The recent Powerball jackpot did not reach record territory that
would lead me to start a thread for it,but at approximately
$1,079,800,000 annuitized value it was the third-highest in the
history of that lottery,and was just won by a California ticketholder
with 39 other ticketholders matching only the 5 regular numbers but
not the Powerball...millions of others won lesser prizes or,for the
most part,none whatsoever.

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

But in the meantime, did you hear about THIS?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/a-man-unearthed-700-gold-coins-in-a-kentucky-cornfield-it-could-confirm-a-long-held-theory-about-how-southerners-protected-their-treasure-during-the-civil-war/ar-AA1e4L5N?ocid=mailsignout&pc=U591&cvid=c849d6e5681a44a1958b26cd06bc0043&ei=139

Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
> The recent Powerball jackpot did not reach record territory that
> would lead me to start a thread for it,but at approximately
> $1,079,800,000 annuitized value it was the third-highest in the
> history of that lottery,and was just won by a California ticketholder
> with 39 other ticketholders matching only the 5 regular numbers but
> not the Powerball...millions of others won lesser prizes or,for the
> most part,none whatsoever.

Tonight's Megamillions drawing was for a pot a little larger than
that,and rolled over to an estimated $1,250,000,000 annuitized
value for Friday (before about $600 million in taxes here).
That's just $287 million short of the record for the game,so I
may buy one ticket if it rolls again,though only certain if it
rolls twice.
> -=-=-
> The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
> at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
> Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>> The recent Powerball jackpot did not reach record territory that
>> would lead me to start a thread for it,but at approximately
>> $1,079,800,000 annuitized value it was the third-highest in the
>> history of that lottery,and was just won by a California ticketholder
>> with 39 other ticketholders matching only the 5 regular numbers but
>> not the Powerball...millions of others won lesser prizes or,for the
>> most part,none whatsoever.
>
> Tonight's Megamillions drawing was for a pot a little larger than
> that,and rolled over to an estimated $1,250,000,000 annuitized
> value for Friday (before about $600 million in taxes here).
> That's just $287 million short of the record for the game,so I
> may buy one ticket if it rolls again,though only certain if it
> rolls twice.

Draw day boost of $100 million (or about $50M after taxes)
makes it very likely a roll would be to a record.
(The aftertax lump value per Usamega.com is $343.6M here in NY
($415.5M in states that don't tax lottery prizes) and the cost
of buying every possible number combination is over $600M so
the expectation value of a ticket is still under the cost).

>> -=-=-
>> The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
>> at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
> Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>> Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>>> The recent Powerball jackpot did not reach record territory that
>>> would lead me to start a thread for it,but at approximately
>>> $1,079,800,000 annuitized value it was the third-highest in the
>>> history of that lottery,and was just won by a California ticketholder
>>> with 39 other ticketholders matching only the 5 regular numbers but
>>> not the Powerball...millions of others won lesser prizes or,for the
>>> most part,none whatsoever.
>>
>> Tonight's Megamillions drawing was for a pot a little larger than
>> that,and rolled over to an estimated $1,250,000,000 annuitized
>> value for Friday (before about $600 million in taxes here).
>> That's just $287 million short of the record for the game,so I
>> may buy one ticket if it rolls again,though only certain if it
>> rolls twice.
>
> Draw day boost of $100 million (or about $50M after taxes)
> makes it very likely a roll would be to a record.

Official estimate in the event of a rollover is annuitized
$1,550,000,000 (a record) and this could in turn see a boost
before Tuesday,so if no winner tonight(they forecast 35% of
the number combinations will be bought) I expect to buy a
$2 ticket tomorrow....provisional forecast is that 41.1% of
combinations would be bought for a rolled-over Tuesday drawing,
with forecast sales implying a boost to over $1,650,000,000
despite the estimate...a reset pot generally has about 3% of
combinations covered.

> (The aftertax lump value per Usamega.com is $343.6M here in NY
> ($415.5M in states that don't tax lottery prizes) and the cost
> of buying every possible number combination is over $600M so
> the expectation value of a ticket is still under the cost).

The PRE-tax lump value for Tuesday in the event of a rollover is
currently forecast at $757.2M (NOT a record,interest rates
have changed the factors) compared to $659.5M tonight,the
boost implied by the sales estimate would still leave it well
shy of the lump record.

>>> -=-=-
>>> The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
>>> at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
> Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>> Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>>> Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>> The recent Powerball jackpot did not reach record territory that
>>>> would lead me to start a thread for it,but at approximately
>>>> $1,079,800,000 annuitized value it was the third-highest in the
>>>> history of that lottery,and was just won by a California ticketholder
>>>> with 39 other ticketholders matching only the 5 regular numbers but
>>>> not the Powerball...millions of others won lesser prizes or,for the
>>>> most part,none whatsoever.
>>>
>>> Tonight's Megamillions drawing was for a pot a little larger than
>>> that,and rolled over to an estimated $1,250,000,000 annuitized
>>> value for Friday (before about $600 million in taxes here).
>>> That's just $287 million short of the record for the game,so I
>>> may buy one ticket if it rolls again,though only certain if it
>>> rolls twice.
>>
>> Draw day boost of $100 million (or about $50M after taxes)
>> makes it very likely a roll would be to a record.
>
> Official estimate in the event of a rollover is annuitized
> $1,550,000,000 (a record) and this could in turn see a boost
> before Tuesday,so if no winner tonight(they forecast 35% of
> the number combinations will be bought) I expect to buy a
> $2 ticket tomorrow....provisional forecast is that 41.1% of
> combinations would be bought for a rolled-over Tuesday drawing,
> with forecast sales implying a boost to over $1,650,000,000
> despite the estimate...a reset pot generally has about 3% of
> combinations covered.

The rollover to a record has occurred,so I am reverting to my
traditional subject name for such occasions...the dreams of wealth
associated with the Friday draw have died,though 7 tickets won
$1 million and two $2 million,and those associated with
the Tuesday draw will almost all be dead Tuesday night.

Usamega's calculations for NY show the advertised annuity's
installments scaling from $23 million to $96 million pretax,
and $12 million to $50 million after-tax,totalling $808.6M...

>> (The aftertax lump value per Usamega.com is $343.6M here in NY
>> ($415.5M in states that don't tax lottery prizes) and the cost
>> of buying every possible number combination is over $600M so
>> the expectation value of a ticket is still under the cost).
>
> The PRE-tax lump value for Tuesday in the event of a rollover is
> currently forecast at $757.2M (NOT a record,interest rates
> have changed the factors) compared to $659.5M tonight,the
> boost implied by the sales estimate would still leave it well
> shy of the lump record.

....with the aftertax lump being $394.5M,with states that don't
tax lottery prizes leaving the winner $477M after USA taxes.
So depending on location the expectation value of a ticket is
from under 2/3 to over 3/4 of the cost.

>>>> -=-=-
>>>> The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
>>>> at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

On Thursday, July 20, 2023 at 12:57:18 AM UTC-4, Louis Epstein wrote:
> The recent Powerball jackpot did not reach record territory that
> would lead me to start a thread for it,but at approximately
> $1,079,800,000 annuitized value it was the third-highest in the
> history of that lottery,and was just won by a California ticketholder
> with 39 other ticketholders matching only the 5 regular numbers but
> not the Powerball...millions of others won lesser prizes or,for the
> most part,none whatsoever.
>
> -=-=-
> The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
> at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

You might think I'd be used to it by now, but I'm not - I am always
intrigued by how more and more people are sucked into playing
when the cash zooms to record breaking heights. It's as if they're
saying, "Hell no, I'm not buying a ticket to win only 10 million dollars,
I'm waiting for it to hit a billion or I'm not playing."

