Mega Millions

[cj's dad]

Was not hit last night. The jackpot for Saturday nights drawing will likely surpass $500,000.000.

link;

http://wbal.com/article/88222/3/template-story/Jackpot-Rolls-To-A-Record-For-Next-Drawing-

[Let's Roll]

I will go in for $30.00 quick pick.

[maddog42]

Shush. My wife might hear you. She is convinced that we will hit the lottery. I myself think there is a greater chance of being hit by a meteor. I try to put a reasonable $5 limit on lottery purchases and it becomes much easier to go to the track. The lottery might be a good bet at this amount but I like to make bets I can hit in this lifetime.

[cj's dad]

I love it when someone says " I only play when it hits $100 M"

Like he/she can't make it on $90 million.

[lsbets]

I hate to disappoint everyone, but my wife says she bought the winning ticket.

[FantasticDan]

What's the expression? Somebody's got to win!

Y'know, other than all those weeks when nobody does... :D

[TJDave]

What's the expression? Somebody's got to win!


At 500 mil and even after taxes this is a lock. Where could I buy an "all with all" ticket?

[Grits]

Be careful what you wish for . . . . with your win comes new family members that you NEVER knew you had that have gone to the court house searching public birth and death records that go back farther than the Civil War. They may even go back to the Mayflower. Too, there's the hundreds of long lost friends that knew you way back when you were poorer than dirt. Then, finally, comes the new best friends that will be by your side forever--until your death, until you're laid to rest, and your Last Will and Testament has been read and cleared probate.

If it all gets to be too much? There's always Siberia.

[TJDave]

Be careful what you wish for . . . . with your win comes new family members that you NEVER knew you had that have gone to the court house searching public birth and death records that go back farther than the Civil War. They may even go back to the Mayflower. Too, there's the hundreds of long lost friends that knew you way back when you were poorer than dirt. Then, finally, comes the new best friends that will be by your side forever--until your death, until you're laid to rest, and your Last Will and Testament has been read and cleared probate.

If it all gets to be too much? There's always Siberia.

It would be almost unbearable but I'd suffer through it...somehow.

[tribecaagent]

Was not hit last night. The jackpot for Saturday nights drawing will likely surpass $500,000.000.

link;

http://wbal.com/article/88222/3/template-story/Jackpot-Rolls-To-A-Record-For-Next-Drawing-

Just want to let you know the drawing is Friday.

[Steve 'StatMan']

I broke form and bought 1 ticket last night, about 2 hrs before drawing. I will likely break form and buy just 1 ticket tonight. $1, or $5, the chance is so very close to totally zero. However, without a ticket the chances are exactly zero.

[cj's dad]

Just want to let you know the drawing is Friday. You probably saved me a few $$$

[DJofSD]

San Diego North County Times article (http://www.nctimes.com/ap/business/what-to-do-after-you-hit-the-mega-millions-jackpot/article_fc3bc9f0-cb73-55df-a32e-87c6270e2747.html) what you should do, if you are the lucky person holding a winning ticket.

[wisconsin]

I came within six numbers the other day.......

[Shelby]

We bought $20 worth last night.

I'll think of you all when I'm lounging on a beach...:kiss:


:lol:

[OTM Al]

I love it when someone says " I only play when it hits $100 M"

Like he/she can't make it on $90 million.

Actually we can justify this on economic grounds. The number of combinations is

[56!/(56-5)!5!]x46 = 175,711,536, so you have roughly a 1 in 176 million chance. When the lotto gets up to this level, it has actually exceeded the level it needs to be a fair bet, in other words the expected payoff is equal, or in this case, exceeding the cost. So when it starts out at $20m, you have to be very risk loving to buy a ticket as the expected payoff is well below the cost, but as it grows, people with greater and greater aversion to risk will be willing to buy a ticket as the expected payoff grows.

Personally I don't buy one until it gets to about $150m. Not a question of can you live on it if you win, but rather is it worth making the bet in the first place.

[cj's dad]

Al,

Not to be critical or dismissive of your well thought out post, but methinks you are being just a tad too analytical.

See you in 8 days, 22 hours and 15 minutes. :ThmbUp:

[OTM Al]

Al,

Not to be critical or dismissive of your well thought out post, but methinks you are being just a tad too analytical.

