Buying tickets to the mega-million(billion!) lottery?
By Marie Coyle
@MarieCoyle (38999)
August 7, 2023 3:44pm CST
Read this article on the chances of winning as of today. Talk about needing a miracle.
I know a family that owns several businesses that sell lotto tickets. Their hint to me, if I ever want to buy tickets? Buy the regular daily lotto tickets when the mega million games start climbing way up in $. Why? Because no one is buying them, and your chances of winning greatly increase!
Anyway, the chances of winning tomorrow night as of right now are 1 in 302.6 million.
ONE in 302.6 million. In other words, a huge miracle! But the lines to buy tickets get longer every time. Today the line at the gas station to buy tickets was literally going out the door.
https://apnews.com/article/mega-millions-jackpot-155-billion-tuesday-b588a87889a4ba7ff27c1ee8a9a24fc6
18 people like this
19 responses
@MarieCoyle (38999)
•
7 Aug 23
It always amazes me how many extremely elderly people stand in line and spend their last dollar on lottery tickets, Valerie.
3 people like this
@AmbiePam (94354)
• United States
7 Aug 23
I have never bought a lottery ticket. I felt sorry for two women in one of my college classes once. The look on their faces when our Statistics professor told them the odds of them winning the lottery was just sad. I thought everyone knew how rare it was. People just tend to believe they might be the one who experiences the miracle. And for whoever does? God bless them. I wish nothing but safety and wisdom for the winners.
3 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
•
7 Aug 23
I have heard of more than one family where the parents bought lotto tickets or gambled so much, the kids didn't have enough to eat. There needs to be more self control with all of this, but of course, no one can control someone else's actions or how they spend their money.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
•
8 Aug 23
@allknowing
It got really big last year, and I had a wild moment and bought 2 tickets. This year so far, none. I am not a gambler...maybe, but it won't be but one or two, which is rather silly.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137860)
• United States
7 Aug 23
Lotteries are a tax on the poor... I wish they were all outlawed but the money is how our state governments pay for a lot of the crap they do instead of increasing our taxes.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137860)
• United States
8 Aug 23
@MarieCoyle Yes, it does... and it pays for a lot of good things... but, the various governments always waste a lot of the money, too. Instead of funding research on what makes pigs go feral, and yes, that's one of the things Missouri wasted money on last year, they could funnel more of it into the school system.
In my uneducated opinion, any animal would prefer to go feral rather than possibly be slaughtered and eaten.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
•
8 Aug 23
Yes, that is the way they justify lottery. It certainly does generate a ton of money.
Funny how our country survived so many years without lottery or video gaming machines in restaurants.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
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8 Aug 23
@DaddyEvil
I have to agree that the powers that be often do not spend wisely.
I remember back when the lottery started up, they promoted it by saying it helps schools. I think that's why everyone was ok with it. And yes, they do pay for a lot of good things, you are right.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220610)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 Aug 23
@MarieCoyle I bow my head.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
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9 Aug 23
@TheHorse
I did buy 2 lotto tickets last year. I was at the gas station, pumping gas. I found a $5 bill next to the pump, on the ground. So I bought two lotto tickets, one for my son, and one for me, and I still had $1 left. Not my money but I found it so...and no, I didn't win.
@MarieCoyle (38999)
•
8 Aug 23
Yes, there are plenty of people more than willing to spend big money on lottery tickets.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (104538)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
7 Aug 23
Thank you for sharing the advice on how to improve the chances of winning a huge payoff in the lottery.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
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7 Aug 23
I have no idea if what they said was true, but it may well be, and it certainly makes sense!
2 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (104538)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
8 Aug 23
@MarieCoyle That is true since winning lottery games is pure luck.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
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8 Aug 23
@Deepizzaguy
I've always said, the chances of winning are so very slim, just kiss the money goodbye, because you are no doubt just throwing it to the winds. But some people play lottery every single day! I don't know how they manage it but they do.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (182646)
• United States
8 Aug 23
No thanks to throwing my money away.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
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8 Aug 23
I think the chances of winning is so miniscule, it's not really worth it. The money in my hand is a sure thing, the lotto is not.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
•
8 Aug 23
I didn't buy a ticket. I think in the last 10 years I have purchased a lottery ticket twice, and not since last year.