One of my mottos for life in general: "I want to hit the lottery
but I don't want to buy the ticket."

On Wednesday, August 2, 2023 at 1:21:29 AM UTC-4, Louis Epstein wrote:
> Louis Epstein <l...@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
> > The recent Powerball jackpot did not reach record territory that
> > would lead me to start a thread for it,but at approximately
> > $1,079,800,000 annuitized value it was the third-highest in the
> > history of that lottery,and was just won by a California ticketholder
> > with 39 other ticketholders matching only the 5 regular numbers but
> > not the Powerball...millions of others won lesser prizes or,for the
> > most part,none whatsoever.
> Tonight's Megamillions drawing was for a pot a little larger than
> that,and rolled over to an estimated $1,250,000,000 annuitized
> value for Friday (before about $600 million in taxes here).
> That's just $287 million short of the record for the game,so I
> may buy one ticket if it rolls again,though only certain if it
> rolls twice.

Louis, I have never been a fan of the lottery. Something
desperate about it. Yet after they legalized it in California
when I was living there I couldn't wait to buy a ticket because
I seriously felt I was ordained to win. Apparently a lot of other
people felt the same way.

Joking a bit now. You know what they say, when a guy becomes
instantly wealthy he becomes an asshole and gets rid of all his
friends. I really thought I was destined to win that first lottery. I
did not want to become wealthy and get rid of my friends. So I
got rid of them in advance. In the meantime I became addicted
to the lottery and wound up on skid row. I tried to bum money
from old friends. But they said we weren't friends anymore. Bastards.

Thomas Joseph <jazeev1234@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thursday, July 20, 2023 at 12:57:18?AM UTC-4, Louis Epstein wrote:
>> The recent Powerball jackpot did not reach record territory that
>> would lead me to start a thread for it,but at approximately
>> $1,079,800,000 annuitized value it was the third-highest in the
>> history of that lottery,and was just won by a California ticketholder
>> with 39 other ticketholders matching only the 5 regular numbers but
>> not the Powerball...millions of others won lesser prizes or,for the
>> most part,none whatsoever.
>>
>
> You might think I'd be used to it by now, but I'm not - I am always
> intrigued by how more and more people are sucked into playing
> when the cash zooms to record breaking heights. It's as if they're
> saying, "Hell no, I'm not buying a ticket to win only 10 million dollars,
> I'm waiting for it to hit a billion or I'm not playing."

I have a strict-as-possible rule of only ever buying if the
jackpot is at an all-time record...every new jackpot record
inoculates me against ever again wasting money buying a ticket
for that little.The actual expectation value of a ticket is
almost never as much as the cost,but the lower the jackpot
the worse the disparity.

> One of my mottos for life in general: "I want to hit the lottery
> but I don't want to buy the ticket."

There is one set of numbers I always play;
every time it does not come up,and I have not bought a ticket,
I come out ahead.

>> -=-=-
>> The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
>> at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

On Saturday, August 5, 2023 at 3:39:49 PM UTC-4, Louis Epstein wrote:
> Thomas Joseph <jazee...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > On Thursday, July 20, 2023 at 12:57:18?AM UTC-4, Louis Epstein wrote:
> >> The recent Powerball jackpot did not reach record territory that
> >> would lead me to start a thread for it,but at approximately
> >> $1,079,800,000 annuitized value it was the third-highest in the
> >> history of that lottery,and was just won by a California ticketholder
> >> with 39 other ticketholders matching only the 5 regular numbers but
> >> not the Powerball...millions of others won lesser prizes or,for the
> >> most part,none whatsoever.
> >>
> >
> > You might think I'd be used to it by now, but I'm not - I am always
> > intrigued by how more and more people are sucked into playing
> > when the cash zooms to record breaking heights. It's as if they're
> > saying, "Hell no, I'm not buying a ticket to win only 10 million dollars,
> > I'm waiting for it to hit a billion or I'm not playing."
> I have a strict-as-possible rule of only ever buying if the
> jackpot is at an all-time record...every new jackpot record
> inoculates me against ever again wasting money buying a ticket
> for that little.The actual expectation value of a ticket is
> almost never as much as the cost,but the lower the jackpot
> the worse the disparity.
> > One of my mottos for life in general: "I want to hit the lottery
> > but I don't want to buy the ticket."
> There is one set of numbers I always play;
> every time it does not come up,and I have not bought a ticket,
> I come out ahead.

Ah ha, I do the same thing. But not with the big lottery, I used to
do it with the daily 3 numbers game. I went with the same 3 numbers
every day. I did not dwell on it, but I used to read the paper every day,
so I'd check it nearly every day and never saw it come up. I used to
hope not to see it. Every day was a victory. Plus, even if it did come
up it wouldn't be the end of the world. I might even enjoy the irony.
How about a guy who plays the same lottery numbers every time
and never fails to get in. Until one day he's in a rush and forgets.
and the number comes up. I can see that really pissing me off.

Thomas Joseph <jazeev1234@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Saturday, August 5, 2023 at 3:39:49?PM UTC-4, Louis Epstein wrote:
>> Thomas Joseph <jazee...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> > On Thursday, July 20, 2023 at 12:57:18?AM UTC-4, Louis Epstein wrote:
>> >> The recent Powerball jackpot did not reach record territory that
>> >> would lead me to start a thread for it,but at approximately
>> >> $1,079,800,000 annuitized value it was the third-highest in the
>> >> history of that lottery,and was just won by a California ticketholder
>> >> with 39 other ticketholders matching only the 5 regular numbers but
>> >> not the Powerball...millions of others won lesser prizes or,for the
>> >> most part,none whatsoever.
>> >>
>> >
>> > You might think I'd be used to it by now, but I'm not - I am always
>> > intrigued by how more and more people are sucked into playing
>> > when the cash zooms to record breaking heights. It's as if they're
>> > saying, "Hell no, I'm not buying a ticket to win only 10 million dollars,
>> > I'm waiting for it to hit a billion or I'm not playing."
>> I have a strict-as-possible rule of only ever buying if the
>> jackpot is at an all-time record...every new jackpot record
>> inoculates me against ever again wasting money buying a ticket
>> for that little.The actual expectation value of a ticket is
>> almost never as much as the cost,but the lower the jackpot
>> the worse the disparity.
>> > One of my mottos for life in general: "I want to hit the lottery
>> > but I don't want to buy the ticket."
>> There is one set of numbers I always play;
>> every time it does not come up,and I have not bought a ticket,
>> I come out ahead.
>
>
> Ah ha, I do the same thing. But not with the big lottery, I used to
> do it with the daily 3 numbers game. I went with the same 3 numbers
> every day. I did not dwell on it, but I used to read the paper every day,
> so I'd check it nearly every day and never saw it come up. I used to
> hope not to see it. Every day was a victory. Plus, even if it did come
> up it wouldn't be the end of the world. I might even enjoy the irony.
> How about a guy who plays the same lottery numbers every time
> and never fails to get in. Until one day he's in a rush and forgets.
> and the number comes up. I can see that really pissing me off.

I heard about a lottery pool in Belgium some years ago...they
had been playing some numbers for years and they finally came up...
the group had a dinner to celebrate and then called to make their
claim...the lottery officials told them nobody had won the jackpot...
they checked with the pool member whose turn it had been to buy the
ticket and he had gone with a quick pick rather than playing the
group's regular numbers.

