4 ms·

It's also arguably worse. It adds a conflict of interest that the "numbers game" never had. The same government that is responsible for providing an education t

It's also arguably worse. It adds a conflict of interest that the "numbers game" never had. The same government that is responsible for providing an education that makes people resistant to the lottery has an interest in people being vulnerable to the lottery.

hangonhn 6y ago
In my home state of Florida, it's pretty nefarious because they often advertise that the proceeds are used to support education. While that is true, they also removed other sources of funds such as taxes. So in the end the funding level is about the same while less of it comes from taxes. This means Florida can tax people less to pay for education but as other have pointed out, the lottery is essentially a tax on stupidity or at least innumeracy. I guess using an innumeracy tax to fund education is kind of poetic but what Florida has done is tax the uneducated to give tax cuts to everyone else.
learnstats2 6y ago
I don't believe that lottery players are unintelligent or uneducated. It's rational to play the lottery if you believe that it's the only way to make a significant economic change to your life. That's a bigger problem than just education provision.
- notsureaboutpg 6y ago
  >It's rational to play the lottery if you believe that it's the only way to make a significant economic change to your life. But that belief is irrational. There are a ton of better ways to make a significant economic change to your life with $1 each week than through playing the lottery. $1 each week is $52 a year, you can buy classes, learn skills, etc. with that money and the time you spend watching numbers get called out.
- Spooky23 6y ago
  Why? It’s just gambling! Last year the HN consensus was that daily fantasy sports betting was some sort of civil liberty.
  - lazyasciiart 6y ago
    The lack of a path to changing your economic circumstances through work or education is the problem.
gtrhtrhtrhtr 6y ago
I'd be good if all money made through the state sponsored lottery would go back into funding for education on gambling

hangonhn 6y ago

In my home state of Florida, it's pretty nefarious because they often advertise that the proceeds are used to support education. While that is true, they also removed other sources of funds such as taxes. So in the end the funding level is about the same while less of it comes from taxes. This means Florida can tax people less to pay for education but as other have pointed out, the lottery is essentially a tax on stupidity or at least innumeracy. I guess using an innumeracy tax to fund education is kind of poetic but what Florida has done is tax the uneducated to give tax cuts to everyone else.

learnstats2 6y ago

I don't believe that lottery players are unintelligent or uneducated. It's rational to play the lottery if you believe that it's the only way to make a significant economic change to your life. That's a bigger problem than just education provision.

notsureaboutpg 6y ago
>It's rational to play the lottery if you believe that it's the only way to make a significant economic change to your life. But that belief is irrational. There are a ton of better ways to make a significant economic change to your life with $1 each week than through playing the lottery. $1 each week is $52 a year, you can buy classes, learn skills, etc. with that money and the time you spend watching numbers get called out.
Spooky23 6y ago
Why? It’s just gambling! Last year the HN consensus was that daily fantasy sports betting was some sort of civil liberty.
- lazyasciiart 6y ago
  The lack of a path to changing your economic circumstances through work or education is the problem.

gtrhtrhtrhtr 6y ago

I'd be good if all money made through the state sponsored lottery would go back into funding for education on gambling