You don't deserve 600,000,000 dollars.

[Gravitycollapse]

Neither do I.


You shouldn't gain your fiscal success through pure chance. This is essentially no different from the sons and daughters of the hyper-wealthy who inherit vast fortunes.

The lottery is a one of the most highly organized celebrations of unequal wealth redistribution I have ever seen. Take from the many and give to the few.

The lottery is a really disgusting and pathetic manifestation of nearly everything that is wrong with our modern capitalist society. They hang the false narrative of the "American dream" in front of us like a carrot, and off we run, hoping to catch a bite.

Buying a lotto ticket is not just an insanely unwise waste of money, it represents one's complicity in the very system that perpetuates the continued gulf between the haves and have-nots.

The next time you consider buying a lotto ticket, take that dollar and give it to a local charity. You are statistically no further away from being a millionaire and you're helping those in need.

Just my 2 cents.

[DFW]

1. That's odd. I always thought I deserved 600,000,000 dollars

But I was never so convinced that I ever bothered to do anything about it.

(I never bought a lottery ticket either).

[Gravitycollapse]

2. You don't deserve 600,000,000 dollars. No one person deserves that kind of fortune.

[DFW]

4. Lighten up, Francis

I wasn't being serious.

As I don't recall having done anything to deserve $600,000,000, I agree. I don't deserve it. But there's one other thing I don't deserve, and that's the right to decide how much people deserve or don't deserve.

[Gravitycollapse]

10. So we don't have the right to say that people deserve medical care? Or shelter? Or food?

[DFW]

14. You were on about money, not medical care, shelter or food

How much money DOES one deserve? $50,000? $500,000? $5,000,000? And who appoints themselves confiscators-in-chief when a limit, decided by them, has been reached? And who confiscates from the confiscators when they have confiscated more than they "deserve" to administrate?

Medical care, shelter and food are things a citizen of a country as affluent as ours should expect. What one should NOT expect is some moral police saying "you have enough money. You may not earn any more." I think of people like Bill Cosby, George Soros or Oprah and say no one has the right to tell them they don't deserve what they earned.

[ChazII]

102. Agree 100% n/t

[Rincewind]

113. I have arthritis,

I don't deserve that either. If you don't want to play the lottery, don't, no one else is obligated to live according to your standards.

[Ron Green]

3. Paying a buck or two for the fantasy seems innocent enough,

but your point about complicity in a harmful system is the real issue here.

[SharonAnn]

136. Yes. The Koch brothers are the ones who don't deserve $600 million.

[hfojvt]

5. all I wanted to win was $100,000

If I won $100,000 I would give two weeks notice at my job. I would be free at last. Thank God almighty, I would be free at last.

It's not just the money, it's your freedom.

[SharonAnn]

64. Yes, I'd prefer smaller payouts but many more winners.

Just think, 600 people winning a million dollars each! That would change 600 lives and all thos other lives who were helped by the 600.

Honestly, $1 million would be a huge "win" for me. Actually, $100,000 would change my life significantly. So, 6,000 people helped with $100,000. Not bad!

[hfojvt]

82. there were perhaps five or six who did win $100,000

but they will not make the national or even local news.

With powerball if you match all five numbers AND the powerball, you win the jackpot.
If you just match all five numbers, you win $100,000.
And there are various other prize levels. Like if you just match the powerball you win $3.

At least you did seven years ago when I was playing it. I played it until I heard they were changing the rules and making it harder to win the smaller prizes. They added a couple of numbers, so that fewer people would win and the jackpots would get bigger and they would sell more tickets. For some reason people will buy a ticket for a $300 million jackpot, but if the jackpot is "only" $10,000,000 I guess they think "why bother for such a paltry sum?"

[jeff47]

100. That's cause with the big prize, it's actually a good investment

Long, long ago I ran the numbers on winning the lottery for a statistics class, and it turned out to be a good investment when the jackpot hit $140M. (This was CA's old 6/49 game, so Powerball's break-even point is different.)

So over the very, very, very, very, very long run, or with an astronomical number of tickets, it was a good investment to buy when the jackpot was more than $140M - you'd expect to turn a profit.

[hfojvt]

108. except that is nonsense

because it is an "investment" that pays nothing almost every time. And hitting a winning ticket with a $10 million jackpot would be one heck of a "return on investment". Further, I find it very hard to believe that so many people are THAT good at math to be able to figure a return on investment.

I'd say the purchase of the big jackpot drawing and the passing over a "smaller" but still multi-million drawing, rather than being evidence of people's math ability, is instead evidence of their lack of living logically.

But "whoever said the human race was logical?"

[Morning Dew]

6. Uh, yes I do.

Just my 100,000,000 cents times 600,000,000

[RudynJack]

7. Oh geez...

Winning the lottery is now an offense against humanity?