@LadyDuck (472213)
• Switzerland
9 Aug 23
@MarieCoyle I would never do, it's so hard to win, it's wasted money.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
•
8 Aug 23
I am always surprised when I hear people say how they have purchased hundreds of dollars worth of tickets at once to try to win.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (108649)
• Marion, Ohio
7 Aug 23
The chance doesn't change. There is only so many combinations of the numbers. That decides the odds. Winning the whole thing by yourself does change
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (108649)
• Marion, Ohio
7 Aug 23
@MarieCoyle. That kind of money I could share it easily anyways.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
•
7 Aug 23
@wolfgirl569
We all could. It's a dream that very few people have come true!
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
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7 Aug 23
Yes, I didn't say it right, for sure, Eva. I learned that the other day when no one won the big prize. Duh, I feel dumb...it's about whether or not you can win the whole prize and not share the winnings.
1 person likes this
@mom210 (9115)
• United States
9 Aug 23
I'm proud to say I have never stood in one of those lines and never will. I have never purchased a ticket for any kind of lottery. It is all lost on me, I just don't get it, I can't get past the fact that I have to give them real money for a CHANCE to win some back. nope. But I am glad they are all having fun.
1 person likes this
@mom210 (9115)
• United States
14 Aug 23
@MarieCoyle goes back to, children should have a money educational class in high school. learn to budget. how much you really pay in taxes and so on.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
•
9 Aug 23
I think that sometimes, this just turns in to an addiction, just part of the old gambling addiction thing, and people have spent every dime they can get their hands on, to buy tickets. As I stated previously, I have heard of some people spending every dime they had on lotto tickets and been unable to feed their children. In my world, children are more important than playing the lottery.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
•
15 Aug 23
@mom210
I've been saying that for years. Even the old-school Home Economics class was beneficial to many. Some people just are not getting taught basic life skills at home, very sad indeed.
@moffittjc (121775)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Aug 23
I was told to do the same thing. Play the regular lottery when the mega jackpot gets really high. My only problem is that I always forget to stop and buy tickets! Haha
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121775)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Aug 23
@MarieCoyle Just because I said I always forget to buy tickets doesn't mean I forgot to buy tickets this time!
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
•
9 Aug 23
Oh, and here I was, hoping you were the new Florida winner in the biggie lotto! Shoot. Now we can't ask for a big loan. Oh, darn! 
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
•
10 Aug 23
@moffittjc
Let me know if you need my address to mail the check! LOL
1 person likes this
@BACONSTRIPSXXX (14377)
• West Haven, Connecticut
8 Aug 23
Chances are slim but you wont win if you dont play lol here at work we play it every friday
1 person likes this
@BACONSTRIPSXXX (14377)
• West Haven, Connecticut
8 Aug 23
@MarieCoyle Yeah that's what we do lol , 1.5 billion there's more than enough to go around, buy the company and fire everyone lol
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
•
8 Aug 23
@BACONSTRIPSXXX
Yes, you could do that! I hope you win big!
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
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8 Aug 23
Yes, I know people who play at work, they buy tickets together and if they win, they share it.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (182533)
• United States
8 Aug 23
The cash option is around $700 million I think. After taxes you could still do so much good. We would want to donate a big wad to St. Jude's Hospital and a few other charities. Enjoy your day. If you buy tickets...good luck!
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (182533)
• United States
9 Aug 23
@MarieCoyle You probably heard. One person in Florida won the $1.58 billion jackpot.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
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9 Aug 23
@LindaOHio
It was on the news earlier, yes. I hope they stay anonymous!
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
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8 Aug 23
No tickets purchased here. But yes, if I ever did win a large amount, there are some things I would like to do with some of it. St. Jude's does so, so much for children and their families.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (81006)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
7 Aug 23
Nope, just don't have that kind of money to spend but I am thinking of getting a scratch off and then getting one another month, Maybe I will get something,
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
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8 Aug 23
The lotto sellers do sell a lot of scratch off tickets, for sure.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (20038)
• United States
8 Aug 23
I will have to tell that to my mother. She gets lotto tickets.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
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8 Aug 23
I have no proof that this is actually true, but the family are long time friends, I’ve not known them to lie. Just take it with a grain of salt. 
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
•
8 Aug 23
When people do win big, they have to get a lawyer and they do not claim the prize until they have all their aces in their places, because of all the people wanting some of their newly acquired wealth. So, they don't tell anyone.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38999)
•
8 Aug 23
True, but I do think there would be plenty of money left to enjoy!
1 person likes this
@Shasha_ (1017)
• Envigado, Colombia
8 Aug 23
@MarieCoyle For sure there would be.
1 person likes this