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
> Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>> Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>>> Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>> Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>>> The recent Powerball jackpot did not reach record territory that
>>>>> would lead me to start a thread for it,but at approximately
>>>>> $1,079,800,000 annuitized value it was the third-highest in the
>>>>> history of that lottery,and was just won by a California ticketholder
>>>>> with 39 other ticketholders matching only the 5 regular numbers but
>>>>> not the Powerball...millions of others won lesser prizes or,for the
>>>>> most part,none whatsoever.
>>>>
>>>> Tonight's Megamillions drawing was for a pot a little larger than
>>>> that,and rolled over to an estimated $1,250,000,000 annuitized
>>>> value for Friday (before about $600 million in taxes here).
>>>> That's just $287 million short of the record for the game,so I
>>>> may buy one ticket if it rolls again,though only certain if it
>>>> rolls twice.
>>>
>>> Draw day boost of $100 million (or about $50M after taxes)
>>> makes it very likely a roll would be to a record.
>>
>> Official estimate in the event of a rollover is annuitized
>> $1,550,000,000 (a record) and this could in turn see a boost
>> before Tuesday,so if no winner tonight(they forecast 35% of
>> the number combinations will be bought) I expect to buy a
>> $2 ticket tomorrow....provisional forecast is that 41.1% of
>> combinations would be bought for a rolled-over Tuesday drawing,
>> with forecast sales implying a boost to over $1,650,000,000
>> despite the estimate...a reset pot generally has about 3% of
>> combinations covered.
>
> The rollover to a record has occurred,so I am reverting to my
> traditional subject name for such occasions...the dreams of wealth
> associated with the Friday draw have died,though 7 tickets won
> $1 million and two $2 million,and those associated with
> the Tuesday draw will almost all be dead Tuesday night.
>
> Usamega's calculations for NY show the advertised annuity's
> installments scaling from $23 million to $96 million pretax,
> and $12 million to $50 million after-tax,totalling $808.6M...

Pretax,with the annuity over 29 years (first of 30 payments right
off and 29 others annually) works out to about $100/minute...
but $53/minute after taxes.

I have my ticket.
>>> (The aftertax lump value per Usamega.com is $343.6M here in NY
>>> ($415.5M in states that don't tax lottery prizes) and the cost
>>> of buying every possible number combination is over $600M so
>>> the expectation value of a ticket is still under the cost).
>>
>> The PRE-tax lump value for Tuesday in the event of a rollover is
>> currently forecast at $757.2M (NOT a record,interest rates
>> have changed the factors) compared to $659.5M tonight,the
>> boost implied by the sales estimate would still leave it well
>> shy of the lump record.
>
> ...with the aftertax lump being $394.5M,with states that don't
> tax lottery prizes leaving the winner $477M after USA taxes.
> So depending on location the expectation value of a ticket is
> from under 2/3 to over 3/4 of the cost.
>
>>>>> -=-=-
>>>>> The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
>>>>> at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

Louis Epstein

> I heard about a lottery pool in Belgium some years ago...they
> had been playing some numbers for years and they finally came up...
> the group had a dinner to celebrate and then called to make their
> claim...the lottery officials told them nobody had won the jackpot...
> they checked with the pool member whose turn it had been to buy the
> ticket and he had gone with a quick pick rather than playing the
> group's regular numbers.

Holy crap. Did they quick kick his ass out of the pool or what?
It's like giving money to a guy to put on a long shot racehorse,
but the guy figures the horse has no shot, so he pockets the cash
and the horse comes in first. Dangerous games.

I'll bet there are a lot of good lottery stories we don't hear about
for whatever reason. It's hard to believe there has not yet been a
weekly fictional TV series based on the lottery. Plenty of great stories.

Driving a cab and getting beat out of money a variety of ways turned
me to my philosophy I maintain to this day, that, "a good story about
losing money is worth more than the money lost." But of course there
are exceptions. I'm surprised we don't hear more lottery-related
murder and mayhem stories. They can be made up or they can
be real. "Based on a true story", type stuff.

How about a guy who routinely buys 50 lottery tickets at the same
place every time the pot hits a certain amount? A place where he
knows most everyone but is close with no one. On this particular day
he wants 50 tickets but discovers he is a dollar short, so he buys 49 tickets.
The next day when the results come out he learns that the guy behind him in
line won with the 50th ticket - the one he didn't buy.
He seeks out the winner and explains the situation as politely as
possible - that he deserves at least some small share of the winnings
because that 50th ticket should have been his.

Words are exchanged and things get out of hand. Deadly violence
ensues. God, when it comes to lottery stories the possibilities are
endless. Maybe there are a lot of really good violent lottery stories
on tap but the lottery industry pays big bucks to keep things on the
hush hush.

One last thing. I was like everyone else when I was younger,
believing that people who come suddenly into money turn
instantly into assholes and get rid of all their friends. But
of course it only appears that way. The winner has to leave
town as suddenly everyone who knows him is his best friend.
What a nightmare. Yep, I'd have to leave town. Get a nice
apartment somewhere - or a really nice hotel room. Never
a house. Too much work.

In article <ff9e6376-9632-4b08-b113-50d5019dbd5cn@googlegroups.com>,
Thomas Joseph <jazeev1234@gmail.com> wrote:

> Louis Epstein
>
> > I heard about a lottery pool in Belgium some years ago...they
> > had been playing some numbers for years and they finally came up...
> > the group had a dinner to celebrate and then called to make their
> > claim...the lottery officials told them nobody had won the jackpot...
> > they checked with the pool member whose turn it had been to buy the
> > ticket and he had gone with a quick pick rather than playing the
> > group's regular numbers.
> ?
>
> Holy crap. Did they quick kick his ass out of the pool or what?
> It's like giving money to a guy to put on a long shot racehorse,
> but the guy figures the horse has no shot, so he pockets the cash
> and the horse comes in first. Dangerous games.
>
> I'll bet there are a lot of good lottery stories we don't hear about
> for whatever reason. It's hard to believe there has not yet been a
> weekly fictional TV series based on the lottery. Plenty of great stories.

You're forgetting the very short run of Lottery!, a 1983-84 anthology
series.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085048/

> Driving a cab and getting beat out of money a variety of ways turned
> me to my philosophy I maintain to this day, that, "a good story about
> losing money is worth more than the money lost." But of course there
> are exceptions. I'm surprised we don't hear more lottery-related
> murder and mayhem stories. They can be made up or they can
> be real. "Based on a true story", type stuff.
>
> How about a guy who routinely buys 50 lottery tickets at the same
> place every time the pot hits a certain amount? A place where he
> knows most everyone but is close with no one. On this particular day
> he wants 50 tickets but discovers he is a dollar short, so he buys 49
> tickets.
> The next day when the results come out he learns that the guy behind him in
> line won with the 50th ticket - the one he didn't buy.
>
> He seeks out the winner and explains the situation as politely as
> possible - that he deserves at least some small share of the winnings
> because that 50th ticket should have been his.
>
> Words are exchanged and things get out of hand. Deadly violence
> ensues. God, when it comes to lottery stories the possibilities are
> endless. Maybe there are a lot of really good violent lottery stories
> on tap but the lottery industry pays big bucks to keep things on the
> hush hush.
>
> One last thing. I was like everyone else when I was younger,
> believing that people who come suddenly into money turn
> instantly into assholes and get rid of all their friends. But
> of course it only appears that way. The winner has to leave
> town as suddenly everyone who knows him is his best friend.
> What a nightmare. Yep, I'd have to leave town. Get a nice
> apartment somewhere - or a really nice hotel room. Never
> a house. Too much work.

I do recall a win-at-work where a couple of dozen co-workers took their
chances in a pool every week. One week, some guy didn't have the
dollar, and of course that's the week they hit it big. I *think* they
cut him in anyway for at least a piece, but I'm not sure as it's been
so long.