It's not necessarily an unwise waste of money. For a few bucks, we have fun. And when it comes to odds, there's a big difference between zero and any positive number.

As said above, lighten up.

[Gravitycollapse]

9. For a few bucks you get to fantasize about being part of the 1%.

What part of that is healthy, wise or even remotely ethical?

[Roland99]

22. Right...because any one of us winning Powerball instantly turns us into Romney-esque asshats?

puh-LEEZE!

[RudynJack]

89. why do some people get such a kick

Out of telling others what to think, what to want, how to spend their money, etc.? Some folks seem to thrive on being dour, joy-killing buttinskis.

[Sherman A1]

13. Precisely

Gee, I bought 2 tickets and a couple of dreams. Some of that money goes to the retailer when I made my purchase, some of it will go to the State. So it does have a positive effect in both jobs and in Government programs. Really depends upon how you choose to look at things.

[HiPointDem]

8. it used to be called 'the numbers racket' and the mafia ran it. now the government does.

[Volaris]

50. Yeah...

and while the State makes some money off the taxed winnings and the sale of all the losing tickets, (and that IS a good thing) there's a reason it's called the State Idiot Tax in my family lol.

[bike man]

11. Until you win.

There are many forms of gambling, with various levels of win/loss.

Some say smoking is a gamble, with some of the winners NOT getting various diseases.

Hopping into your car for a Sunday afternoon drive is a gamble - you might encounter another driver with impaired judgement, maybe even one who was celebrating a lottery win.

Crossing the street, getting in an airplane, etc., ad infinitum.

Lighten up! Don't like the lottery? Don't buy a ticket.

[LeftInTX]

12. I didn't deserve it, but I won it!!!!!!!!!!!

Oops typo: the word won should have an "a' instead of an "o". Also I forgot to add a "t" to the end.

[DFW]

16. Those pesky typos--they'll get you every time

[DainBramaged]

15. Tut tut cluck cluck

[NBachers]

17. Jeez, thanks for bitterly condemning me for something I don't even have. Lemons & vinegar good night

[SamKnause]

18. Lottery

Last edited Sun May 19, 2013, 05:40 AM - Edit history (1)

My 2 cents.

I think that depends on what the winnings are spent on.

If you hoard it, squander it on personal nonsense and try dodging taxes, I agree.

If you give it to your family, friends, neighbors and the charities that interest you, I disagree.

I could change the lives of thousands of deserving individuals with a jackpot that large.

I could help the businesses in my tiny rural town.

I could pay the college tuition for new high school graduates.

I could fill up oil tanks and propane tanks for my neighbors.

I could buy groceries for those in need.

I could pay off mortgages and pay property taxes for my neighbors.

Winning a huge jackpot would in no way put me on the same footing as those who inherited their fortunes.

My goal would be to help as many individuals and charities as possible, saving only what I need to assure I would never face homelessness or hunger.

[Tree-Hugger]

137. This. nt

[freshwest]

140. +1

[alphafemale]

19. Yes. The Lottery is a tax on people that suck at math.

OH...I'll buy a HUNDRED tickets! facepalm.

Congrats to the winner. This never seems to end well though.

[jeff47]

101. You need to do more math then

There is a point where the jackpot is large enough that you get a positive expected return.

[alphafemale]

103. No. There is not.

You might as well flush your dollar down the toilet and expect the bowl to fill up with gold.

You might as well expect the shark that was about you to be struck by lightning.

No way in hell I would ever play Powerball.

I do an ocassional scatch off. Maybe one or two a year. Because the odds are at least...tolerable with those.

[jeff47]

106. Yes, there is. This is math, not a morality play.

The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 175.2 million.

It takes $2 to buy a ticket. So when the jackpot passes $350.4 million, you get a positive expected return - buying all of the possible numbers, or buying one ticket in 175.2 million drawings, would net you a profit.

On the top prize. The lower prizes make the break-even point lower. The taxes and other fees make the break-even point higher. It'd take far too much math at 2am to calculate the actual expected return on a lottery ticket. But it can reach a point where you can expect to profit from the lottery.

[alphafemale]

109. nahhhh.

I'd rather spend the dollar on a chocolate bar.

[mick063]

20. I get your point

There are worse things to consider.

The lottery is voluntary and is also a source of government revenue. That alone puts it in a different stratosphere as compared to Bain Capital raping a company of wealth to get at the employee pension funds.

Part of my job is emergency response. We use the "graded approach". For example, you don't call an ambulance before applying a band aid to your daughter's skinned knee.

How about taking the graded approach on the lottery as well? You are calling the ambulance for a skinned knee. Focus your energy based on the hierarchy. On something worthy of dialing 911.

[Violet_Crumble]

21. I think the same thing every week when someone else wins the big one...

Bastards! Why them? If only I'd managed to guilt them using lots of words like 'oppress' and 'capitalist', they might not have bought a ticket and then it could have been me living the dream!

