> Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the auction in the first place? That would simply become "the ticket goes to whoever writes the largest number on this piec

> Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the auction in the first place? That would simply become "the ticket goes to whoever writes the largest number on this piece of paper", right? People who are bidding more will still pay more. The main weirdness introduced by that approach is that low bidders that win a ticket may get more money back than they paid.