See you in 8 days, 22 hours and 15 minutes. :ThmbUp:

You're right, they don't sit down and figure it out down to a number, but it does a good job representing a decision making process.

Looks like the weather will be on the upswing next week, so hoping it's a sunny day for your visit.

[cj's dad]

Just want to let you know the drawing is Friday.

When I posted this I was in Australia :rolleyes:

[Grits]

I came within six numbers the other day.......

This is kinda like being a "little bit pregnant?" :lol:

[ArlJim78]

if my office is typical, then this mega lottery drawing is going to put a real dent in the nations productivity today. Imagine all the various workplaces setting up office pools for the first time, and all the chatter about what you would do if you won,etc. on top of that its a friday, so it's almost a holiday atmosphere.

[lsbets]

The guy who owns the gas station I go to said that he has had maybe 2 people come in since Wednesday who have not bought tickets.

[Beachbabe]

San Diego North County Times article (http://www.nctimes.com/ap/business/what-to-do-after-you-hit-the-mega-millions-jackpot/article_fc3bc9f0-cb73-55df-a32e-87c6270e2747.html) what you should do, if you are the lucky person holding a winning ticket.

Some scary stuff there. I don't need the aggravation ;) . I'll wait & fly under the radar when the regular lotto is only worth a couple of mil.

I like when it says, "don't go through the wealth in a couple of years."
To go through that much in a couple of years, you'd have to volunteer to fix Greece's financial crisis. :D

[FantasticDan]

Now at $640 million :blush:

[Shelby]

Now at $640 million :blush:

:faint:

[johnhannibalsmith]

Now at $640 million :blush:

I only play when it gets to a billion.

[maddog42]

Actually we can justify this on economic grounds. The number of combinations is

[56!/(56-5)!5!]x46 = 175,711,536, so you have roughly a 1 in 176 million chance. When the lotto gets up to this level, it has actually exceeded the level it needs to be a fair bet, in other words the expected payoff is equal, or in this case, exceeding the cost. So when it starts out at $20m, you have to be very risk loving to buy a ticket as the expected payoff is well below the cost, but as it grows, people with greater and greater aversion to risk will be willing to buy a ticket as the expected payoff grows.

Personally I don't buy one until it gets to about $150m. Not a question of can you live on it if you win, but rather is it worth making the bet in the first place.

So if I spend five dollars the chances are 1 in 35,000,000 ? So playing once a week for a year the odds of winning ( assuming all the lotteries are this big, i know they are not.)are 1 in 700,000? So over 50 years it would be 1 in 1400?
So assuming that I believe in reincarnation (i do not), I have a 50/50 chance in 700 lifetimes. Sounds like a good deal to me!

Pardon the gorilla math and the rounding off.

[A. Pineda]

So if I spend five dollars the chances are 1 in 35,000,000 ? So playing once a week for a year the odds of winning ( assuming all the lotteries are this big, i know they are not.)are 1 in 700,000? So over 50 years it would be 1 in 1400?
So assuming that I believe in reincarnation (i do not), I have a 50/50 chance in 700 lifetimes. Sounds like a good deal to me!
Pardon the gorilla math and the rounding off.

Maybe, but would a monkey or a rat know what to do with all of that money?

[cj's dad]

It was reported locally at 7:00AM that Md. was taking in $80 per second, AT 7:00 AM !!!

Link to a story about 9 lottery winners who are completely broke:

http://www.oddballdaily.com/2011/06/06/9-lottery-winners-who-lost-it-all/

[chickenhead]

My so's brother won 8 million 20 years ago. He asked us for a loan 2 years ago.

[Grits]

My so's brother won 8 million 20 years ago. He asked us for a loan 2 years ago.

Like I said, they ALL come out of the woodwork. :lol:

I'm not even buying a ticket. :faint: I'd have a better chance on Secretariat winning the Florida Derby tomorrow afternoon.

[OTM Al]

So if I spend five dollars the chances are 1 in 35,000,000 ? So playing once a week for a year the odds of winning ( assuming all the lotteries are this big, i know they are not.)are 1 in 700,000? So over 50 years it would be 1 in 1400?
So assuming that I believe in reincarnation (i do not), I have a 50/50 chance in 700 lifetimes. Sounds like a good deal to me!