[KittyWampus]

85. for some reason your post really made me laugh.

[In_The_Wind]

23. Yes, I do!

[unreadierLizard]

24. It doesn't sound too bad now

but when does the "you don't need this much money" stop? I mean soon, people could be telling us "Oh, you don't NEED 50 thousand dollars. Give it to us instead!" and we'd be sliding down a slippery slope.

Like it or not, people have the right to earn and spend however much money they want to on whatever they want or need.

[ejpoeta]

115. people DO do that. you hear them saying teachers are making too much.

or someone else. They are living it up on their $50k! they make too much money. or civil servents.... they make TOO much money.

[unreadierLizard]

120. People who say that are idiots.

Just as much as people who say lottery winners don't "deserve" their money.

[ejpoeta]

122. I agree with you. Just pointing out that folks are already doing that with everyday folks.

I don't think anyone should really be saying anyone has enough.... except for maybe the people that tank their companies or the economy. then I would say they don't deserve what they are getting. My husband buys lottery tickets. To me it's a better thing than spending it on booze. And for a day or two he can imagine what it would be like to be debt free. And all the people we could help. The school, the library.... Some folks go out and buy fancy cars and houses etc. But so what. that's their choice. Personally, though I like to think what it would be like to win the lottery, I would rather not. Because I know what it is like to live my life now. Squeezing the life out of every dime. Stretching my husband's pay to feed 5 people for two weeks. There is an odd comfort in knowing we are broke and will keep working towards being debt free. Have the house paid off. THe wood burner is paid off. The tractor is paid off. The windows, siding, roof are paid off. Working on credit cards. but we will still dream and buy lottery tickets... because it's like buying a movie ticket. a few moments of dreams and thinking of something else.

[MrModerate]

25. Gambling is about as natural among human beings . . .

As eating, sleeping, and having sex.

It's representative of the human animal much more than it is of any particular system.

I'd say you might want to consider lightening up.

[malaise]

26. I know but we still buy tickets when we can

I'll think otherwise the day we win

[graham4anything]

27. If one has 4 million dollars, they are the 1%

Ralph Nader the perpetual owner of the Whine vineyard whiner has at least $4 million dollars

Helleva lot more than 99.999% of the country has.
Ralph is the 1%.

Imagine how much more hurt Ralph Nader could do with 600 million.
Oh wait, no, he couldn't do more hurt if he tried than he already did.

[2ndAmForComputers]

93. That fixation ain't healthy.

[fasttense]

28. I agree Gravitycollapse

The lottery is just like our capitalist economic system. A lucky few win, while millions support the winners.

Capitalism makes you believe, if only while you are young, that you may make millions some day just like a recent purchase of a lotto ticket does. But the real odds are devastating and your odds of merely getting a decent salary and benefits from a soul sucking job are very slim.

But some people can not give up that fantasy that they may win or earn millions and be able to do what they want someday, even if that fantasy only lasts a few hours or days once a week.

[madokie]

29. Sourpus

Yes you

[kentauros]

124. Or a sore loser.

We need to search their garbage for losing lottery tickets

[Donald Ian Rankin]

30. Trying to enforce economic justice leads to massive poverty.

A large part of the reason the western capitalist economies deliver better living standards at every centile than any other society ever is that they incentivise people to do things that will make them richer even if they can't prove that they deserve it.

An inventor deserves all the wealth resulting from their invention, and someone who just happens to have money doesn't deserve any. But if you forbid people from investing in inventions and taking a cut of the profits, you get no scientific progress.

Yes, buying a lottery ticket is unwise *if you're doing it as an economic investment*. But the reason most people play the lottery is because they enjoy the buzz. And there's nothing immoral about that.

[hobbit709]

31. Reminds me of what the little old lady said here in TX a few years back.

Her kids bought her a lottery ticket for her birthday and she won.
Her statement was the she was a good Baptist woman and she believed gambling was a sin. She didn't hesitate to cash in the ticket though.

[davidthegnome]

32. Harmless fantasy for almost everyone

What's wrong with dreaming? For a family down on their luck, working hard and barely getting by... it might just be the dream of suddenly winning big that helps them make it through their day. Would you deprive them of that? I sure wouldn't.

It's not a matter of deserving it, rarely do people ever get what they deserve, good or bad. The lotto is like a one in however many million chance that you just might finally have freedom from your job, from your mountain of debt, your mortgage... whatever.

The fantasy is harmless - and in some cases might be what helps people get through the day. I do not think that the lotto is such a big issue - though I do like your idea of giving a dollar to charity instead of using it to buy a lottery ticket - or maybe giving a dollar to charity every time you buy one... if everyone did that, a whole lot of people might get lucky.

I don't buy lotto tickets, because I realize my chances of winning are so small that it would be a waste of money for me - and I don't have enough to waste. No, I don't deserve six hundred million dollars... hell yes, I'd take it anyway.

