Comments on: Don’t Get Caught Paying “The Stupid Tax”

By: Len Penzo

Len Penzo — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 03:50:19 +0000

You’re absolutely right, Brian. Even I’ll buy one ticket on rare occasions when the jackpot is really huge — like $300 million or more. I know I’m throwing my money away, but the dream is fun, if fleeting. The problem is, many many people don’t understand that and truly believe they have a reasonable shot at success.

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:05:46 +0000

I understand the statistics, but the bottom line is somebody DOES win it. I play maybe 10 times per year when the powerball gets above 100 million and I buy 2 or 3 tickets. Do I expect, or really even hope, to win? Absolutely not. But, what I’m buying for that dollar is a small dream, a little shot at the big prize. Small price to pay for dreams.

By: Al

Al — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 19:52:39 +0000

I spend $6 per week on Lotto. I know the odds, and I know I’m losing about $300 a year but is money I feel comfortable losing. I stick to it and do not play any other type of lottery. Like I said before I know the odds but I still play because for me is more a form of entertainment… Is like playing in the casinos, you should only play an amount you are comfortable losing as long as you see it as a form of entertainment.

By: E. Morales

E. Morales — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:39:20 +0000

This really is the ‘stupid tax’. The odds of winning the lottery are not worth the money spent, but people continue to buy tickets. It is just human nature to dream and try to live that dream, no matter the cost.

By: Billy Kernow

Billy Kernow — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000

We have a national lottery here in the UK, and when I was working in an office they played a syndicate – every player in the office, except me! They would constantly hassle me telling me I couldn’t win if I didn’t “play” etc. just as you say above, but I’m a poker player so I understand odds. So what I started doing was filling out a fake lottery ticket each week – each week they would pick their numbers and play, and I would pick my numbers and NOT play – they had the odd very small win but lost almost every week, I pocketed my ticket price every week

By: Len Penzo

Len Penzo — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000

I have coworkers who do the same thing, Billy. The odds are completely irrelevant to them! Those are details that only get in the way of “the dream.”