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JimF
USA
1014 Posts |
 Posted - 01/28/2004 : 22:16:57
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No this thread is not about that facet of legalized gambling called cat adjusting or farming, but about the other kind, where you pay a dollar and buy a real ticket for a chance to win millions.
Since I live in NC, which is one of the last bastions of government enforced morality in the US, I either have to drive up to Virginia or purchase a lottery ticket when I'm on the road and in a lottery state.
All of this got me to wondering how many of you either play the lottery when you're at home in a state which allows it, or when you're on the road?
Do you play regularly?
Which lottery do you play?
How much do you wager?
And do any of you have any "winning" stories, even if it is just a friend, neighbor or relative?
Or, are there those here who prefer the tables in Las Vegas or Atlantic City? |
Edited by - JimF on 01/28/2004 22:18:28 |
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KileAnderson
USA
875 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 22:33:08
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Well, I usually don't buy a ticket until the jackpot is way up there like over $150 million. I'd hate to win and only get a couple of million. The return on that $1 investment is potentially so much greater when the jackpot is higher.
I have never won a dime on the lottery, but a few weeks ago a friend of mine had coupons for free buffets at the riverboat casino in Metropolis, Il, which is about 3 miles from my hotel. While there I was just killing time feeding the quarter slots and I was looking around the casino as the wheels spun and all of a sudden I heard a siren, when I turned around I had hit the jackpot on my machine. $625 for a quarter. Not bad. I only brought $10 with me and I walked away with $630 and a belly full of prime rib and a couple of ounces of watered down Jack Daniels. Not a bad afternoon. |
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catmanager
USA
102 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 23:18:21
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I usually play every Wed & Sat. Nothing major, either $1 or $5 worth. I live just across the border from Charlotte in SC, so pick your #'s Jim, I'll mail you the tickets. I'm not big on the scratch offs, though. No winnings to report, except for a couple of hundred dollars back in TX. If you want to go crazy, NY has games every hour!!!
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katadj
USA
315 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2004 : 09:03:38
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Like Kile, when the Powerball gets to 200+ Million , we try and participate.
Only thing is we only maybe get back 20% of what we invest in the first place. Not a good ROI, but , IF (and thats the smallest big word there is), we hit BIG.
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CCarr
Canada
1200 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2004 : 09:40:51
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I'm from the land of tax free lottery winnings and tax free casino wins. There is seemingly no end to the type of lottery or frequency; from daily, biweekly or weekly draws, the latter two always in the millions.
Two very long ago casino trips are still interesting to tell to people, mostly that are much younger than myself.
In 1971, in a great Firemans Fund branch office, a bunch of us yet to be weaned pups, sitting around the table at one of our Thursday night quarter poker games in January, with great bravado hatched the idea and decided we should all go to Vegas for a few days in February. We were in Ottawa, but you could get 3 nights out of Toronto and stay at the big Hilton for $199. That number seems pretty silly now, but it was serious money back then.
Problem was, what would we tell our women, to justify our absence? Between the 7 of us everyone was 'hitched' to some degree; whether it be a 'steady', a shack up, or a young bride. Five of the guys wimped saying that there was no way they could get away alone for 3 days - let alone Vegas - without their woman, while myself and another thought we could.
I knew I'd never get away undetected from a Vegas trip, relying on some ruse of only going to some guys cold cottage or camp for a card and / or woodcutting weekend. They were periodically allowed, but I always came home looking the part - unshaven, dishevelled and generally foul looking and smelling. It's just a guy thing, whereas Vegas at that time was a 'dress up' environment.
So we developed the greatest of plans or scheme of that year. The five pecked guys would start a month in advance to accumulate the appropriate wardrobe from home and start stashing it at the office. A pair of socks every Monday, shorts every Tuesday, a dress shirt every now and then, etc, and at some point pretend to throw the almost done tube of toothpaste out. None of this would ever get home again, with the daily soiled items discarded in the Hilton trash.
It was a great plan and coupled with a level of secrecy that we thought was unparalled. Two nights before departure I took my woman - who ended up being my long time and only bride - out to dinner and slowly and carefully unfolded the plan for our Thursday junket and begged only for her vow of secrecy. My openness and planning ability I thought dazzled her, relative to the dastardly schemes of my cohorts on their loving women; playing that to my full advantage. With only minor reluctance and receiving the promise of future and many gifts, she agreed to not leak our adventure and gave me the requisite blessing for my journey.