[reformist2]

33. Why don't we have lotteries that give away 600 $1 million prizes?

I don't mind the basic concept of the lottery, but they could be redesigned to produce a lot more winners. Giving such an obscene amount of money to one person like this every few weeks or so, more money than they even know what to do with, seems so stupid to me.

[davidthegnome]

38. I like that idea

My Father said the same thing the other day - right after he bought a couple tickets. I think it's part of the draw, part of the fantasy. With a million dollars, most people could get out of debt, or get a new house, or quit their jobs... with six hundred million, you and your family could live like royalty for the rest of your lives. One million dollars is a lot of money, but it's the idea of having truly enormous amounts that sells so many tickets.

It depends on perspective, too. Someone who earns, say, one hundred thousand a year might not be so excited about winning a million (sure, they'd take it) but they'd be bouncing in their seats at the idea of six hundred million.

Your idea is more fair - and I like it better, but... I don't think that's a change that will be applied any time in the near future.

[reformist2]

39. True - they might not bring in as many dollars if the prizes weren't so eye-popping.

And yet again, scratch tickets seem to hugely popular where I live!

[davidthegnome]

46. Here too.

I live in a very rural area - about 30 miles from any hospital. So, like most people living up here, I commute to work (about 45 miles there, 45 miles back). When I drive in during the morning, there's a gas station/grocery/whatever store that I usually stop at for a cup of coffee, or gas, or whatever. Just about every time I stop in I see someone spending money on scratch tickets... I can't decide whether it's amusing or depressing.

It's good that people dream, that people are optimistic enough to think, "Hey, maybe I'll win something!" it's not so good that so many people are struggling to the extent where... they spend their last few dollars on a scratch ticket in desperation. I also can't help but wish that some of that money would go towards a better cause. You know, just a percentage of this money going into charity programs would be great - and it might even encourage me to buy a couple tickets now and then, because whether or not I won anything, someone would be getting something good as a result.

I think there's lots of potential for doing some public good with lotto programs. I wonder if any of them are donating a portion of the profits towards charity now?

[CJCRANE]

42. I agree. I'd probably buy a ticket in that case. The odds seem better

even if it's infinitesimal in reality. Plus what you could do with that amount is feasible and practical for most people.

For me the publicity of "we just made 600 millionaires!" is a lot more enticing than
"we just created one impossibly rich gazillionbajillionaire!"

They could divide whatever the jackpot is into $1 million portions.

[laundry_queen]

52. I just addressed this downthread

in Canada, our most popular lottery has a cap of 50 million - at which time they start adding extra draws for prizes of 1 million. That's how it should be. I agree 600 million seems ridiculous. I also agree with others that they need a 'big jackpot' to draw buyers once in awhile, but they should have some kind of cap, IMO and distribute the millions a little more. I know - I'm a commie.

[Progressive dog]

53. There are lots of lotteries, most with much smaller prizes

They already exist, at least in NY.

[OneGrassRoot]

55. I like that as well. n/t

[FarCenter]

67. That would wreck about 550 families

Giving one family $600 million limits the damage.

A lot of lottery winners do not do well in managing their winnings or their lives thereafter.

$1 million is a particularly bad amount, because it is enough that people might think of it as unlimited money, and it is really not.

[Posteritatis]

74. Powerball winners in particular tend to get especially wrecked, don't they?

Every professional plaintiff and con artist in the country descends upon them like a horde of locusts, on top of family issues, media harassment, straight-up conventional crime, etc.

[FarCenter]

86. 19 Lottery Winners Who Blew It All

As America salivates over the $590 million Powerball prize won by a Floridian, we're reminded that winning the lottery will not solve all problems.

In fact many people's lives became notably worse after they got super rich, and they managed to lose it all in no time.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/17-lottery-winners-who-blew-it-all-2013-5?op=1

[defacto7]

105. For whatever reason

over the years, they have done exactly the opposite. There were too many winners to make people's greed surge. I don't know the stats that would tell if that strategy worked.. for them.

[pintobean]

34. It's a voluntary tax that comes with a dream.

Proceeds go into state revenue, mostly for education. Prizes are taxed as income at every level. It's cheap entertainment that helps fund our government.
I wouldn't presume to tell anyone how to spend their money, but it seems more productive than buying a cup of coffee, a six pack, or a movie ticket. I'd rather create a new millionaire, than fatten existing millionaires.

[Bake]

133. Well said, bean!

Well said indeed.



Bake

[krispos42]

35. Well, there is a difference between the two

First, is that people that inherent large sums of money are generally the relatives of the people that acquired the money. The people that acquired the money are generally greedy psychopaths and/or egomaniacs. You have to be to be able to get that much money either in business, Wall Street, or entertainment (which includes pro sports).

