Powerball

Probably the same people who think Mark Zuckerberg is going to pay $4.5 million to 100 Facebook users for sharing a post.

 

The idea of "serious lottery players" makes me very sad, unless they're the syndicate guys who tried to take it down.

 

The lottery would give you the power of fast travel and ability to make it rain. But you'd have a lot of annoying sidekicks.

 

Do the stores make much $$$ on the lottery and scratch off?

 

I know people who would go to 4-5 different stores because they were embarrased to buy so many scratch offs/lottery tickets at one place. Never got the allure of scratch offs.

 

Lotteries are really awful things. They are gambling games that inordinately target the poor with the promise of getting rich quick with a low investment, even though there is no realistic chance of winning a jackpot.

But we can't have sports gambling. Nope. Can't do it. Betting against the spread isn't a game of skill.

 

Yes. In Texas, there's a minimum 5% commission on every dollar wagered.

 

I don't know. I think only if there is a big winner sold at the store. But most of the people who go to this particular store seemed to be lottery players so I guess they needed those sales, plus whatever they'd make on the other things those people might buy.

 

By reposting a link Jack Reacher posted yesterday on page 4 of this thread?

 

I don't even mind states having the lottery, but I cannot stand those happy, feel-good commercials designed to get people to waste more of their money on scratch offs.

 

That's pretty stout. I think a lot of states the stores get nothing or close to it on sales but get a share of bigger prizes (and of course the foot traffic).

 

I just wish they'd be more considerate of other customers who are trying to make small purchases and not tie up the line while picking out scratch tickets.