Just in case you haven’t heard, Mega Millions, the multi state lottery has just set a record for the largest jackpot. It is a mere $540 million dollars right now. A ticket frenzy has started and there is a real possibility the jackpot could hit $600 million before the drawing Friday night.
From USA Today:
Millions of lottery tickets are being snapped up ahead of Friday night's Mega Millions drawing, which could provide a lucky ticket holder with a lump-sum payoff of about $390 million.
From Vermont to Louisiana and New York to California, the jackpot has been the wistful talk of TV, social media sites, office water coolers and dreamy high rollers for the past week, electrifying ticket sales with a frenzy likely to amp up even further ahead of Friday night's drawing at 11 p.m. ET.
The pot has grown more than $150 million since Tuesday's Mega Millions drawing failed to draw a top prize winner for the 18th consecutive time since late January.
"It's uncharted territory," says Buddy Roogow, director of the Washington D.C., lottery, which issued a commemorative "I Played The World's Largest Jackpot" ticket this week. A typical Mega Millions drawing sells 250,000 tickets in the nation's capital. "Friday, the real frenzy sets in," says Roogow, who expects ticket sales of 1 million.
Social media users were buzzing about the jackpot on Facebook and Twitter, mostly about what they would do with the money, but also about the tiny possibility of winning the top prize.
The odds? About 1 in 176 million.
In the words of Dirty Harry Callahan, “Do you feel lucky today?”
Okay, I feel lucky and I am going to go get a ticket. However there are millions of people in America who believe the only way they are going to get ahead and become rich is through the random drawing of numbers.
This is the tragedy of the lottery.
Bill Gates, Sam Walton and Steve Jobs did not become rich through a lottery. They worked hard and understood what it took to get ahead.
This is the message we are missing out on and the message we need to be getting to the generation of kids that are growing up right now. Many of them think the only way you become wealthy is through the lottery, becoming an actor or singer or a pro athlete. The truth is, in America at least until Barack Obama destroys it, anyone can become anything. Anyone can become rich. That is why America is called the land of opportunity.
Unfortunately we are not getting this message out. The socialist message of free stuff is getting out. Unfortunately what socialism offers is never free. You do get something. You simply have to give up your freedom in exchange.
Tags: Lottery, land, mega, millions, of, opportunity, wealth
Permalink Reply by JOHN DELASAUX on So, the envious Liberals have to explain it somehow -- the easiest way is to claim that rich people are evil and wicked and cheaters and thieves.
Permalink Reply by Jeff Waller on Leftists have tried to sell socialism based on the claim that freedom without security is not worth having. But the opposite in fact is true. Security without freedom is an illusion! What little perceived security they have is useless in the daily life. They are not allowed to do anything on their own.
But are they secure, really? We watched the collapse of the USSR. Today we witness the harsh treatment of Chinese citizens by their government. Is that security? Cuba is still living in the 1950's. Is that security? The Venezuelan president was forced to travel to Cuba for medical treatment. The only reason Cuba was able to provide what was needed was because they are continually propped up by Russia. Is Hugo Chavez secure? North Korea must barter with threats of war for food! Are they secure?
Not hardly!
Permalink Reply by JOHN DELASAUX on There is only ONE thing for sure -- no matter which poor slob wins, the TAX MAN will get his share.
Let me think, If I had $176 million I could buy THE winning lottery ticket and if I was the only winner, I would probably make a profit of $20 million after taxes plus I could write off a portion of gambling losses on my 2012 federal tax return. Where is Warren Buffet and Bill Gates when I need them???
Permalink Reply by JOHN DELASAUX on Sorry, the tax man would take all your profits before the Lottery even wrote you the check.
Permalink Reply by Nancy on
For everyone's consideration:
Flashback Obama 2000: Mega Millions Lottery Unfair
http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2012/03/29/Flashback-2000-Oba...
In 2000, then-State Senator Barack Obama criticized the Illinois lottery on a Chicago talk show, calling it "regressive taxation," claiming it targeted "lower income" citizens who spent money they "don't necessarily have."
Permalink Reply by Nancy on Let me tell you a little story--when I was expecting our son, had to go to the hospital for severe morning sickness. I shared a room with a woman who had just given birth to a baby girl. On the day she was being discharged, I overheard her conversation with her friend who came to take her home, "Did my welfare check come in the mail while I was in here", friend "yes", patient, "good, we need to stop and cash it on the way home so that I can get me some smokes and lotto tickets." Shortly thereafter, the nurse came in to speak with her to go over any last minute questions, etc for going home. The patient asked her if she could get a few more diapers to take with her as she didn't have the money until later in the week to stop at the store to buy some! The nurse obliged. Swear on our son's life this is what I heard and it appalled me then and now!
Permalink Reply by JOHN DELASAUX on Were you surprised?
Don't be -- you heard the common mentality of the "takers" leaking out.
Permalink Reply by JOHN DELASAUX on If poor people can "spend" money that they "don't have", I guess it is OK for Obama to "spend" money that the US "doesn't have", huh?
Permalink Reply by Gail Cohen on It is a sign of hopelessness - Obama's "change" has killed all real hope
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