Winning the Mega Millions

Do you play the lottery?  It seems today, and the past few days, every where I turn, TV, Radio, even the 7-Eleven  around the corner from my house, people have lost their minds.

Standing in line to buy a 1 in 175 million chance at winning a fortune, not really my thing.  I enjoy playing the odds, but I prefer to do it on my own terms and with much better chances.

I enjoy an day at the Indian casino playing the penny and nickle slots.  I enjoy a scratcher or playing keno in a restaurant while waiting for my Sunday morning bloody mary breakfast.  I can even buy into playing some of the lesser known lottery games with significantly smaller jackpots but greatly increased odds. I'm not greedy, I don't need to win a half billion dollars, I could do just fine with $10,000 or $100,000. Enough to pay off my debts and enjoy life a little and still leave something in the bank for a rainy day. :) 

Today's jackpot is a half a billion dollars.  If you are the winner they suggest that you take the pay of nearly 375 million after taxes. You see if you were to take payments because of the changes in taxes to the wealthy next year, you would lose another 75 million dollars.  They say if your going to play records show that there is a 50/50 split in winners who went with quick picks and those who picked their own numbers.  As Clint Eastwood says in his role as Dirty Harry " Do you feel lucky? Well.. Do you?". 

If your going to play, experts tell you to avoid the number 3, 7, and 11 because they are most commonly picked by people and least common in the actual results.  You should also pick numbers less than 31. The most common two numbers to show up on large jackpots like this one are 28 and 29. 

The best advice I've heard today came from my radio show jock this morning on my drive in, and I've already eluded to it, play a smaller lottery. While every one rushes to throw their hat in the ring for the big win, your odds of winning the smaller pots increase, substantially.

As for me, I think I'll hold on to my money this holiday season, I can appreciate the fascination and fantasy of quick and easy money, but I also find value in being fiscally responsible.  That shoeless woman without a coat  who reeks of cigarettes and booze at 7:00 a.m. should not be spending her public assistance money on lottery tickets.

If you are going to play, let me wish you luck Hunger Games style as I say "May the odds be ever in your favor".  If you do win, remember me, I am your friend, your relative, your next door neighbor, your co-worker, and you love me. :)