On Sunday, August 6, 2023 at 6:15:41 PM UTC-4, A Friend wrote:
> In article <ff9e6376-9632-4b08...@googlegroups.com>,
> Thomas Joseph <jazee...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Louis Epstein
> >
> > > I heard about a lottery pool in Belgium some years ago...they
> > > had been playing some numbers for years and they finally came up...
> > > the group had a dinner to celebrate and then called to make their
> > > claim...the lottery officials told them nobody had won the jackpot...
> > > they checked with the pool member whose turn it had been to buy the
> > > ticket and he had gone with a quick pick rather than playing the
> > > group's regular numbers.
> > ?
> >
> > Holy crap. Did they quick kick his ass out of the pool or what?
> > It's like giving money to a guy to put on a long shot racehorse,
> > but the guy figures the horse has no shot, so he pockets the cash
> > and the horse comes in first. Dangerous games.
> >
> > I'll bet there are a lot of good lottery stories we don't hear about
> > for whatever reason. It's hard to believe there has not yet been a
> > weekly fictional TV series based on the lottery. Plenty of great stories.
> You're forgetting the very short run of Lottery!, a 1983-84 anthology
> series.
>
> https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085048/
> > Driving a cab and getting beat out of money a variety of ways turned
> > me to my philosophy I maintain to this day, that, "a good story about
> > losing money is worth more than the money lost." But of course there
> > are exceptions. I'm surprised we don't hear more lottery-related
> > murder and mayhem stories. They can be made up or they can
> > be real. "Based on a true story", type stuff.
> >
> > How about a guy who routinely buys 50 lottery tickets at the same
> > place every time the pot hits a certain amount? A place where he
> > knows most everyone but is close with no one. On this particular day
> > he wants 50 tickets but discovers he is a dollar short, so he buys 49
> > tickets.
> > The next day when the results come out he learns that the guy behind him in
> > line won with the 50th ticket - the one he didn't buy.
> >
> > He seeks out the winner and explains the situation as politely as
> > possible - that he deserves at least some small share of the winnings
> > because that 50th ticket should have been his.
> >
> > Words are exchanged and things get out of hand. Deadly violence
> > ensues. God, when it comes to lottery stories the possibilities are
> > endless. Maybe there are a lot of really good violent lottery stories
> > on tap but the lottery industry pays big bucks to keep things on the
> > hush hush.
> >
> > One last thing. I was like everyone else when I was younger,
> > believing that people who come suddenly into money turn
> > instantly into assholes and get rid of all their friends. But
> > of course it only appears that way. The winner has to leave
> > town as suddenly everyone who knows him is his best friend.
> > What a nightmare. Yep, I'd have to leave town. Get a nice
> > apartment somewhere - or a really nice hotel room. Never
> > a house. Too much work.
> I do recall a win-at-work where a couple of dozen co-workers took their
> chances in a pool every week. One week, some guy didn't have the
> dollar, and of course that's the week they hit it big. I *think* they
> cut him in anyway for at least a piece, but I'm not sure as it's been
> so long.

The guy not having a dollar is no crime. It's not up there with
taking the cash and not playing the agreed upon numbers. Yeah,
if the guy didn't have the dollar, of course it's only right to cut him
in. But now the question becomes, if he didn't have the dollar how
come nobody lent him one?

I am not forgetting the 1984 Lottery series because I never heard
of it. I watch a lot of TV, but there were times in my life when it
was sporadic. Anyway, I never saw the series but see it only lasted
one year. That doesn't mean it sucked. Maybe it was ok. Although
in general it is probably not a bad idea to assume that most things
on tap are going to suck. I don't run away from new stuff, but I don't
hunt for it either. It seems some good stuff comes my way when I'm
not looking for it. I never saw the show but am betting it sucked.

I think I have great taste, so when I am proved wrong, which happens
often enough, I actually enjoy being shown up. I remember the first
time I was Starchy and Hutch on TV at the poolroom. I told a guy
watching it with me, "This show won't last a year", and it ran for 4
with all sorts of remakes springing out of it. I like when I think
something is going to suck and I turn out to like it. Even if I think
I'm going to like something and I don't, that can be fun too. I am
beginning to enjoy being wrong about things.

Thomas Joseph <jazeev1234@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Louis Epstein
>
>> I heard about a lottery pool in Belgium some years ago...they
>> had been playing some numbers for years and they finally came up...
>> the group had a dinner to celebrate and then called to make their
>> claim...the lottery officials told them nobody had won the jackpot...
>> they checked with the pool member whose turn it had been to buy the
>> ticket and he had gone with a quick pick rather than playing the
>> group's regular numbers.
> ?
>
> Holy crap. Did they quick kick his ass out of the pool or what?
> It's like giving money to a guy to put on a long shot racehorse,
> but the guy figures the horse has no shot, so he pockets the cash
> and the horse comes in first. Dangerous games.

The news story quoted pool members as saying there were people
no longer on speaking terms with each other after what happened.
> I'll bet there are a lot of good lottery stories we don't hear about
> for whatever reason. It's hard to believe there has not yet been a
> weekly fictional TV series based on the lottery. Plenty of great stories.

Are you sure there hasn't?
-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

On Monday, August 7, 2023 at 12:40:30 AM UTC-4, Louis Epstein wrote:
> Thomas Joseph <jazee...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Louis Epstein
> >
> >> I heard about a lottery pool in Belgium some years ago...they
> >> had been playing some numbers for years and they finally came up...
> >> the group had a dinner to celebrate and then called to make their
> >> claim...the lottery officials told them nobody had won the jackpot...
> >> they checked with the pool member whose turn it had been to buy the
> >> ticket and he had gone with a quick pick rather than playing the
> >> group's regular numbers.
> > ?
> >
> > Holy crap. Did they quick kick his ass out of the pool or what?
> > It's like giving money to a guy to put on a long shot racehorse,
> > but the guy figures the horse has no shot, so he pockets the cash
> > and the horse comes in first. Dangerous games.
> The news story quoted pool members as saying there were people
> no longer on speaking terms with each other after what happened.
> > I'll bet there are a lot of good lottery stories we don't hear about
> > for whatever reason. It's hard to believe there has not yet been a
> > weekly fictional TV series based on the lottery. Plenty of great stories.
> Are you sure there hasn't?

No I am not sure although someone only yesterday mentioned
a fictional lottery season that ran for one season in, I believe, 1984.
I never saw it.

Your account alone could spawn a hundred stories, many revenge
oriented, but not necessarily. The relationship can be very vague
or late in blooming. Like for instance, maybe one of the people
in the lottery group who got screwed by the quick picker is arrested
many years later for some heinous crime and elects - on the advice
of his lawyers as well - to use the quick pick episode as his defense,
that ever since his dreams were dashed - knowing he could have been,
and should have been, a multi million dollar winner - he has never been
the same since and was thrust PTSD style into his later heinous crimes.
Or whatever. I just know there have got to be millions, many millions,
of lottery stories based on actual events. Now that's a loose word for
you - "loose" - as in 'loosely based on a fictional work based on an
actual event that really happened and was forgotten a long time ago."

"You gotta see it man, they tell me it's based on the truth."

In article <ce758d97-a4d4-4b3c-b3d0-34c059c78b93n@googlegroups.com>,
Thomas Joseph <jazeev1234@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Monday, August 7, 2023 at 12:40:30?AM UTC-4, Louis Epstein wrote:
> > Thomas Joseph <jazee...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > Louis Epstein
> > >
> > >> I heard about a lottery pool in Belgium some years ago...they
> > >> had been playing some numbers for years and they finally came up...
> > >> the group had a dinner to celebrate and then called to make their
> > >> claim...the lottery officials told them nobody had won the jackpot...
> > >> they checked with the pool member whose turn it had been to buy the
> > >> ticket and he had gone with a quick pick rather than playing the
> > >> group's regular numbers.
> > > ?
> > >
> > > Holy crap. Did they quick kick his ass out of the pool or what?
> > > It's like giving money to a guy to put on a long shot racehorse,
> > > but the guy figures the horse has no shot, so he pockets the cash
> > > and the horse comes in first. Dangerous games.
> > The news story quoted pool members as saying there were people
> > no longer on speaking terms with each other after what happened.
> > > I'll bet there are a lot of good lottery stories we don't hear about
> > > for whatever reason. It's hard to believe there has not yet been a
> > > weekly fictional TV series based on the lottery. Plenty of great stories.
> > Are you sure there hasn't?
>
>
> No I am not sure although someone only yesterday mentioned
> a fictional lottery season that ran for one season in, I believe, 1984.
> I never saw it.
>
> Your account alone could spawn a hundred stories, many revenge
> oriented, but not necessarily. The relationship can be very vague
> or late in blooming. Like for instance, maybe one of the people
> in the lottery group who got screwed by the quick picker is arrested
> many years later for some heinous crime and elects - on the advice
> of his lawyers as well - to use the quick pick episode as his defense,
> that ever since his dreams were dashed - knowing he could have been,
> and should have been, a multi million dollar winner - he has never been
> the same since and was thrust PTSD style into his later heinous crimes.
> Or whatever. I just know there have got to be millions, many millions,
> of lottery stories based on actual events. Now that's a loose word for
> you - "loose" - as in 'loosely based on a fictional work based on an
> actual event that really happened and was forgotten a long time ago."
>
> "You gotta see it man, they tell me it's based on the truth."

There was a '50s anthology series, The Millionaire, in which a very
wealthy guy would send his man Michael Anthony out to give a million
dollars, tax-free, to randomly selected people. The only condition was
that they couldn't say where it had come from; otherwise, it would be
forfeit. Of course, this led some viewers to write the fictional
millionaire to beg him for money. Pretty sad.

Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>>>> The recent Powerball jackpot did not reach record territory that
>>>>>> would lead me to start a thread for it,but at approximately
>>>>>> $1,079,800,000 annuitized value it was the third-highest in the
>>>>>> history of that lottery,and was just won by a California ticketholder
>>>>>> with 39 other ticketholders matching only the 5 regular numbers but
>>>>>> not the Powerball...millions of others won lesser prizes or,for the
>>>>>> most part,none whatsoever.
>>>>>
>>>>> Tonight's Megamillions drawing was for a pot a little larger than
>>>>> that,and rolled over to an estimated $1,250,000,000 annuitized
>>>>> value for Friday (before about $600 million in taxes here).
>>>>> That's just $287 million short of the record for the game,so I
>>>>> may buy one ticket if it rolls again,though only certain if it
>>>>> rolls twice.
>>>>
>>>> Draw day boost of $100 million (or about $50M after taxes)
>>>> makes it very likely a roll would be to a record.
>>>
>>> Official estimate in the event of a rollover is annuitized
>>> $1,550,000,000 (a record) and this could in turn see a boost
>>> before Tuesday,so if no winner tonight(they forecast 35% of
>>> the number combinations will be bought) I expect to buy a
>>> $2 ticket tomorrow....provisional forecast is that 41.1% of
>>> combinations would be bought for a rolled-over Tuesday drawing,
>>> with forecast sales implying a boost to over $1,650,000,000
>>> despite the estimate...a reset pot generally has about 3% of
>>> combinations covered.
>>
>> The rollover to a record has occurred,so I am reverting to my
>> traditional subject name for such occasions...the dreams of wealth
>> associated with the Friday draw have died,though 7 tickets won
>> $1 million and two $2 million,and those associated with
>> the Tuesday draw will almost all be dead Tuesday night.

As the clock counts down to the extinction of those dreams tonight,
the draw day boost has been more modest than I'd thought...sales
estimate for tonight's draw lowered from $328.6M to $325.2M and
combination coverage from 41.1% to 40.7%...
the annuity estimate is up to $1,580,000,000 (just $6.4 million behind
the 2016 Powerball that was a record until January,and now further
ahead of the old record for Mega).

>> Usamega's calculations for NY show the advertised annuity's
>> installments scaling from $23 million to $96 million pretax,

last annuity would now be over $97M pretax...

>> and $12 million to $50 million after-tax,totalling $808.6M...

....and barely $51M after-tax,total $824.2M.

> Pretax,with the annuity over 29 years (first of 30 payments right
> off and 29 others annually) works out to about $100/minute...
> but $53/minute after taxes.
>
> I have my ticket.
>
>>>> (The aftertax lump value per Usamega.com is $343.6M here in NY
>>>> ($415.5M in states that don't tax lottery prizes) and the cost
>>>> of buying every possible number combination is over $600M so
>>>> the expectation value of a ticket is still under the cost).
>>>
>>> The PRE-tax lump value for Tuesday in the event of a rollover is
>>> currently forecast at $757.2M (NOT a record,interest rates
>>> have changed the factors) compared to $659.5M tonight,the
>>> boost implied by the sales estimate would still leave it well
>>> shy of the lump record.

the boost is to $783.3M pretax...

>> ...with the aftertax lump being $394.5M,with states that don't
>> tax lottery prizes leaving the winner $477M after USA taxes.

....NY aftertax $408.1M,no-state-tax $493.5M.

>> So depending on location the expectation value of a ticket is
>> from under 2/3 to over 3/4 of the cost.

Range now over 2/3 to over 4/5.

The rollover-tonight estimate is $1800 million with $892.4M lump;
combination coverage is estimated as 43.3% for Friday's draw
if rolled,with $353M in sales for that draw.

>>>>>> -=-=-
>>>>>> The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
>>>>>> at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
> Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>>>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>>>>> The recent Powerball jackpot did not reach record territory that
>>>>>>> would lead me to start a thread for it,but at approximately
>>>>>>> $1,079,800,000 annuitized value it was the third-highest in the
>>>>>>> history of that lottery,and was just won by a California ticketholder
>>>>>>> with 39 other ticketholders matching only the 5 regular numbers but
>>>>>>> not the Powerball...millions of others won lesser prizes or,for the
>>>>>>> most part,none whatsoever.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Tonight's Megamillions drawing was for a pot a little larger than
>>>>>> that,and rolled over to an estimated $1,250,000,000 annuitized
>>>>>> value for Friday (before about $600 million in taxes here).
>>>>>> That's just $287 million short of the record for the game,so I
>>>>>> may buy one ticket if it rolls again,though only certain if it
>>>>>> rolls twice.
>>>>>
>>>>> Draw day boost of $100 million (or about $50M after taxes)
>>>>> makes it very likely a roll would be to a record.
>>>>
>>>> Official estimate in the event of a rollover is annuitized
>>>> $1,550,000,000 (a record) and this could in turn see a boost
>>>> before Tuesday,so if no winner tonight(they forecast 35% of
>>>> the number combinations will be bought) I expect to buy a
>>>> $2 ticket tomorrow....provisional forecast is that 41.1% of
>>>> combinations would be bought for a rolled-over Tuesday drawing,
>>>> with forecast sales implying a boost to over $1,650,000,000
>>>> despite the estimate...a reset pot generally has about 3% of
>>>> combinations covered.
>>>
>>> The rollover to a record has occurred,so I am reverting to my
>>> traditional subject name for such occasions...the dreams of wealth
>>> associated with the Friday draw have died,though 7 tickets won
>>> $1 million and two $2 million,and those associated with
>>> the Tuesday draw will almost all be dead Tuesday night.
>
> As the clock counts down to the extinction of those dreams tonight,
> the draw day boost has been more modest than I'd thought...sales
> estimate for tonight's draw lowered from $328.6M to $325.2M and
> combination coverage from 41.1% to 40.7%...
> the annuity estimate is up to $1,580,000,000 (just $6.4 million behind
> the 2016 Powerball that was a record until January,and now further
> ahead of the old record for Mega).
>
>>> Usamega's calculations for NY show the advertised annuity's
>>> installments scaling from $23 million to $96 million pretax,
>
> last annuity would now be over $97M pretax...
>
>>> and $12 million to $50 million after-tax,totalling $808.6M...
>
> ...and barely $51M after-tax,total $824.2M.
>
>> Pretax,with the annuity over 29 years (first of 30 payments right
>> off and 29 others annually) works out to about $100/minute...
>> but $53/minute after taxes.
>>
>> I have my ticket.

2 + 0 = no prize,now to see if anyone else won
or I buy again tomorrow morning.

>>>>> (The aftertax lump value per Usamega.com is $343.6M here in NY
>>>>> ($415.5M in states that don't tax lottery prizes) and the cost
>>>>> of buying every possible number combination is over $600M so
>>>>> the expectation value of a ticket is still under the cost).
>>>>
>>>> The PRE-tax lump value for Tuesday in the event of a rollover is
>>>> currently forecast at $757.2M (NOT a record,interest rates
>>>> have changed the factors) compared to $659.5M tonight,the
>>>> boost implied by the sales estimate would still leave it well
>>>> shy of the lump record.
>
> the boost is to $783.3M pretax...
>
>>> ...with the aftertax lump being $394.5M,with states that don't
>>> tax lottery prizes leaving the winner $477M after USA taxes.
>
> ...NY aftertax $408.1M,no-state-tax $493.5M.
>
>>> So depending on location the expectation value of a ticket is
>>> from under 2/3 to over 3/4 of the cost.
>
> Range now over 2/3 to over 4/5.
>
> The rollover-tonight estimate is $1800 million with $892.4M lump;
> combination coverage is estimated as 43.3% for Friday's draw
> if rolled,with $353M in sales for that draw.
>
>>>>>>> -=-=-
>>>>>>> The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
>>>>>>> at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
> Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>> Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>>>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>>>>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>>>>>> The recent Powerball jackpot did not reach record territory that
>>>>>>>> would lead me to start a thread for it,but at approximately
>>>>>>>> $1,079,800,000 annuitized value it was the third-highest in the
>>>>>>>> history of that lottery,and was just won by a California ticketholder
>>>>>>>> with 39 other ticketholders matching only the 5 regular numbers but
>>>>>>>> not the Powerball...millions of others won lesser prizes or,for the
>>>>>>>> most part,none whatsoever.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Tonight's Megamillions drawing was for a pot a little larger than
>>>>>>> that,and rolled over to an estimated $1,250,000,000 annuitized
>>>>>>> value for Friday (before about $600 million in taxes here).
>>>>>>> That's just $287 million short of the record for the game,so I
>>>>>>> may buy one ticket if it rolls again,though only certain if it
>>>>>>> rolls twice.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Draw day boost of $100 million (or about $50M after taxes)
>>>>>> makes it very likely a roll would be to a record.
>>>>>
>>>>> Official estimate in the event of a rollover is annuitized
>>>>> $1,550,000,000 (a record) and this could in turn see a boost
>>>>> before Tuesday,so if no winner tonight(they forecast 35% of
>>>>> the number combinations will be bought) I expect to buy a
>>>>> $2 ticket tomorrow....provisional forecast is that 41.1% of
>>>>> combinations would be bought for a rolled-over Tuesday drawing,
>>>>> with forecast sales implying a boost to over $1,650,000,000
>>>>> despite the estimate...a reset pot generally has about 3% of
>>>>> combinations covered.
>>>>
>>>> The rollover to a record has occurred,so I am reverting to my
>>>> traditional subject name for such occasions...the dreams of wealth
>>>> associated with the Friday draw have died,though 7 tickets won
>>>> $1 million and two $2 million,and those associated with
>>>> the Tuesday draw will almost all be dead Tuesday night.
>>
>> As the clock counts down to the extinction of those dreams tonight,
>> the draw day boost has been more modest than I'd thought...sales
>> estimate for tonight's draw lowered from $328.6M to $325.2M and
>> combination coverage from 41.1% to 40.7%...
>> the annuity estimate is up to $1,580,000,000 (just $6.4 million behind
>> the 2016 Powerball that was a record until January,and now further
>> ahead of the old record for Mega).
>>
>>>> Usamega's calculations for NY show the advertised annuity's
>>>> installments scaling from $23 million to $96 million pretax,
>>
>> last annuity would now be over $97M pretax...
>>
>>>> and $12 million to $50 million after-tax,totalling $808.6M...
>>
>> ...and barely $51M after-tax,total $824.2M.
>>
>>> Pretax,with the annuity over 29 years (first of 30 payments right
>>> off and 29 others annually) works out to about $100/minute...
>>> but $53/minute after taxes.
>>>
>>> I have my ticket.
>
> 2 + 0 = no prize,now to see if anyone else won
> or I buy again tomorrow morning.

With a winner in Florida,my money is safe today,and from any
Mega jackpot this small in the future.
>>>>>> (The aftertax lump value per Usamega.com is $343.6M here in NY
>>>>>> ($415.5M in states that don't tax lottery prizes) and the cost
>>>>>> of buying every possible number combination is over $600M so
>>>>>> the expectation value of a ticket is still under the cost).
>>>>>
>>>>> The PRE-tax lump value for Tuesday in the event of a rollover is
>>>>> currently forecast at $757.2M (NOT a record,interest rates
>>>>> have changed the factors) compared to $659.5M tonight,the
>>>>> boost implied by the sales estimate would still leave it well
>>>>> shy of the lump record.
>>
>> the boost is to $783.3M pretax...
>>
>>>> ...with the aftertax lump being $394.5M,with states that don't
>>>> tax lottery prizes leaving the winner $477M after USA taxes.
>>
>> ...NY aftertax $408.1M,no-state-tax $493.5M.
>>
>>>> So depending on location the expectation value of a ticket is
>>>> from under 2/3 to over 3/4 of the cost.
>>
>> Range now over 2/3 to over 4/5.
>>
>> The rollover-tonight estimate is $1800 million with $892.4M lump;
>> combination coverage is estimated as 43.3% for Friday's draw
>> if rolled,with $353M in sales for that draw.
>>
>>>>>>>> -=-=-
>>>>>>>> The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
>>>>>>>> at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

A Friend wrote:

> There was a '50s anthology series, The Millionaire, in which a very
> wealthy guy would send his man Michael Anthony out to give a million
> dollars, tax-free, to randomly selected people. The only condition was
> that they couldn't say where it had come from; otherwise, it would be
> forfeit. Of course, this led some viewers to write the fictional
> millionaire to beg him for money. Pretty sad.

Funny sad. Sadly funny. Yes, desperation in people is sickening.
A part of me is against the lottery. But I am no activist. I don't
care enough about it. Even when it came out I waited for its debut
with eager anticipation. I fully expected to win. Not really, but sort
of. So while even then I saw the lottery as creepy and almost demonic
I was ready, willing, and able to buy a ticket. But I can count the number
of tickets I've even bought on two hands. Now scratch offs are different.
I used to spring a buck or two for those now and then. But to buy a ticket
and carry it around all day - a bunch of numbers glued to the pockets -
it seems almost a chore to me. Yes, I know about the Millionaire, I
watched it often as a kid. A good theme, always - instant wealth. Yet
for some reason it's a no-go in the entertainment world and I don't
know why. I see an endless array of stories in the lottery, real or
made up, who cares? Maybe the people who run the lotteries don't
want even the slightest possibility of their game being seen in a
negative way, afraid people might stop buying the tickets when the
stories get too gruesome. I think otherwise. I think fictional show
on TV, no matter how negative, is an advertisement for the show's theme.

On Wednesday, August 9, 2023 at 2:44:57 PM UTC-4, Louis Epstein wrote:
> Louis Epstein <l...@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
> > Louis Epstein <l...@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
> >> Louis Epstein <l...@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
> >>> Louis Epstein <l...@lekno.ws> wrote:
> >>>> Louis Epstein <l...@lekno.ws> wrote:
> >>>>> Louis Epstein <l...@lekno.ws> wrote:
> >>>>>> Louis Epstein <l...@lekno.ws> wrote:
> >>>>>>> Louis Epstein <l...@lekno.ws> wrote:
> >>>>>>>> The recent Powerball jackpot did not reach record territory that
> >>>>>>>> would lead me to start a thread for it,but at approximately
> >>>>>>>> $1,079,800,000 annuitized value it was the third-highest in the
> >>>>>>>> history of that lottery,and was just won by a California ticketholder
> >>>>>>>> with 39 other ticketholders matching only the 5 regular numbers but
> >>>>>>>> not the Powerball...millions of others won lesser prizes or,for the
> >>>>>>>> most part,none whatsoever.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Tonight's Megamillions drawing was for a pot a little larger than
> >>>>>>> that,and rolled over to an estimated $1,250,000,000 annuitized
> >>>>>>> value for Friday (before about $600 million in taxes here).
> >>>>>>> That's just $287 million short of the record for the game,so I
> >>>>>>> may buy one ticket if it rolls again,though only certain if it
> >>>>>>> rolls twice.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Draw day boost of $100 million (or about $50M after taxes)
> >>>>>> makes it very likely a roll would be to a record.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Official estimate in the event of a rollover is annuitized
> >>>>> $1,550,000,000 (a record) and this could in turn see a boost
> >>>>> before Tuesday,so if no winner tonight(they forecast 35% of
> >>>>> the number combinations will be bought) I expect to buy a
> >>>>> $2 ticket tomorrow....provisional forecast is that 41.1% of
> >>>>> combinations would be bought for a rolled-over Tuesday drawing,
> >>>>> with forecast sales implying a boost to over $1,650,000,000
> >>>>> despite the estimate...a reset pot generally has about 3% of
> >>>>> combinations covered.
> >>>>
> >>>> The rollover to a record has occurred,so I am reverting to my
> >>>> traditional subject name for such occasions...the dreams of wealth
> >>>> associated with the Friday draw have died,though 7 tickets won
> >>>> $1 million and two $2 million,and those associated with
> >>>> the Tuesday draw will almost all be dead Tuesday night.
> >>
> >> As the clock counts down to the extinction of those dreams tonight,
> >> the draw day boost has been more modest than I'd thought...sales
> >> estimate for tonight's draw lowered from $328.6M to $325.2M and
> >> combination coverage from 41.1% to 40.7%...
> >> the annuity estimate is up to $1,580,000,000 (just $6.4 million behind
> >> the 2016 Powerball that was a record until January,and now further
> >> ahead of the old record for Mega).
> >>
> >>>> Usamega's calculations for NY show the advertised annuity's
> >>>> installments scaling from $23 million to $96 million pretax,
> >>
> >> last annuity would now be over $97M pretax...
> >>
> >>>> and $12 million to $50 million after-tax,totalling $808.6M...
> >>
> >> ...and barely $51M after-tax,total $824.2M.
> >>
> >>> Pretax,with the annuity over 29 years (first of 30 payments right
> >>> off and 29 others annually) works out to about $100/minute...
> >>> but $53/minute after taxes.
> >>>
> >>> I have my ticket.
> >
> > 2 + 0 = no prize,now to see if anyone else won
> > or I buy again tomorrow morning.
> With a winner in Florida,my money is safe today,and from any
> Mega jackpot this small in the future.

Your system is secure. A good one. But is it foolproof? Is
anything foolproof? Yes, I like your system. You win by not
getting in the game. Or you get in only when it's a record
turnout. So you won't get in again unless the payout surpasses
this last one? That's a good safe system. My system is similar.
Or at least started out that way. My system is to not care about
the lottery at all except for whatever oddball stories emerge from
it. I am entertained richly by reading about the riches of others,
especially when they are squandered or lost in some way. The
poor souls. Any multi millionaire who winds up on skid row wants
to be there, don't you think? Had I hit the big lottery at a young age
I know I would not be alive today.

Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
> Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>> Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>>> Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>>>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>>>>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>>>>>> Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> wrote:
>>>>>>>>> The recent Powerball jackpot did not reach record territory that
>>>>>>>>> would lead me to start a thread for it,but at approximately
>>>>>>>>> $1,079,800,000 annuitized value it was the third-highest in the
>>>>>>>>> history of that lottery,and was just won by a California ticketholder
>>>>>>>>> with 39 other ticketholders matching only the 5 regular numbers but
>>>>>>>>> not the Powerball...millions of others won lesser prizes or,for the
>>>>>>>>> most part,none whatsoever.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Tonight's Megamillions drawing was for a pot a little larger than
>>>>>>>> that,and rolled over to an estimated $1,250,000,000 annuitized
>>>>>>>> value for Friday (before about $600 million in taxes here).
>>>>>>>> That's just $287 million short of the record for the game,so I
>>>>>>>> may buy one ticket if it rolls again,though only certain if it
>>>>>>>> rolls twice.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Draw day boost of $100 million (or about $50M after taxes)
>>>>>>> makes it very likely a roll would be to a record.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Official estimate in the event of a rollover is annuitized
>>>>>> $1,550,000,000 (a record) and this could in turn see a boost
>>>>>> before Tuesday,so if no winner tonight(they forecast 35% of
>>>>>> the number combinations will be bought) I expect to buy a
>>>>>> $2 ticket tomorrow....provisional forecast is that 41.1% of
>>>>>> combinations would be bought for a rolled-over Tuesday drawing,
>>>>>> with forecast sales implying a boost to over $1,650,000,000
>>>>>> despite the estimate...a reset pot generally has about 3% of
>>>>>> combinations covered.
>>>>>
>>>>> The rollover to a record has occurred,so I am reverting to my
>>>>> traditional subject name for such occasions...the dreams of wealth
>>>>> associated with the Friday draw have died,though 7 tickets won
>>>>> $1 million and two $2 million,and those associated with
>>>>> the Tuesday draw will almost all be dead Tuesday night.
>>>
>>> As the clock counts down to the extinction of those dreams tonight,
>>> the draw day boost has been more modest than I'd thought...sales
>>> estimate for tonight's draw lowered from $328.6M to $325.2M and
>>> combination coverage from 41.1% to 40.7%...
>>> the annuity estimate is up to $1,580,000,000 (just $6.4 million behind
>>> the 2016 Powerball that was a record until January,and now further
>>> ahead of the old record for Mega).
>>>
>>>>> Usamega's calculations for NY show the advertised annuity's
>>>>> installments scaling from $23 million to $96 million pretax,
>>>
>>> last annuity would now be over $97M pretax...
>>>
>>>>> and $12 million to $50 million after-tax,totalling $808.6M...
>>>
>>> ...and barely $51M after-tax,total $824.2M.
>>>
>>>> Pretax,with the annuity over 29 years (first of 30 payments right
>>>> off and 29 others annually) works out to about $100/minute...
>>>> but $53/minute after taxes.
>>>>
>>>> I have my ticket.
>>
>> 2 + 0 = no prize,now to see if anyone else won
>> or I buy again tomorrow morning.
>
> With a winner in Florida,my money is safe today,and from any
> Mega jackpot this small in the future.

