3 ms·

I've been purchasing a lotto ticket every week for a decade at least. At some point I realized I wasn't playing to win a much as I was playing for the entertain

by yuzi 11y ago

I've been purchasing a lotto ticket every week for a decade at least. At some point I realized I wasn't playing to win a much as I was playing for the entertainment value (Actually I discovered this when I realized I had a years worth of unchecked tickets in my drawer and needed to check them before they expired.) Really... If buying a ticket lets you take a break and day dream 'what if' scenarios then it's not only a de-stressor it also gets you to think outside-the-box and discover ideas that do help you in practical ways. I'd say my un-won tickets turned out to be a better investment than many other comparable expenditures, like for example drinking fucking pop.

iandanforth 11y ago
This. Lotteries are "The Tax that's Fun to Pay." I would love to see the Federal Government get into this game. Specifically, everyone who files a tax return gets a ticket to the national lottery. File early? Get two! Low income household? Get 3! Income re-distribution and increased tax revenue in one shot.
- icebraining 11y ago
  Not a tax return, but in Brasil and Portugal, you get a lottery ticket for submitting receipts of purchases (all businesses are required to submit them, the lottery is a way to catch infringers). The Portuguese IRS is giving out a luxury car every week: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/30834f5a-919f-11e3-8fb3-00144feab7de.html http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/30834f5a-919f-11e3-8fb3-00144feab7...
nether 11y ago
90% of visitors at Vegas lose money. 70% leave happy. OTOH I still daydream about getting rich even without gambling.
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
solipsism 11y ago
The article covers this. Nothing wrong with the fact that you get that kind of entertainment out of it. But the poorer you are, the more likely you are to play, and the more likely you are to play for money instead of for fun. Sure, these people are being irrational, but that's not a good reason to take advantage of them.

by yuzi 11y ago

iandanforth 11y ago

This. Lotteries are "The Tax that's Fun to Pay." I would love to see the Federal Government get into this game. Specifically, everyone who files a tax return gets a ticket to the national lottery. File early? Get two! Low income household? Get 3! Income re-distribution and increased tax revenue in one shot.

icebraining 11y ago
Not a tax return, but in Brasil and Portugal, you get a lottery ticket for submitting receipts of purchases (all businesses are required to submit them, the lottery is a way to catch infringers). The Portuguese IRS is giving out a luxury car every week: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/30834f5a-919f-11e3-8fb3-00144feab7de.html http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/30834f5a-919f-11e3-8fb3-00144feab7...

nether 11y ago

90% of visitors at Vegas lose money. 70% leave happy. OTOH I still daydream about getting rich even without gambling.

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

solipsism 11y ago

The article covers this. Nothing wrong with the fact that you get that kind of entertainment out of it. But the poorer you are, the more likely you are to play, and the more likely you are to play for money instead of for fun. Sure, these people are being irrational, but that's not a good reason to take advantage of them.