Reply #12: So, yeah...

[TreasonousBastard]

I buy a lotto ticket when I pick up the paper. Just one. For a buck. Let the machine pick the numbers-- I'm not gonna win anyway.

So, I got this lousy cup of coffee in the QuickCheck, and I'm in line behind this bimbo who's buying $250 of pick 3's pick 4's and godknowswhatall, but they have to be straight, boxed, tarred, feathered, or whatever.

All I want is my lousy coffee for $1.39 and I don't have exact change to drop on the counter.

"3-9-7 straight and boxed"

"4-3-6-8 straight and boxed..."

"Here's 50 tickets for the Big Game..."

"Two Baseball scratchoffs, 3 Bingo scratchoffs..."

By now the damned cofee is cold, and I'm wondering if I want another, but I have to get to the back of the line. The very long line.

Now, they have two drawings a day!

Raise my taxes if you must, but get rid of the damned lotteries!

Teach people that putting their money in the bank is a much better deal than paying 200-1 on odds of 999-1. Lotteries are a tax on the poor and stupid. Or at least mathematically challenged. And these payouts would be illegal in Atlantic city. Only the State is allowed to blatantly rob gamblers.

Let them play their numbers with their bookies, who give them much better payouts.