Pardon the gorilla math and the rounding off.

It's not too hard to figure out. Ignoring the conso prizes for simplicity, if "p" is the probability of winning the big prize and you play it "x" times, the probability of winning at least once is = 1 - (1-p)^x since all draws are independent. The probability of winning exactly "y" times is

(x!/[(x-y)!*y!])(p^y)[(1-p)^(x-y)]

I'll let you plug in the numbers.

[JustRalph]

saw a math professor on some news channel today. He say's each ticket is predicted to have a

.000000001 chance of winning.

Whatever the hell that converts to.

[woodtoo]

Slim to none.:D

[lamboguy]

anyone know what time they draw the numbers?

[fast4522]

11 PM EST

[lamboguy]

11 PM ESTty, i am alive with 5 tickets!!!

[Dave Schwartz]

We bought one.

I figure to win something like this you need divine help and if God wants me to win he can do it just as easily with one ticket as 50.

[chickenhead]

We found out that the company that builds all our product all went in on a massive pool with hundreds of people. We are doomed if they hit it, the entire factory won't show up for work Monday.

We decided the only logical thing was to form our own pool.

[Tom]

I only play when it gets to a billion.

If it is not hit tonight, next week will be a bill.
They are going to draw live from Times Square.

I bought one ticket.
All I need is a dollar and a dream.

[maddog42]

My wife bought 5 tickets. She hit every one of the Megaball numbers including
the megaball number, but scattered over ALL 5 tickets. We won Nada.Dick.Zip.
What are the odds?

[EJXD2]

Actually we can justify this on economic grounds. The number of combinations is

[56!/(56-5)!5!]x46 = 175,711,536, so you have roughly a 1 in 176 million chance. When the lotto gets up to this level, it has actually exceeded the level it needs to be a fair bet, in other words the expected payoff is equal, or in this case, exceeding the cost. So when it starts out at $20m, you have to be very risk loving to buy a ticket as the expected payoff is well below the cost, but as it grows, people with greater and greater aversion to risk will be willing to buy a ticket as the expected payoff grows.

Personally I don't buy one until it gets to about $150m. Not a question of can you live on it if you win, but rather is it worth making the bet in the first place.

I've always disagreed with this line of thinking. The jackpot--even at its $20-million starting out point--is enough for you to retire and live a dream life. To me, that's the prize. You're taking a 176,000,000-to-1 risk to live that lifestyle.

[JustRalph]

Anybody heard from CJ's Dad?

One winning ticket........sold in Maryland? Per Fox news

[tribecaagent]

Anybody heard from CJ's Dad?

One winning ticket........sold in Maryland? Per Fox news

How's that for irony?
The man who started the thread lives in Baltimore.

I've never met CJ's Dad but I hope he really did win it.

[OTM Al]

I've always disagreed with this line of thinking. The jackpot--even at its $20-million starting out point--is enough for you to retire and live a dream life. To me, that's the prize. You're taking a 176,000,000-to-1 risk to live that lifestyle.

There is a rule in economics that says you can't argue preferences. You are less risk averse than I am. There is nothing to disagree about.

[Shelby]

I read just now there were 3 winners sold. Maryland, Illinois and Kansas :faint: I haven't looked yet. I'm savoring the moment that it could be me in Kansas.

[Tom]

Anybody heard from CJ's Dad?

One winning ticket........sold in Maryland? Per Fox news

If were a retired mailman and lived in Chicago, I would be verrrrrrry nervous right now!:lol:

[098poi]

Winning numbers and payouts. I bought 25, 5 for me and 20 others for my friend and family in NY. I told them I'd split it with them if they won. 2 tickets won $2 each! I think I'll keep it.

http://www.megamillions.com/numbers/drawDetails.asp?drawDate=3/30/2012

[jdhanover]

As far as I am concerned they picked the wrong winning numbers - they didnt match my ticket. :D

[FantasticDan]

Bought $10 worth, one ticket had the megaball, so $2 winner! :jump: That's better than my racing ROI! :ThmbUp: :p

[Tom]

I had the mega ball twice on the ticket.....what does that get me?

