Fascinating Lottery Story

[BobPalma]

For the record: I dislike state-run lotteries because I believe preying on the weakness of the governed is not a legitimate function of government.

That said, this is a long but fascinating story that, like a good novel, I couldn't "put down" until I was done reading it! Amazing:

http://highline.huffingtonpost.com/articles/en/lotto-winners/

[sweetolbob]

Interesting story and pretty close to home. Evart is now the home of a water bottling giant that is running into issues as it pays about nothing for the water.

In a similar vein, When I retired a number of us gathered at a local bar owned by a friend for coffee in the morning. The gal that tended bar was in her late 50's and a bright gal. The state installed a Keno lottery machine that had a large TV screen that displayed the numbers on a continuous basis as the games only lasted a short time.

Jan had little to do other than make coffee and kibitz with we old farts so she started studying the winning numbers of each game. After a couple of weeks she was winning several game a week probably totaling anywhere from $100 - $700/ game. Nothing illegal and the owner didn't care as long as she held up her end of the bar tending. There was, of course, her cost of buying tickets that offset the winnings but she stayed well ahead of the game.

It continued for a couple of years until the bar owner decided to open the bar later in the day as we didn't provide much profit with our coffee drinking.

I asked Jan how she did it and she said that certain numbers just stuck in her mind as they kept reappearing and she'd bet those. Of course with time the predominate number kept changing but I marveled at how she could remember the dominate ones as they kept changing with time.

Bob

[avanti-hawk]

Good story, well written! Here in Canada we also have lotteries. Never been a fan of them, but on occasion I've bought a ticket, still poor! Since casino's have been brought in to take money from the addicted gamblers here in Ontario I've seen some ugly and sad results.

[t walgamuth]

For the record: I dislike state-run lotteries because I believe preying on the weakness of the governed is not a legitimate function of government.

That said, this is a long but fascinating story that, like a good novel, I couldn't "put down" until I was done reading it! Amazing:

http://highline.huffingtonpost.com/a...lotto-winners/

I agree totally Bob. The pols got it passed by saying it would go to education.....turns out most of it goes for advertising the lottery.

[Blue 15G]

A friend of mine summed it up best when he said that a state run lottery is just a tax on the mathematically challenged.

[Buzzard]

Fascinating read, thanks Bob.
I guess I am just not the most patient person around.
Bill

[Dick LeRoux]

Keeps my son employed. He runs the ad campaign for the lottery in this state. No longer on the payroll, life is good.

[52-fan]

Very interesting story. I have never been that interested in math.

[t walgamuth]

I just finished reading the whole story. They worked hard to win all that money. I'd never do it.