Do You Play The Lottery?

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Arlene Richards, Feb 2, 2016.

  1. Arlene Richards

    Arlene Richards Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2015
    Messages:
    2,002
    Likes Received:
    534
    Now that the frenzy of the big Powerball is over, let’s chat.

    1) Do you play the lottery? Online or scratch offs?
    2) How much do you spend per month on lottery tickets?
    3) Have you ever won much (over $100) or do you personally know anyone who has won really big money in the lottery?

    I’ll go first.


    Yes, I’ve played the online games for about 20 years (rarely buy scratch offs).
    I spend $10-$20 a month on lottery tickets.
    I’ve won $1,000 three times, $100 several times (I’d guess about 5 times), and $10 - $50 a few dozen times.
    A former co-worker won $3 million, my aunt won $5,000, and a friend won $10,000 on a scratch off.
    Another thing: I never play hoping to win the huge jackpot (millions). Odds of winning smaller prizes are much better. ($1,000 - $100K is a good return on $2 investment!)
     
    #1
    Yvonne Smith likes this.
  2. Shirley Martin

    Shirley Martin Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2015
    Messages:
    56,164
    Likes Received:
    23,703
    I buy a ticket once in a while when I think about it. Not that I expect to win but who knows. I did win three dollars one time. :D
     
    #2
    Ruby Begonia likes this.
  3. Corie Henson

    Corie Henson Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2015
    Messages:
    2,880
    Likes Received:
    2,466
    My idea of lottery is to give my dreams some realization by hoping. It is nice to dream of being rich or hitting it big time but if there is no hope of realization then that dream is nothing. With a lotto ticket, I can dream big like what to do if I won the jackpot. And my wont is to keep my ticket and check on the winning number after a week of publication. That gives me another week of hoping, hahahaaah. But I only buy lotto tickets when I have extra money since I also consider it gambling when I buy too often. Besides, it is my way of contributing to charity.
     
    #3
    Ruby Begonia likes this.
  4. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2015
    Messages:
    12,826
    Likes Received:
    8,830
    Once in a while my wife will spend out $10 in Lottery tix, but as for me, just give me $100 and put me on a $1 slot machine. I've won $1000. $500, $200.......these are the big ones, but we sure had fun with the money I won.
     
    #4
  5. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2015
    Messages:
    19,089
    Likes Received:
    18,918
    I only play when the powerball is really big. Don't think I've spent more than $5 a year on any type of lottery tickets.

    I have spent more on slot machines and have won $500 a few times and also won $1,800 once.
     
    #5
    Ruby Begonia and Terry Page like this.
  6. Krissttina Isobe

    Krissttina Isobe Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2015
    Messages:
    1,413
    Likes Received:
    1,497
    No, can't because it's illegal here in Hawaii. But I do play at pch.com it's free! You can play gmes and get tokens for prizes. You can become a pro gamer with a marathon of game playing and get a chance all month to win $2,500.00. It's all free and who knows you can be a winner for $5K every month. It's legal here in Hawaii, so why not play?
     
    #6
    Ruby Begonia likes this.
  7. Holly Saunders

    Holly Saunders Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2015
    Messages:
    51,949
    Likes Received:
    17,919
    I played once when it first started, and won £70.....I played again a few weeks later and won £10..for a £1 stake...I played a couple times more over the years , and lost.....so I stopped, I'm definitely not a risk taker where money is concerned :D:p
     
    #7
    Ruby Begonia likes this.
  8. Sheldon Scott

    Sheldon Scott Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2015
    Messages:
    2,995
    Likes Received:
    4,756
    I buy one ticket for every drawing for Powerball and Mega Millions which comes to six dollars a week. I've never won more than a few dollars but I always have hopes of hitting the big one.
     
    #8
    Ruby Begonia likes this.
  9. Ike Willis

    Ike Willis Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2015
    Messages:
    2,460
    Likes Received:
    6,012
    1) Do you play the lottery? Online or scratch offs?
    2) How much do you spend per month on lottery tickets?
    3) Have you ever won much (over $100) or do you personally know anyone who has won really big money in the lottery?

    1. I usually buy one powerball ticket a week.
    2. About $8.
    3. In 1994 I won $100,000.00. Won lots of smaller amounts.
     
    #9
    Ruby Begonia and Chrissy Cross like this.
  10. Arlene Richards

    Arlene Richards Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2015
    Messages:
    2,002
    Likes Received:
    534
    WOW! Nice. :)
     
    #10
    Ike Willis likes this.
  11. Holly Saunders

    Holly Saunders Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2015
    Messages:
    51,949
    Likes Received:
    17,919

    Ike that looks like one hundred million.:eek:..do you mean 100,000 ( one hundred thousand) ? ...how much tax did you pay on that?...In the Uk lottery winnings or any monetary prizes are Tax free, but I know in many states in the US you have to pay tax on it.
     
    #11
    Ike Willis likes this.
  12. Arlene Richards

    Arlene Richards Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2015
    Messages:
    2,002
    Likes Received:
    534
    Holly, I read it as one hundred thousand (plus decimal points).
    Here (Ohio) a person would take home $69,000 after federal and state taxes. Some states such as California and Pennsylvania exempt lottery winnings and allow winner to keep the entire amount.

    Ike, what country/state did you live in when you won $100K?
     
    #12
    Holly Saunders likes this.
  13. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    14,967
    Likes Received:
    28,122
    I have seen you mention the pch.com games several times, @Krissttina Isobe . I remember getting all of the notice in the mail from Publisher's Clearing House , back when that was how they sent out most of their advertising campaigns.
    Then, I tried the online version; but that got me tons and tons (so-to-speak) of emails asking me to play some more; so now I avoid anything that looks even remotely close.
    However, since you have mentioned that you play all of the time, please tell us what you have won by playing. Maybe it was worth doing it, and I just didn't try for long enough; so if you have been winning, I might try it again.
     
    #13
    Krissttina Isobe likes this.
  14. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2015
    Messages:
    19,089
    Likes Received:
    18,918
    I didn't know that about California.
     
    #14
  15. Arlene Richards

    Arlene Richards Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2015
    Messages:
    2,002
    Likes Received:
    534
    Ten states, along with Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, don’t charge any state taxes on lottery winnings:
    California, Delaware, Florida, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/get-there/wp/2016/01/09/the-best-and-worst-states-for-winning-the-800-million-powerball-jackpot/


    While the Internal Revenue Service requires that 25 or 28 percent of lottery winnings be withheld for federal income tax, you'll owe even more if you win a lot of money.

    http://classroom.synonym.com/much-federal-taxes-held-lottery-winnings-20644.html
     
    #15

Share This Page