Our flight out of Ottawa wasn't until 9.00 PM, allowing the gang of 7 to gather and gloat at our favorite watering hole - draft was 2 for a quarter and served in real glasses. Others from the office joined us and soon wondered about our extra level of cockiness and jubilance. Of course, one of the wimps had to tell of our imminent adventure; while we waited for another round.
Anyway, off we went, the Vegas strip and downtown, and everything about it was as fascinating then as it can be now. Back then I was capable and did stay up for the entire time, never putting my head on a pillow to sleep; but did need physical encouragement to make it through the LA airport to catch our Toronto flight. The others had jettisoned their soiled clothes, and a celebratory cocktail or two was had by all on the return flight.
However, it was a sad next day at work on Monday. The leak that was sprung at the watering hole on Thursday night, spread among the afflicted women over the weekend; causing one partnership casualty and numerous relationship injuries.
I'm thankful to this day, that I never had to 'apply' very hard for a 'pass', and always chose that route for any of our great adventures.
'These days', there are big and small casinos all around me, within a 20 minute to a 2 hour drive. Whether that is here, or in most places in the States, it is amazing that the greatest of all meccas - Vegas - keeps on getting bigger and better. And, this on top of all of the online casinos, just a fingertip away. |
Edited by - CCarr on 01/29/2004 09:50:58 |
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ChuckDeaton
USA
373 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2004 : 09:50:11
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Lightning, lightning from a clear blue sky, is more likely to strike than you should win a lottery under the best of circumstances. I know that, but I also know that someone always wins and I know that you have to play to win.
I play the lottery. I really like my dollar invested in a big powerball.
The firery pit of anticipation. God what if I won. BMW's for everybody, a block party. I would put Jack Whitaker to shame. |
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KileAnderson
USA
875 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2004 : 13:06:48
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Jennifer, I will hate to stray from the topic but I felt a little compelled to respond to your statement about the lottery being a regressive tax.
A tax is completely non-voluntary otherwise it would be called a donation. Playing the lottery is completely voluntary. Therefore at most it would be considered a donation, not a tax.
Yes the lottery is a very poor investment. If you are using the lottery as your retirement planning you are a fool indeed. But lets not let that get in the way of a little fun.
(Sorry guys, I was just having a little fun, I've sense edited my previous comments, although I agree with them 100 percent they had nothing to do with the thread. If anyone want's to know what was said, just PM me and I'll forward a copy of my statement to you) |
Edited by - KileAnderson on 01/29/2004 17:25:22 |
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olderthendirt
USA
370 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2004 : 13:59:49
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| Wonderfull thoughts, tell it ot the kids going to school hungery, the man who dies without proper medical or the homeless guy (likely schitzo) looking in garbage cans. And it's all their fault so you can sleep better tonight. |
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CCarr
Canada
1200 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2004 : 14:24:48
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| Amazing how predictable it gets. Here is another harmless thread that quickly came to a junction and went right then left; all away from the topic title. |
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katadj
USA
315 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2004 : 15:23:49
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Attaboy Jim.
I think one of the moderators stared the whole debaucle.
NOW, who you gonna trust with your words? |
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khromas
USA
103 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2004 : 16:45:31
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I generally will play the lottery at home (Texas) and wherevever I might be working storms. Most I have ever won was $150.00 so I am still deep in the hole! I consider it 'an investment in a daydream'!
As for casinos - Craps is my game! I never throw the dice (Momma always told me she'd better never catch me throwing dice! She forgot to say anything about BETTING on them!) and I make one bet - DON'T PASS LINE. I will back it with odds on 4 and 10 occasionally. These bets are considered playing the house side and while I generally will not make a killing on a single roll or series of rolls, I almost always come out ahead over the course of the evening. |
Kevin Hromas |
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Gale
USA
231 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2004 : 17:10:59
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| I am not sure what a regressive tax is but I know many lottery players bet a large percentage of their net worth. Just up the street from our current location is a "Quick Stop" type business that has some really good fried chicken. From time to time I am eating there between 7-9 PM and there is a steady stream of people coming in their numbers selected like it is going to make a difference. It is a sad thing but I guess for most of them it is about the only way they will ever have much money but then it would not last long based what research I have read. |
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Playing The "Lottery"
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