[fast4522]

A few beers, enjoy them!

[098poi]

I had the mega ball twice on the ticket.....what does that get me?

If you had 23 in the first group and the mega ball then, ARE YOU SITTING DOWN???? See below














$3

[Tom]

Thanks for the heart attack!:eek:

[highnote]

I rarely play the lottery, buy I made an exception for various reasons -- about 600,000,000 reasons. :D

The funny thing is, the guy at the store sold me the wrong game. I pulled out a card and asked him if it was the right one for the $600 million prize. He said yes. I filled out the card and paid for the tickets. The cost was less than I expected. He said it was the correct amount. I read the fine print and turns out I didn't mark the box that I wanted a powerball number, even though I marked a powerball number. You'd think by marking a powerball number you would automatically get the poweball number. He would not cancel the tickets.

So I checked the powerball number and resubmitted them. This time the amount was correct. But now I had spent almost twice as much.

I get home and noticed that he did not sell me the mega lottery tickets. He sold me Connecticut Lotto tickets. :faint:

Lucky for me -- or unlucky depending how you look at it -- I didn't have any winning numbers and the CT Lott drawing would be Saturday night. So I'd have to wait 24 hours for the CT drawing.

I checked my numbers Sunday morning and I actually won $12 and recouped some of my losses. :D

[Shelby]

I didn't even get a mega ball or whatever they're called :lol:

[cj's dad]

How's that for irony?
The man who started the thread lives in Baltimore.

I've never met CJ's Dad but I hope he really did win it.

Thanks for the thought.

I can tell you though that the area where the winning ticket was bought ain't no area I'm living in or near.

NY Times reporting that the Md. winner is one Merlandy (sp?) Wilson.

He/she works at Mc Donalds

[horses4courses]

He/she works at Mc Donalds

Not anymore........ ;)

[lsbets]

Thanks for the thought.

I can tell you though that the area where the winning ticket was bought ain't no area I'm living in or near.

NY Times reporting that the Md. winner is one Merlandy (sp?) Wilson.

He/she works at Mc Donalds

Co workers say they had a pool. SHe says ticket wasn't part of the pool. They say bullshit, share it.

People at the store where it was sold say she didn't buy the ticket.

This could be funny.

[cj's dad]

Here's the link to the story:
http://perezhilton.com/2012-04-02-woman-refusing-to-split-lottery-jackpot-with-coworkers

Happened in NJ also.
link:
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/38-5-million-lotto-winner-cheated-co-workers-232140371.html

[PaceAdvantage]

I've never been in an office lottery pool where everyone didn't get a copy of the tickets before the drawing...these people must have been very trusting...

[Rookies]

I've never been in an office lottery pool where everyone didn't get a copy of the tickets before the drawing...these people must have been very trusting...

Or not very smart...

In my office, we do the following:

1) Rules published and players have to sign in before they enter;
2) All $$$$ for normal draws paid up front before start;
3) Person running may add for larger pots and sends e-mail out to confirm it and cost, which must be paid BEFORE the draw;
4) Person running it ALWAYS scans tix and e-mails to all BEFORE the draw.

[EJXD2]

There is a rule in economics that says you can't argue preferences. You are less risk averse than I am. There is nothing to disagree about.

I would agree with that if you NEVER played, but the odds are fixed so if you take the risk then you take the risk.

[cj's dad]

Here's what is going to happen IMO:


Lets say she was to buy 100 tickets for the pool
She goes to the 7-11 and asks for 100 random MM tix
the clerk begins the process of printing out the 100
the stores ID # is on every ticket
the time of purchase is on every ticket
if the winning # is in that time frame and consecutive run of tix then she is lying
If she asked for 5 additional (for herself) after these 100 were done, there will be a time differential from the run of 100 consecutive tix printed and the 5 or more that she purchased for herself
PS- in Md. the lottery terminal operator can only punch in a 20 ticket request, so he would have had to repeat this 5 times. A print out of his stores MM sales for that day will clear this up quite easily.

[OTM Al]

I would agree with that if you NEVER played, but the odds are fixed so if you take the risk then you take the risk.

