[quote=John McClane]I remember reading about Stefan Mandel. You have him to thank for the stupidly insane odds of winning now.[/quote]

[quote=John McClane][quote=Sedai]Big money, big problems.[/quote]Yeah, and that's why most of these lottery winners end up broke within a year.[/quote]

[quote=John McClane]My dad talks about winning the lottery and what he'd do with the winnings all the time. It used to be funny, but man, it's just down right annoying now.[/quote]

[quote=Sedai][quote=Yoda]Yeah, I was mostly kidding anyway. I know some people who know the odds are meaningless and play it sort of out of fun (scratch tickets and stuff). If it's entertaining and it's not, like, part of a financial plan or done with a genuine hope it'll pay off, fair enough.[/quote]


The only time I have played a scratch ticket (or "Scratchies" as they are known around these parts) is when I receive them in a Yankee gift swap or something. I've never won anything on them, of course![/quote]

[quote=AgrippinaX][quote=The Rodent]Weird thing with the Lotto in the UK...

I checked the stats a few years back on winners and it was like, 99% of the winners since the Lotto started in 1994 live in the Greater London area.

Basically already millionaires.[/quote]

Hmm, I’m not disputing this, but sounds odd... I do live in London and have played NL occasionally, the only thing I can think of is you’re more likely to buy tickets often in GL during your grocery shops etc.[/quote]

[quote=The Rodent]Weird thing with the Lotto in the UK...

I checked the stats a few years back on winners and it was like, 99% of the winners since the Lotto started in 1994 live in the Greater London area.

Basically already millionaires.[/quote]

[quote=Yoda]Yeah, I was mostly kidding anyway. I know some people who know the odds are meaningless and play it sort of out of fun (scratch tickets and stuff). If it's entertaining and it's not, like, part of a financial plan or done with a genuine hope it'll pay off, fair enough.[/quote]

[quote=Sedai][quote=Yoda]Nice try, I know you're way too smart/numerate to play the lottery.[/quote]


You would think, but sometimes when it gets to be an outrageous sum, I purchase a single ticket, thinking that maybe I really can get struck my lightning. Alas, the lottery is just extra taxes for people that can't do math.[/quote]

[quote=Sedai]I think also even after you get it turned in and all settled. I wouldn;t even know where to start with a sum like that. It's not like you just toss it in the bank and get back to hanging out. You would need a team of lawyers and finance people just to deal with it, and not to mention, if your identity was revealed to the world, you would be immediately besieged by a legion of long lost relatives, scam artists, and criminals bent of separating you from some or all of the funds. Big money, big problems.[/quote]

[quote=John McClane]Only then would I think about trying to start the redemption process.[/quote]

[quote=John McClane]Yeah, I'd go straight to a bank, open a deposit box, sign it while in the safe room, and then take a picture/video of myself putting it in the box.[/quote]