Who wants to be a billionaire (almost)

[statsman]

The anonymity isn’t to protect you from beggars, it’s to protect you from thieves, kidnappers and frivolous lawsuits.

That would be my concern. You could win one of the smaller amounts, say a cash value of $1-10 million, and most likely people would leave you alone except for a few wanting to invest it for you. Beyond that, it becomes an issue with privacy and safety.

 

[RobbieB]

No Problem.

Half a billion, buy gated mansion for 50 million, armed guards, limo, chefs and maids.

 

[RetiredAtThirty-eight]

I am a firm believer that you don't buy the ticket to win (yes, I know technically you can). You buy the ticket for the 30 minutes or so of day dreaming about what you would do with the $ if you had it - give it to charity, never fly commercial again are two of my biggies!

To me, that's worth the $2 (or whatever they cost).

Why can't you just plan to buy the ticket when you go grocery shopping the next day, spend 30 minutes day dreaming about what you would do with the money if you win and then opt out of buying the ticket and putting the money where it has better odds of actually growing, like say, your brokerage account?

Seems like a win to me. Lotteries have worse odds than most casinos. They only pay back less than half the amount bet and you don't have to waste the money on a ticket to dream about what you would do if you won.

 

[Sunset]

Why can't you just plan to buy the ticket when you go grocery shopping the next day, spend 30 minutes day dreaming about what you would do with the money if you win and then opt out of buying the ticket and putting the money where it has better odds of actually growing, like say, your brokerage account?

Seems like a win to me. Lotteries have worse odds than most casinos. They only pay back less than half the amount bet and you don't have to waste the money on a ticket to dream about what you would do if you won.

But if you buy the ticket 2 days in advance, you get to day dream for 2 days!

Even when a person loses, they can massage their conscience knowing that a large part of the cost goes to fund some "good" thing like schools, or charities. Compared to a casino that funds the owner's pocket.

If the $2->$100 I might spend in a year on lotteries was needed to be invested to live, I shouldn't be on this site.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

I don't want to burst your bubble but that's not going to be enough money to lunch with WB and Gates.. I'd definitely do lunch with you though...I can offer you some excellent investment opportunities.

I love the idea to honor your wife's memory..

Incorrect. Warren Buffet auctions off a lunch with himself every year. In 2019 the winning bid was 4.5 million. Scrapr would be able to afford it if he won.

 

[wrigley]

Whatever I wanted to do for the rest of my life!


Mike

 

[Nick12]

If I won I would not make my name public as the winner, take the lump sum payout .

 

[Dtail]

No Problem.

Half a billion, buy gated mansion for 50 million, armed guards, limo, chefs and maids.

Plus your Blow your dough list would multiply.

 

[Dtail]

But if you buy the ticket 2 days in advance, you get to day dream for 2 days!

Even when a person loses, they can massage their conscience knowing that a large part of the cost goes to fund some "good" thing like schools, or charities. Compared to a casino that funds the owner's pocket.

If the $2->$100 I might spend in a year on lotteries was needed to be invested to live, I shouldn't be on this site.

That's how we feel.

 

[FLSUnFIRE]

But if you buy the ticket 2 days in advance, you get to day dream for 2 days!

My gambling budget is small ~$10/yr but when I buy a ticket I wait weeks to check it and extend the day dreaming. FL Lottery doubled their cost to $2 for a basic ticket and $2 is expensive day-dreaming. I did buy a Mega Millions for the 8th that I still haven't checked. I know I didn't win the big one from the news but still can daydream that I was one number off and have a few $ coming my way till I check it.


For a huge jackpot I'd keep mum and form a trust or corp to claim the big ticket. Help out some people I know anonymously and pretty much enjoy what I enjoy now, just more of it. I'd also stop suffering OMY syndrome!

 

[Music Lover]

Yeah, we'd live better, donate more, etc...

But the fun thing I would do is buy a larger house and build a dedicated rehearsal space for my bands full of high end equipment. No one would have to schlep gear back and forth to rehearsal because it would have duplicates of their personal gear. Every time we had a gig we'd just show up and play because someone else would haul gear and set everything up.

 

[Philliefan33]

I’m in the “$2 worth of mental math and daydreams” camp.

A few years ago I saw an article that suggested to write a list of the first ten things you would buy if you won the big lottery. Then list the next ten things. For me, #8 on the list was some new wool socks.

I didn’t win the big lottery but I bought myself some new wool socks.

 

[GravitySucks]

My gambling budget is small ~$10/yr but when I buy a ticket I wait weeks to check it and extend the day dreaming. FL Lottery doubled their cost to $2 for a basic ticket and $2 is expensive day-dreaming. I did buy a Mega Millions for the 8th that I still haven't checked. I know I didn't win the big one from the news but still can daydream that I was one number off and have a few $ coming my way till I check it.


For a huge jackpot I'd keep mum and form a trust or corp to claim the big ticket. Help out some people I know anonymously and pretty much enjoy what I enjoy now, just more of it. I'd also stop suffering OMY syndrome!

Me too.
Schrödinger's lottery ticket. It's both a winner and a loser until I check it.

 

[ivinsfan]

Incorrect. Warren Buffet auctions off a lunch with himself every year. In 2019 the winning bid was 4.5 million. Scrapr would be able to afford it if he won.

Now to get bill gates on board at the same lunch....

 

[folivier]

Hmmm, buy a ranch in the mountains with a ranch foreman to manage it. Gotta have good hunting and be cool in the summers. Then a Caribbean villa with great diving right in front, with a caretaker and housekeeper/cook, probably Bonaire. Then a couple more places in other countries to live incognito. Have cash, gold and silver in a safe for harsh times at each place. Sign up with a private jet company to fly anywhere anytime. Spend a month or 2 in high end rentals in Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, and a few other places. Upgrade our house to a few acres in an exclusive area near the kids. Set up a foundation to give away scholarships at my disgression, managed by people I set up. For the kids give them each a credit card with a yearly $20k limit or so. Take them, especially the grandkids, on trips whenever they can get away. Basically I would try to minimize my exposure to outsiders. Now what to do with the other 200+ million? There's always next year....

 

[Scrapr]

Now to get bill gates on board at the same lunch....

Maybe i just have to learn how to play bridge & they need a 4th.

I worry that if Robbie won he would have to move from his house....and he just redid his beautiful backyard! What a hard choice

 

[ponyboy]

I wish someone would win both powerball and mega millions. What a colossal waste of time of everyone dreaming about what they would do with the money. Sooner someone wins, the sooner people we can all stop hearing about it.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

I’m in the “$2 worth of mental math and daydreams” camp.

A few years ago I saw an article that suggested to write a list of the first ten things you would buy if you won the big lottery. Then list the next ten things. For me, #8 on the list was some new wool socks.

I didn’t win the big lottery but I bought myself some new wool socks.

I can't be the only one that would like to hear the other 9 things on the list if you feel like sharing.

 

[Souschef]

The thing is that the posters in general, are knowledgeable about finances. Google "Lottery Winners' Problems" and see the nightmares these people have caused themselves.

 

[foxfirev5]

I told DW if we won we would have to move since our house situated in a vulnerable location. However, she still bought a ticket even though she loves our house. I don't understand.
Furthermore, winning would involve much more effort than I'm prepared to expend. In short I've got enough so leave me alone. ��

 

[Nemo2]

We buy some tickets; we're not spenders, so it's no budget biggee.

Our chuckles about imaginary wins primarily pertain to surprise giveaways - "Grab the passports and the grandkids, brush up on your Polish/Australian/whatever, and we'll meet you at the airport"

 

[MichaelB]

We buy some tickets; we're not spenders, so it's no budget biggee.

Our chuckles about imaginary wins primarily pertain to surprise giveaways - "Grab the passports and the grandkids, brush up on your Polish/Australian/whatever, and we'll meet you at the airport"

You’d travel with all them? My fantasy lottery win is more like the kids saying “have you heard from dad? He sent a check a couple of months ago and hasn’t answered any of my texts or emails since then. I wonder where he is ...”

 

[Nemo2]

You’d travel with all them? My fantasy lottery win is more like the kids saying “have you heard from dad?

Ah, but I've never been, nor will I ever be, a parent. I'm an 'Opa' with five granddaughters, and I'd like to take them to countries they've never dreamed of, and likely never even heard of.

To introduce them to the world would be an absolute hoot.

 

[Philliefan33]

I can't be the only one that would like to hear the other 9 things on the list if you feel like sharing.

I won’t bore everyone. How exciting can the list be, if #8 is wool socks?

 

[KenZ71]

Some states require winners to be public knowledge. Logic being if it is public the people know it is not a scam.

Wonder if it would be possible to gift the ticket to charity with understanding charity makes donor beneficiary of an annuity.

In reality might be better odds I run into both Betty White and Elle McPherson at the gas station while contributing to the Mathematically Challenged tax aka Lottery.