You don't understand the concept then. Yes the odds are fixed, but the prizes vary and that is what is causing more and more people to play the higher the prize goes. You are willing to risk at least a dollar to win a $20m pre tax and discounting prize. I am not. I won't play until it gets up to $150m or so. I am more risk averse than you. I need a better payout at those fixed odds than you do to play.

[cj's dad]

A Brookhaven woman said her son, who lives in Maryland, is one of the Mega Millions lottery winners.

"He said, 'Mom, I hit the lottery,' I said, 'I know, I've been trying to tell you that,'" Linda Bobo said.

On Monday, a Maryland McDonald's employee claimed she was one of the winners of the $640 million jackpot. But lottery officials said there was no evidence to substantiate the woman's claim.

Bobo believes her son is the winner.

"I could almost cry because I'm so happy for him," Bobo said.

http://beta.local.yahoo.com/news-brookhaven-woman-claims-son-winning-lottery-ticket.html?

[EJXD2]

You don't understand the concept then. Yes the odds are fixed, but the prizes vary and that is what is causing more and more people to play the higher the prize goes. You are willing to risk at least a dollar to win a $20m pre tax and discounting prize. I am not. I won't play until it gets up to $150m or so. I am more risk averse than you. I need a better payout at those fixed odds than you do to play.

I disagree that "the prizes vary." Granted, this is a philosophical view, but to me the jackpot prize is a life-changing sum whether it's $20-million or $500-million. I see the jackpot as "I get to retire", not "I won $X".

So it's 176-million-to-1 to retire.

EdD

[JustRalph]

A Brookhaven woman said her son, who lives in Maryland, is one of the Mega Millions lottery winners.

"He said, 'Mom, I hit the lottery,' I said, 'I know, I've been trying to tell you that,'" Linda Bobo said.

On Monday, a Maryland McDonald's employee claimed she was one of the winners of the $640 million jackpot. But lottery officials said there was no evidence to substantiate the woman's claim.

Bobo believes her son is the winner.

"I could almost cry because I'm so happy for him," Bobo said.

http://beta.local.yahoo.com/news-brookhaven-woman-claims-son-winning-lottery-ticket.html?

He is about to get his ass sued........check this out
http://mortgagefraud.squarespace.com/display/ShowJournal?moduleId=78225&categoryId=5901&currentPage=33

This guy lives right down the street from me........ I am told. I am also told he is in hiding............because his mom opened her big fat mouth. He could have remained anonymous. He actually lives in Pasadena/Glen Burnie Address.

[cj's dad]

Only in Maryland could this sheet happen.

http://wbal.com/article/88487/21/template-story/Glen-Burnie-Man-Admits-Being-Fooled-About-Winning-Ticket

[JustRalph]

Only in Maryland could this sheet happen.

http://wbal.com/article/88487/21/template-story/Glen-Burnie-Man-Admits-Being-Fooled-About-Winning-Ticket

you know, I might come up with that story if I had a bunch of people standing in line that could sue me.

This is becoming a damn circus

[cj's dad]

Now Ms. Wilson is saying that she lost the ticket. I guess she had the #s memorized.

She looks like she has trouble remembering her name let alone 6 #s.

[Shelby]

Only in Maryland could this sheet happen.

http://wbal.com/article/88487/21/template-story/Glen-Burnie-Man-Admits-Being-Fooled-About-Winning-Ticket

Sheesh. Unbelievable.

[Rookies]

A Brookhaven woman said her son, who lives in Maryland, is one of the Mega Millions lottery winners.

"He said, 'Mom, I hit the lottery,' I said, 'I know, I've been trying to tell you that,'" Linda Bobo said.

On Monday, a Maryland McDonald's employee claimed she was one of the winners of the $640 million jackpot. But lottery officials said there was no evidence to substantiate the woman's claim.

Bobo believes her son is the winner.

"I could almost cry because I'm so happy for him," Bobo said.

http://beta.local.yahoo.com/news-brookhaven-woman-claims-son-winning-lottery-ticket.html?

Well, too bad April Fools took on a new life here. I was hoping the woman's son might have spent a little ca$h on changing his NAME! :lol: