against problem gamblers, just the ones that can't admit they have a problem and have never tried to get help like the one I know.

 

[master_shake_]

I occasionally buy my own ticket, but usually just put in my share for one we buy at work. I don't put much money into it, but you cannot win if you don't play. Just don't overdo it.

Honestly I'd be happy with 1mil. That's enough to be set for life if you keep your life style the same and keep working. But at least if you do lose your job you're not screwed.

currently 600,000 american

 

[rudder]

http://time.com/money/4066960/powerball-lottery-new-rules-odds/

You are more likely now to win teaser amounts.... but the big payout odds when from you have a better change of getting hit by lighting while a shark chews on your leg to have a better change of getting hit by lighting while a shark chews on your leg and while never leaving your house in Wyoming odds.

 

[ImpulsE69]

But the money goes toward education. :awe:


Seriously. I don't mind State-sponsored gambling at all. It goes to education.

If more people tried to learn, it might bring the education funds down. And we'd all be better. But people don't take advantage of what is given to them for free in most cases. Not the state's fault. They aren't preying on these people, these people are just too stupid to help themselves.

I like gambling, but not extensively. It's paid entertainment that sometimes returns some of the investment. That can't be said for all sources of entertainment.

It's corrupt and BS just like most government sponsored things... less money goes to education than is supposed to. They just use the education movement to get them in. If as much really went to education as they lead you to believe the school system would be much better than it is.