So if you're a relative of a person who makes that kind of money and lives that sort of stratospheric social elite lifestyle, then you're likely to have also acquired the same personality traits, and will go with them when you inherent the money.

Whereas if the money just falls into your lap out of the blue, it will be falling into the hands of a person that was probably not raised by greedy psychopaths in a culture of social elitism and over-achievement. The last thing the Koch brothers and other greedy psychopaths want is half-a-billion dollars in the hands of a socially-conscious do-gooder who can avoid the trap of falling into an expensive and draining high-class social lifestyle and would instead work to duplicate Koch political effectiveness from a liberal perspective.



Second is that it's gambling, so none of the winners "deserve" it in the first place. It's not even a matter of an intelligent gamble, of calculated risk of the kind that many businesspeople take. It's bolt-from-the-blue random chance. And I think it's good that our society can be shaken up a little by regular people coming into vast sums of money without have to become business psychopaths or entertainment egomaniacs. It gives us a chance to get things done that the "regular" rich people will not do.

It's probably too much money in the sense that 30, $20 million jackpots would be better than giving one person $600 million, but that is the nature of a national lottery system.

[Autumn Colors]

36. Would I deserve it if .... ?

Like a lot of other people, I thought about what I'd do with that kind of money. My profession is dying due to a combination of electronic medical record systems, voice recognition software, and outsourcing of remaining medical dictation to India. I've already laid off everyone who had worked for me, dropped my health insurance, and lost my house to foreclosure.

Taking the lump sum, I'd still have enough left over to pay off all my debt and all the debt of my family and close ones, pay for my niece's college education, buy another house with cash, have enough to retire and still do THIS:

Donate $200 million to Occupy Wall Street's "Rolling Jubilee" (donate 30% for the tax deduction and then the balance after taxes).

That donation would wipe out 20x that amount (or $4 BILLION) of medical debt for people being helped by Rolling Jubilee.

Doing that, I'd still have a ridiculous amount left over (like $40-50 million) to take care of my list in paragraph 2. Still plenty left over to try to do something else worthwhile that would be ongoing and hopefully help others.

Do I still not deserve the jackpot?

[defacto7]

110. I hope you win it!

[ornotna]

37. I might not deserve it

But i'm going to enjoy it. Next time you come down to Zephyrhills i'll buy you a beer.

[Earth_First]

40. So don't participate.

Simple as that.

[YarnAddict]

41. Completely voluntary.

If someone wants to spend a couple of bucks on a lottery ticket, who cares?

[MineralMan]

43. Your ticket wasn't a winner? There you go.

Mine wasn't either.

[ileus]

44. You must not be the winner...

neither was I...and I had 4 bucks invested. Twice what I'd normally invest in a chance....

[spanone]

45. wait till YOU win.

[Orrex]

47. Who deserves anything? By what metric is this determined?

Please give me an example of someone who deserves something, and tell me how you determined this.

A lottery is all about statistcal chance. "Deserve" means nothing in that context.

[DRoseDARs]

90. By what metric? By someone else's moral compass, always.

This rant, while intriguing, is nothing more than sour grapes.

[defacto7]

111. I don't know if it's sour grapes or not...

But this rant is no less part of the lottery mechanism than if he had played.

[backscatter712]

48. I don't play lotto. It has no amusement value to me.

It's the same as what you see in any casino - lots of dopes standing in front of slot machines, slackjawed, watching the flashing lites and musical sounds like a baby watching a crib mobile, plunking in quarters, pulling the lever, over and over and over and over and over, until, in some cases, they literally shit themselves. Can't leave the machine!

[Fla Dem]

49. I am not a regular lottery ticket buyer, but will do so on occasion. It's my choice.

The lottery is voluntary. For most people spending $5-$10 a week on lottery tickets is no more a waste of money, than buying a case of beer, a bottle of wine, a couple of packages of cookies, a movie ticket or other things that do nothing to enchance your life, except to provide enjoyment. Aside from the possibility; albeit remote, of winning a substantial amount of money, part of the money goes to fund services for the elderly, schools and other state programs.

For the people who spend their money on lottery tickets, when the money is needed to provide food, shelter or clothing for their families, well there will always be those who make bad decisions, lottery or not.

[laundry_queen]

51. I realize how interesting this is

Here in Canada I filled out a survey commissioned by the provincial lotteries about whether or not I wanted to see super large jackpots like in the US, OR see more prizes of smaller amounts. I said more prizes of smaller amounts. Apparently I wasn't the only one who answered that way. Not too long after, a new lottery came out that has a cap of 50 million. Once the jackpot hits 50 million, it has 'bonus' prizes of 1 million each (it draws new numbers for each $1 million prize). The other major lotto in the country generally starts with prizes of 2 million but has built up to 54 million+ before. I think that was the biggest one ever won in Canada. It's fascinating to me how even our lotteries are structured differently on our values - Canadians are OK with sharing wealth and Americans are individualist to the extreme, and it even reflects in how we dish out lottery money. Interesting. I also think 600 million is excessive. I'd rather see multiple jackpots of several million at a time.

