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Old 01-09-2016, 07:08 PM   #81
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DH bought one quickpick ticket this afternoon. He did not spend a second $1 for the Power Play option, which would double any nonjackpot prize. Good news: the odds of winning something are 25 to 1 Powerball - How To Play Come on, $1 prize so we can tell everyone we won the Powerball!
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Old 01-09-2016, 07:33 PM   #82
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Chipped in $8 at w*rk for 2 different pools.

All I really want to win is $225,000. That would be a nice "attitude adjustment" amount.
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Old 01-09-2016, 07:38 PM   #83
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I was surprised when my aging father started buying lottery tickets.
It seemed to give him some pleasure in the last 15 years of his life.
I don't think I will ever buy even one lottery ticket but then I didn't
think my dad would either.
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Old 01-09-2016, 07:46 PM   #84
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If you get just the Powerball (1 in 26 numbers) and nothing else, you will win $4, or double your money.

And if you also have two or more of the white balls, you win more. For example, if you get 2 white balls in addition to the Powerball, you'll get $7. The odds of that is 1 in 701.

So, you can see that from $4 to $7, the odds go down significantly. And the odds drop quickly like that all the way to the jackpot.
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Old 01-09-2016, 07:46 PM   #85
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I've bought lottery tickets on and off for many years. I few weeks ago, I won $500 by matching 4 of the 5 regular balls and no powerball. It was interesting how exciting it was to actually see some of my numbers match. I had to do a double take just to make sure. I can't imagine what it's like to see all of the numbers or even the 5 regular balls (which would payout a million).

Anyway, I have about $20 in tickets for tonight. I imagine when I retire, I'll keep it to no more than one. After all, lightning is either going to strike or it isn't. It's fun to dream for a little while.
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Powerball at least 800 million,are you playing and how many tickets will you ...
Old 01-09-2016, 08:33 PM   #86
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Powerball at least 800 million,are you playing and how many tickets will you ...

I had to come back on here to post what I found. Go to www.powerball.com/pb_contact.asp and read the Powerball FAQs. Surprisingly funny. Some gems:

MY NUMBERS ARE: XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX; DID I WIN?
We can't check the numbers for a million folks a week. You can check your numbers on the website. Teach a man to fish.

HOW DO I CLAIM MY PRIZE?
...In a few places, there are "super retailers"...Look for a clerk wearing a cape and tights.

IS THERE A SECRET TO IMPROVE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING POWERBALL?
...Swinging a live chicken above your head while wishing for the future numbers does NOT work. There is no improvement to be had by swinging a dead chicken. Although I have not tested it, swinging a bucket of extra crispy is not likely to work either.

DO POWERBALL TICKETS EXPIRE?
Yes. The Universe is decaying and nothing lasts forever.


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Old 01-09-2016, 08:40 PM   #87
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My DW asked me to buy $20 of tickets with her favorite numbers. Just pocketed the money and didn't buy the tickets. Not even worried.
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Old 01-09-2016, 09:06 PM   #88
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Powerball winning numbers for 1/9/2016: 32-16-19-57-34 and Powerball 13

I bought 5 tickets...30 numbers... had one.
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Old 01-09-2016, 09:45 PM   #89
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Originally Posted by pb4uski View Post
Powerball winning numbers for 1/9/2016: 32-16-19-57-34 and Powerball 13

I bought 5 tickets...30 numbers.. had one...
I bought 5 tickets...30 numbers.. had two!

Ah, well. Back to w#rk on Monday.
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Old 01-09-2016, 09:51 PM   #90
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Powerball winning numbers for 1/9/2016: 32-16-19-57-34 and Powerball 13

I bought 5 tickets...30 numbers... had one.
I did better than you - I bought 2 tickets and had 1 number. I only lost $4. I win!
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Old 01-09-2016, 09:57 PM   #91
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Powerball winning numbers for 1/9/2016: 32-16-19-57-34 and Powerball 13

I bought 5 tickets...30 numbers... had one.
Drat, I have those numbers on my ticket but in the wrong order. Oh well. At least I can claim the $4 for getting the Powerball.
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Old 01-09-2016, 09:59 PM   #92
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Powerball winning numbers for 1/9/2016: 32-16-19-57-34 and Powerball 13



I bought 5 tickets...30 numbers... had one.

Beat me. 3 tickets, no numbers.

I think this game is rigged.
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Old 01-09-2016, 10:21 PM   #93
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zero numbers on one ticket.

But my wife brought home chocolate chip mint ice cream - Eddy's Slow Churned for my consolation prize.

heh heh heh - to which I added Hersey's syrup and some peanuts.
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Old 01-09-2016, 10:40 PM   #94
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I never quite understood the mass enthusiasm for JUST these big jackpots... If someone wins even a relatively 'small' lottery of $40M, their lives will be radically changed. The lottery masses don't seem to get interested at that amount, they only get excited when it's over a few hundred million. Then the ticket sales just shoot thru the roof. My feeling is if your jazzed at $800M, you should be similarly excited at $40M too.
The odds are the same regardless of the jackpot size, but with 900 MM you can dream bigger than 40 MM.
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Old 01-09-2016, 10:44 PM   #95
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My DW asked me to buy $20 of tickets with her favorite numbers. Just pocketed the money and didn't buy the tickets. Not even worried.
You will be if the winning numbers are her favorite numbers.......
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Old 01-09-2016, 10:56 PM   #96
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$40M is just enough for me. $800M and I can afford to be generous with the family. Friends however, that'll take a bit more I'm afraid....
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Old 01-10-2016, 02:00 AM   #97
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There was no winner.

Good grief, it is up to 1.3 billion now.
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Old 01-10-2016, 05:26 AM   #98
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My DW asked me to buy $20 of tickets with her favorite numbers. Just pocketed the money and didn't buy the tickets. Not even worried.

That would be the one instance I can imagine where not purchasing lottery tickets would have given me poor odds...
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Old 01-10-2016, 08:15 AM   #99
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For DW (and okay, me too a little bit) it's buying a few days of daydreams for entertainment for $2. Haven't you ever spent $2 or more on something just because it's fun? We are not so delusional that we think there's a snowball's chance we'll actually win anything. It is just for the entertainment value.

But still, somebody's gonna win it....
I have bought in the past, but only when hanging around people that would be talking about what they'd do if they won. Otherwise, I'd not get the entertainment of chiming-in with my ideas. Not around such people this time.
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Old 01-10-2016, 08:52 AM   #100
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The odds are the same regardless of the jackpot size, but with 900 MM you can dream bigger than 40 MM.
I can't even come up with dreams big enough for 40 MM. Obviously no imagination!
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