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Originally Posted by boost
the lottery has its merits. If you have any skill at managing money, you can live forever on even a smaller jackpot. Will you really ever miss 1$ a week, 4$ a month, 56$ a year, I mean really? Also as (I think) bode touched on, there is entertainment value. If you daydream about your winnings for 5 minutes, this is a way better entertainment value than buying cd, or going out to see a movie.
eh, maybe. probably. not the point. there are actually 52 weeks (and one, sometimes 2, days) in a year. proof. for some people. debatable although i disagree.
the 'will you ever miss $xx per ____' argument is really, really, really bad. I'll do my best to explain.. even though you might not 'miss' that first dollar and you potentially could win millions, the odds are so fantastically remote that you are still getting WAY the worst of it. Even if it was a 0EV game, and it's not even close--especially considering taxes, that FIRST dollar (that you spent) is worth WAY MORE (relatively) to you than the LAST dollar (that you won from the prize). Decreasing marginal utility. Now if you can convince yourself (or have already been convinced) with the whole, you'll never miss $1 but you could win millions argument, and that makes you happy, that is very valid reason to play. Which brings me to my next point...
the only real reason to play the lottery is if it makes you happy. as i said before, it won't go away in our lifetimes because it makes the gov't money.
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