By the way - I'm not against people buying lotto tickets and dreaming a little. I know many people in our town who have won $100,000+. My parent's next door neighbor won (with his office in an office pool) one of the biggest jackpots in Canadian history. A kid that played hockey with my brother - his parents won 1 million dollars - twice. A guy my mom works with won hundreds of thousands. Another guy in my small town won 40 million. So, to me, it's not like it'll NEVER happen - it CAN happen. If you take each top draw individually, yes statistically you are not likely to win. However, if you take prizes of 100,000+, and playing many draws over a lifetime, your chances get better. For $1 or 2, for me, it's worth the chance that it may happen.

[defacto7]

112. It's interesting how you tell this story

If the lottery was structured like you have mentioned, it really is a way to redistribute wealth. Everyone, even the non-winners win in the end because of the redistribution. I like this idea.

[kentauros]

127. Another big difference between Canadian and US lotteries is the issue of taxes.

As I recall from my Canadian past-wife telling me, the jackpot in Canada already has all possible taxes taken out before the public even sees the total amount. Here, you're on your own for that. Thus, the amount goes higher, but I think most people know that they'll "lose" a third of that to federal taxes right away.

Why they don't take out the taxes while they've got the money in a central (and governmental) location has never made any sense to me.

[laundry_queen]

131. Yeah, I'm not sure how that works

all I know is the winners of any lottery amounts (or winners of cars etc) never have to pay taxes on their winnings. I'm not sure if taxes come out from the lottery corps, but the winnings are always tax free.

I remember a story awhile ago where some Canadian who won a car on the Price is Right didn't take home the car or something when they realized they owed a few thousand in taxes. As you said, it doesn't make much sense at all, does it?

[kentauros]

132. It certainly doesn't make sense with regards to efficiency.

And I can understand not taking a car as a prize due to the taxes owed. HGTV for a while had these house contests were the winner got some huge McMansion. The problem was that unless the winner was already making enough to afford to have one of those monstrosities built for them anyway, the winners couldn't then afford the property taxes on them.

Now, my past-wife did tell me of a guy in Newfoundland that had won the lottery there. It was a prize of 31 million. He pissed it away in about a year, leaving him financially exactly where he'd been before winning it. Maybe these lottery commissions could offer financial advice to the winners to prevent stuff like that from happening...

[laundry_queen]

134. They do now

it happened often enough that now, my parent's neighbour (who won a piece of a large jackpot) told them, they have winner meetings where you are offered financial advisor advice and there's a support group for past winners to talk to new winners and inform them of the pitfalls. I thought it was great they have that - I guess they were sick and tired of those stories of people blowing millions - looks bad for them.

[kentauros]

135. I don't know if they do that in this country or not.

It's a great idea, and you'd think here they'd realize that when people invest these millions that they incur even more taxes.

[Nimajneb Nilknarf]

54. It's easy to despise that which is out of your reach

I'm sure those grapes are sour, Mr. Fox.

[LittleBlue]

56. It's gambling

Everyone knows that they're engaging in a microscopically small chance of winning.

Whoever chance favors, they deserve it. They picked the correct numbers.

[Heidi]

62. What about people who don't have a buck to gamble?

Are they less deserving than those who do have the money to gamble?

[LittleBlue]

68. Gambling isn't about fairness

It's never fair when a nice person loses a bet.

But gambling isn't fairness. Whoever wins deserves to win.

[Heidi]

70. The OP is about deserving. (nt)

[Zorra]

57. The Giveaway

The Giveaway

In 1884, the United States government formally outlawed all Indian religions. Part of the rationale behind the banning of Indian religions was the concern expressed by Indian agents, Christian missionaries, and the Christian philanthropists of the Lake Mohonk Conference regarding the American Indian practice of giving away their material possessions. Many non-Indians were scandalized by the Indian practice of the give-away. For Indians to become civilized, they argued, Indians needed to understand the importance of private property.
snip---
Private property, Teller felt, is an important part of civilization. Steps needed to be taken to prevent private property from being given away at feasts and funerals. Not only did Indians need to learn to acquire private property, but they also needed to learn to pass it on to their children, not to tribal members.

The American obsession with private property and the accumulation of wealth was, and often still is, seen as having a mystical power to transform Indians. Since Indian cultures were not based on the principles of private property and greed, these cultures had to be destroyed.

While Indian religions, including the practice of giving away goods, remained illegal for half a century, the practice of the give-away continued and is still an important part of Indian life today.

Having way more than you need is very likely to severely damage or destroy you as a person, spiritually and in other ways. Possessions are a means power and means for wielding some forms of power. Having many possessions generally increases the amount and force of these types of power.

