Plus $1 billion...

[Aegon]

Nowt wrong with gambling, but odds of 300 000 000 to 1 against is a mug's game.

Boru

Yeah, but if it is 1.6 billion you are winning, it makes sense to buy a ticket.

And if you get a smaller prize (i.e. two numbers match) the payout at that level is much greater than average. That's my rationale for wasting my money today, anyway.

[onlinebiker]

A couple years back they added more numbers. My brother in law's stupid sister was elated - because she could now play her " favorite number".

It doesn't occur to the fetid drooler that the odds of winning just got a couple thousand times worse.

....

[chimp3]

I have to admit that I am slightly superstitious when it comes to the lottery. When I started buying tickets I decided that if I won I would foremost set my three children up for their and my grandchildrens lives. So, I picked numbers that correlate to the day and month of their birthdays. Now, I never buy a lottery ticket without buying these numbers and a quick pick. I don't believe my kids birthdays are magic numbers but if I looked up the winning numbers and they were my kids birthdays (and I did not buy those numbers) I would join a Bridge Club ( as in jumping off next Tuesday).

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The odds against winning are MUCH HIGHER if you don't play.

[Foxaèr]

My grandparents were habitual lottery ticket buyers. Never won anything their entire lives.

I always thought it was a silly system, which was why I never participated.

Even in college statistics class we learned the extreme odds and how it's seriously not worth playing.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Then don't play.

[Foxaèr]

Then don't play.

Don't have to tell me twice. 

[Fireball]

"There's a sucker born every minute." — P.T. Barnum

I think Barnum under-estimated a bit....

How Mega Millions changed the odds to create a record-breaking $1.6 billion jackpot

Is a ticket 1$? It seems to me that anything over 302,000,000 dollars and you see the same return as odds.

They are $2, and probability doesn't work that way. You would think so, but people pick things like birthdays and so forth. Those picks will saturate the numbers from 1-12 especially, followed by the numbers up to 31, then other numbers up to whatever the top number is. A lot of winning numbers may not get picked because of that. This is just a rough description, off the top of my head. I'm certain that there may be other considerations.

[Joods]

I always just let the computer give me random numbers on my tickets. I always get the megaplier as well as the power play options for both games.

We don't play but maybe a few times a year. No skin off our noses if we don't hit the big jackpot. People who do play weekly though should consider saving their non winning tickets because according to their state, they might be eligible for a tax deduction, if you have enough other deductions to file a long form.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I always just let the computer give me random numbers on my tickets. I always get the megaplier as well as the power play options for both games.

We don't play but maybe a few times a year. No skin off our noses if we don't hit the big jackpot. People who do play weekly though should consider saving their non winning tickets because according to their state, they might be eligible for a tax deduction, if you have enough other deductions to file a long form.

You can only deduct loses equal to the amount you won.