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Mega Millions jackpot is $540 million tonight

#21
Comments on playing the lottery

The Lottery is a tax on the mathematically challenged

If I win I will pay off my bills, at least as far as it goes.

Wanda Sykes on those that say they will keep working if they win - "If I found out I just won the lottery I wouldn't even finish this joke!"
 
#22
sneha1965 said:
Lotto.jpg
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lol win!
 
#23
Oh, also worth noting is that the odds of winning the jackpot are roughly 170 million:1. Things that are more likely to happen:

Contracting rabies in the US (103 million:1)
Being hit by a train (97 million:1) (Also grants you a nomination for a Darwin award)
Bumping into former President George HW Bush (1 million:1 if you're in Texas, 50 million:1 outside)
Winning a game of BINGO (1,000:1)
Jackpot on a $1 slot machine in Vegas (100,000:1)
Super Jackpot (7 figures) slot machine in Vegas (250,000:1)
 
#25
SoonerMatt said:
Oh, also worth noting is that the odds of winning the jackpot are roughly 170 million:1. Things that are more likely to happen:

Contracting rabies in the US (103 million:1)
Being hit by a train (97 million:1) (Also grants you a nomination for a Darwin award)
Bumping into former President George HW Bush (1 million:1 if you're in Texas, 50 million:1 outside)
Winning a game of BINGO (1,000:1)
Jackpot on a $1 slot machine in Vegas (100,000:1)
Super Jackpot (7 figures) slot machine in Vegas (250,000:1)
Click to expand...

How could I fail to win...
 
#28
SoonerMatt said:
Oh, also worth noting is that the odds of winning the jackpot are roughly 170 million:1. Things that are more likely to happen:

Contracting rabies in the US (103 million:1)
Being hit by a train (97 million:1) (Also grants you a nomination for a Darwin award)
Bumping into former President George HW Bush (1 million:1 if you're in Texas, 50 million:1 outside)
Winning a game of BINGO (1,000:1)
Jackpot on a $1 slot machine in Vegas (100,000:1)
Super Jackpot (7 figures) slot machine in Vegas (250,000:1)
Click to expand...

Your ticket is just as likely to win as any of the others. :hiding:
 
#31
Mark Latimour said:
Is this one where you pay like 50% in taxes and then you only get $540m if you take it over say 20 years otherwise its reduced to like $300m if you take it as a lump sum? I always thought that kind of lottery is quite misleading! That said, I wouldnt be complaining if I actually won it - just that advertising it as $540m is misleading! :)
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YA, IT IS BULL ****, we had 6 schools close down this year, but they say that lottery and cigarette taxes go towards schools...RIIIIGHT! After you pay the corrupt Gov. and then your Corrupt state, you are left with about 300mill. why the hell dont they just call it 300 mill then! Ill take it either way and then I will help the schools!
 
#34
Mark Latimour said:
Is this one where you pay like 50% in taxes and then you only get $540m if you take it over say 20 years otherwise its reduced to like $300m if you take it as a lump sum? I always thought that kind of lottery is quite misleading! That said, I wouldnt be complaining if I actually won it - just that advertising it as $540m is misleading! :)
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I dare say it's like when you do your shopping in the US, the sales tax is added at the counter, it isn't on the price tag on the shelf. Which always confused my simple mind when I had to pay over a dollar for something labelled as $0.99!

:hiding:


MatticusMania said:
Because youre not winning $300mil, you'd be winning $540mil and being taxed accordingly. :smug:
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Again, I'm guessing just a difference in systems. Lottery wins over here are "tax free".
 
#36
i_got_a_mohawk said:
I dare say it's like when you do your shopping in the US, the sales tax is added at the counter, it isn't on the price tag on the shelf. Which always confused my simple mind when I had to pay over a dollar for something labelled as $0.99!
Click to expand...

It gets even more confusing in that sales tax will vary by county. There are a few states, Oregon I know for sure, where they do not have sales tax.
 
#38
i_got_a_mohawk said:
Geez, they could add on anything at the till and you'd never know :hiding:
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They cant really. Generally people know what the sales tax is in their region. Actually, I dont know what it is right now...

For the longest time it was 8.25% in my area. Then it went up to 9.25%, but then it dropped back down to something or other... I dont know. I figure Im safe if I estimate at 10% and go from there.
 
#40
MatticusMania said:
They cant really. Generally people know what the sales tax is in their region. Actually, I dont know what it is right now...

For the longest time it was 8.25% in my area. Then it went up to 9.25%, but then it dropped back down to something or other... I dont know. I figure Im safe if I estimate at 10% and go from there.
Click to expand...

Yep. And tax rates for your state, county, city, etc. are all publicly available and easily accessible.
 

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