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. ~ John Acton

If you wonder why our world is now so hopelessly totally fucked up, it is primarily because it is ruled, in the material sense, by the wealthiest, most totally fucked up corrupt people in the world ~ the 1%. The kings and queens of monarchy are not a thing of the past, it's just that the titles have been changed.

[Tace]

88. What Zorra Said...

"If you wonder why our world is now so hopelessly totally fucked up, it is primarily because it is ruled, in the material sense, by the wealthiest, most totally fucked up corrupt people in the world ~ the 1%. The kings and queens of monarchy are not a thing of the past, it's just that the titles have been changed."

Zorra, How did you manage to land in this age?

[Zorra]

99. One of the Geissler tubes in the flux capacitor on the DeLorean wore out.

Flux dispersal became unbalanced, so here I am.

[freshwest]

143. 100% agree.

[NaturalHigh]

58. Our five tickets cost us less than two movie tickets.

As for who deserves what, why exactly do you get to decide that?

[bvar22]

59. Outlaw Las Vegas, Wall Street, and other Black Hole Casinos!

Keep the Public Lotteries!
The proceeds from these Lotteries help fund vital Programs,
like Public Education.

If someone wants to donate a few extra dollars to to the Public Good,
I'm ALL for it,
AND
unlike Casino Gambling, none of the "profits" goes to the 1%.

[Iggo]

60. I sure as fuck do.

[Heidi]

61. I've seen little evidence that the concept of "deserving" is even remotely valid.

How does anyone "deserve" that sort of wealth when there are people in the world without even the basics for survival?

Other than that, I don't disagree with a word you've written.

[11 Bravo]

63. In a related story, nobody deserves to be murdered, or raped, or run down by a drunk driver, or ...

to perish in a house fire, or an airplane crash, or a train accident, or from any one of a myriad of untimely deaths. But in case you haven't noticed, bad shit happens, every day, on this planet that we share.
That's why find it remarkable that you have taken issue with one "undeserved" outcome that certainly made some people happy.

[A HERETIC I AM]

65. Oh, for fucks sake.

[FarCenter]

66. Will Munny: "Deserve's got nothin' to do with it."

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105695/quotes

[roamer65]

69. Whatever.

Geez. Sour grapes.

I think you need to realize that the person(s) who won this jackpot will pay about 50% of it in federal, state and local taxes. That means more money to educate your kids, fix your roads and operate other government services that you benefit from on a daily basis. Think about that next time you're driving down the road or sending your kids to school.
I play the public lotteries a LOT more than I do private casinos, because I know my money is going to help fellow Americans.

[A HERETIC I AM]

71. No state income taxes in FL. No local either.

The only tax liability this person will have if he/she is a full time FL resident is federal, and that's at 39.6% over $400,000 income.

If the person takes the cash option, they stand to receive around $220 mil after taxes.

[roamer65]

73. They still pay almost 40% pct in federal income tax.

Every little bit means more for gov't programs that we all benefit from, like hot lunches for our school kids, etc, etc.

FL must use lottery proceeds for their general fund. That would partially explain no income tax.

We use ours primarily for education in MI.

[A HERETIC I AM]

75. As I said, 39.6 is currently the highest bracket....

and all income over $400,000 is taxed at that rate for a single filer, $450,000 for Married and others.


http://taxes.about.com/od/Federal-Income-Taxes/qt/Tax-Rates-For-The-2013-Tax-Year.htm

What explains FL's no income tax in part is tourism. We have a heavy "Bed Tax" in the tourist areas and it is a multi BILLION dollar industry here.

They SAY the lottery money goes to education......but I'm sure some portion of it goes to the general fund.

Even before Florida had the Powerball, and just recently, within the last few days added the "Mega Millions" game, there was no state income tax.

[roamer65]

96. There is one thing I would like to see changed.

The federal income tax top rate should be around 50 pct.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

72. You DO deserve a Dream.

So do I.

Yes, there are many pit holes in the Lottery system. Yes, people can point out many ethical/moral arguments for/against gambling.

But a dream, a dream is worth a dollar. People need dreams to keep going. It is reaching for something that makes life bearable.

[roamer65]

76. I agree.

Hey, I will be the first to admit I'm absolutely jealous of the winner(s), but I wish them good luck with the winnings and hope they try to do a little good with some of the money.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

77. Lotteries are a tax on people who are bad at math.

[Jamaal510]

78. The lottery is like a tax on the poor.

When you think about it, there's some truth in that because the odds of winning are extremely slim for everyone. Do the people who run the lottery want you to win? Of course not. They're hoping that people will continue playing and that the money keeps rolling in. It's how casinos get millions of people hooked. Playing the lottery may only cost just a dollar or so, but that money adds up over time the more someone plays. For someone who plays the lotto religiously for about a decade or two and loses each time, think about what other things that money could've been saved towards: groceries, gas, clothes, a new car, or as the OP stated--donating to a charitable cause. This is why I don't condone playing the lotto.

[Travis_0004]

81. I agree.

I've spent about 6 bucks on the lottery this year. Money that could have been better spent on a burrito at chiptole.

[Aviation Pro]

79. This thread is stupid...

...just say congratulations to the winner and quit the butthurtedness.

[edbermac]

80. Yeah $600m is way too much.

I could easily settle for half that amount.

[wercal]

83. Its voluntary

Its fun to dream about that 'take this job and shove it' moment.

There really are bigger problems in this world, than the lottery.

I've bought tickets less than a dozen times in my life, so I'm not an avid player...but I don't see the great harm you do.

[ScreamingMeemie]

84. AWWWWWWWWWWwwwwww... You didn't win?

Neither did I.

No bigs.

[Uzair]

87. Well said

I see you already have people in here giving you shit for this.

You're 100% correct. The lottery is a tax on people who can't do math.

[cherokeeprogressive]

92. A STRICTLY VOLUNTARY tax. But, thanks for playing.

[roamer65]

94. I agree... a strictly voluntary tax where I have remote chance to become rich.

How much of a chance of that do I have with an income tax? Zero.

[tularetom]

91. I do too because I'll buy Fox news and fire the whole fucking crew

And hire people who will do nothing but kiss Obama's ass.

[roamer65]

95. Great idea!

[loli phabay]

97. i would buy a mountain top fortress, every luxury i could get

And just have crap delivered to the cable car that services my new home.

[MrSlayer]

98. Of course I do. No one deserves it more than I.

And I disagree completely with your assessment. The person that won had the same chance everyone else had and it worked out. I don't mind throwing the couple bucks in to buy the dream.

[demwing]

142. We don't deserve it *more* than you, but...

we all deserve it as much as you do.

[flvegan]

104. Sorry, who the fuck are you again?

[defacto7]

107. There's nothing wrong with paying a couple of bucks for a dream....

Last edited Mon May 20, 2013, 02:20 AM - Edit history (1)

It's what the dream IS that matters.

I would give it away.... well, most of it.

BTW OP, What you deserve is to be able to speak your mind. You did! So you win!

[TeamPooka]

114. call me when it's a billion dollar jackpot. nt

[Freddie Stubbs]

116. Then don't play the lottery, and you won't risk the fate of winning money you don't deserve

[NCTraveler]

117. Is this your reaction from your numbers not matching.

I have a feeling that is what this is. The dream is nice, don't confuse it with reality. That can hurt.

[kentuck]

118. Well said.

Agree

[HappyMe]

119. Oh good grief!

I didn't spend your $4 on it.

[Javaman]

121. I think he deserves it more than many of the ultra rich who got it via

the lucky gene pool route.

At least this guy worked a job, earned his money and spent it they way he wanted to.

for a huge percentage of the rich, many of which, have never worked a day in their life and truly have no concept of a dollar means, are the real ones undeserving of their wealth.

bravo on this guy, let's hope he uses it wisely and gives back.

That aside, I recall a passage in the book 1984 about the "lottery" and how it's never anyone someone actually knows and it's use is to give the plebes a sense of false hope that anyone could buy their way out of poverty.

[Sissyk]

123. So you didn't win?

Neither did I.

[LanternWaste]

125. As much as I think lotteries are cons, I also think I lack the ethical super-powers...

As much as I think lotteries are cons, I also think I lack the ethical super-powers to have any indication regarding who may or may not deserve anything... but far be it from me to deny anyone the opportunity to pretend they have those powers.

[OmahaBlueDog]

126. It's a legal, speculative investment

It's no more or less deserving than those who earn their living buying and selling puts and calls on pork belly futures.

No one compells lottery participation. It's 100% voluntary. No one's labor is unfairly exploited. As long as the game is run honestly, I have no issue with whether or not the winners "deserve" anything.

[snooper2]

128. Are you not coming back to your OP?

We have a lot of snark left in us still

[Ter]

129. Unfortunately, the government wil get will more than half of it

What did they do to deserve it? The government is the one that's mafia like.

[liberal N proud]

130. I find all the comments on DU from Monday morning lottery losers interesting.

Deserving the winnings has nothing to do with it.

It still would be nice to have that much, just to see what I could do with it. I know one thing I would do, become one of those secret Santa at Christmas time walking around handing out money to people who I felt needed.

I am sure that I would be pretty generous all year as well, after taking care of my own family.

[Marr]

138. The lottery is a tax on people who are bad at math. /nt

[demwing]

139. Bullshit. Speak for yourself.

If you don't like Powerball, don't freaking play, but fuck the "you don't deserve it" judgmental crap.

You don't know what anyone deserves.

[Dreamer Tatum]

141. Whoever has the winning ticket does.

Tough motherfucking goddamned shit if you don't like it.