Final sales figures had the annuity at $1602M (paid in 30 installments
rising from $24M to $99M) pretax,$1010M aftertax(in Florida)...

>>>>>>> (The aftertax lump value per Usamega.com is $343.6M here in NY
>>>>>>> ($415.5M in states that don't tax lottery prizes) and the cost
>>>>>>> of buying every possible number combination is over $600M so
>>>>>>> the expectation value of a ticket is still under the cost).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The PRE-tax lump value for Tuesday in the event of a rollover is
>>>>>> currently forecast at $757.2M (NOT a record,interest rates
>>>>>> have changed the factors) compared to $659.5M tonight,the
>>>>>> boost implied by the sales estimate would still leave it well
>>>>>> shy of the lump record.
>>>
>>> the boost is to $783.3M pretax...
>>>

Final value $794.2M...
>>>>> ...with the aftertax lump being $394.5M,with states that don't
>>>>> tax lottery prizes leaving the winner $477M after USA taxes.
>>>
>>> ...NY aftertax $408.1M,no-state-tax $493.5M.

Florida being no-state-tax,$500.3M

>>>>> So depending on location the expectation value of a ticket is
>>>>> from under 2/3 to over 3/4 of the cost.
>>>
>>> Range now over 2/3 to over 4/5.
>>>
>>> The rollover-tonight estimate is $1800 million with $892.4M lump;
>>> combination coverage is estimated as 43.3% for Friday's draw
>>> if rolled,with $353M in sales for that draw.
>>>
>>>>>>>>> -=-=-
>>>>>>>>> The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
>>>>>>>>> at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

On Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 2:39:19 PM UTC-4, Louis Epstein wrote:
> Louis Epstein <l...@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
> > Louis Epstein <l...@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
> >> Louis Epstein <l...@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
> >>> Louis Epstein <l...@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
> >>>> Louis Epstein <l...@lekno.ws> wrote:
> >>>>> Louis Epstein <l...@lekno.ws> wrote:
> >>>>>> Louis Epstein <l...@lekno.ws> wrote:
> >>>>>>> Louis Epstein <l...@lekno.ws> wrote:
> >>>>>>>> Louis Epstein <l...@lekno.ws> wrote:
> >>>>>>>>> The recent Powerball jackpot did not reach record territory that
> >>>>>>>>> would lead me to start a thread for it,but at approximately
> >>>>>>>>> $1,079,800,000 annuitized value it was the third-highest in the
> >>>>>>>>> history of that lottery,and was just won by a California ticketholder
> >>>>>>>>> with 39 other ticketholders matching only the 5 regular numbers but
> >>>>>>>>> not the Powerball...millions of others won lesser prizes or,for the
> >>>>>>>>> most part,none whatsoever.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Tonight's Megamillions drawing was for a pot a little larger than
> >>>>>>>> that,and rolled over to an estimated $1,250,000,000 annuitized
> >>>>>>>> value for Friday (before about $600 million in taxes here).
> >>>>>>>> That's just $287 million short of the record for the game,so I
> >>>>>>>> may buy one ticket if it rolls again,though only certain if it
> >>>>>>>> rolls twice.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Draw day boost of $100 million (or about $50M after taxes)
> >>>>>>> makes it very likely a roll would be to a record.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Official estimate in the event of a rollover is annuitized
> >>>>>> $1,550,000,000 (a record) and this could in turn see a boost
> >>>>>> before Tuesday,so if no winner tonight(they forecast 35% of
> >>>>>> the number combinations will be bought) I expect to buy a
> >>>>>> $2 ticket tomorrow....provisional forecast is that 41.1% of
> >>>>>> combinations would be bought for a rolled-over Tuesday drawing,
> >>>>>> with forecast sales implying a boost to over $1,650,000,000
> >>>>>> despite the estimate...a reset pot generally has about 3% of
> >>>>>> combinations covered.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> The rollover to a record has occurred,so I am reverting to my
> >>>>> traditional subject name for such occasions...the dreams of wealth
> >>>>> associated with the Friday draw have died,though 7 tickets won
> >>>>> $1 million and two $2 million,and those associated with
> >>>>> the Tuesday draw will almost all be dead Tuesday night.
> >>>
> >>> As the clock counts down to the extinction of those dreams tonight,
> >>> the draw day boost has been more modest than I'd thought...sales
> >>> estimate for tonight's draw lowered from $328.6M to $325.2M and
> >>> combination coverage from 41.1% to 40.7%...
> >>> the annuity estimate is up to $1,580,000,000 (just $6.4 million behind
> >>> the 2016 Powerball that was a record until January,and now further
> >>> ahead of the old record for Mega).
> >>>
> >>>>> Usamega's calculations for NY show the advertised annuity's
> >>>>> installments scaling from $23 million to $96 million pretax,
> >>>
> >>> last annuity would now be over $97M pretax...
> >>>
> >>>>> and $12 million to $50 million after-tax,totalling $808.6M...
> >>>
> >>> ...and barely $51M after-tax,total $824.2M.
> >>>
> >>>> Pretax,with the annuity over 29 years (first of 30 payments right
> >>>> off and 29 others annually) works out to about $100/minute...
> >>>> but $53/minute after taxes.
> >>>>
> >>>> I have my ticket.
> >>
> >> 2 + 0 = no prize,now to see if anyone else won
> >> or I buy again tomorrow morning.
> >
> > With a winner in Florida,my money is safe today,and from any
> > Mega jackpot this small in the future.
> Final sales figures had the annuity at $1602M (paid in 30 installments
> rising from $24M to $99M) pretax,$1010M aftertax(in Florida)...
> >>>>>>> (The aftertax lump value per Usamega.com is $343.6M here in NY
> >>>>>>> ($415.5M in states that don't tax lottery prizes) and the cost
> >>>>>>> of buying every possible number combination is over $600M so
> >>>>>>> the expectation value of a ticket is still under the cost).
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> The PRE-tax lump value for Tuesday in the event of a rollover is
> >>>>>> currently forecast at $757.2M (NOT a record,interest rates
> >>>>>> have changed the factors) compared to $659.5M tonight,the
> >>>>>> boost implied by the sales estimate would still leave it well
> >>>>>> shy of the lump record.
> >>>
> >>> the boost is to $783.3M pretax...
> >>>
> Final value $794.2M...
> >>>>> ...with the aftertax lump being $394.5M,with states that don't
> >>>>> tax lottery prizes leaving the winner $477M after USA taxes.
> >>>
> >>> ...NY aftertax $408.1M,no-state-tax $493.5M.
> Florida being no-state-tax,$500.3M
> >>>>> So depending on location the expectation value of a ticket is
> >>>>> from under 2/3 to over 3/4 of the cost.
> >>>
> >>> Range now over 2/3 to over 4/5.
> >>>
> >>> The rollover-tonight estimate is $1800 million with $892.4M lump;
> >>> combination coverage is estimated as 43.3% for Friday's draw
> >>> if rolled,with $353M in sales for that draw.
\

I have not had dreams of wealth in many years. All I want is enough
to eat and pay rent, mainly. I get in a football pool every year. $20 per
person per week. I have a partner. We split 50/50. I know it's mainly
just for fun - and ego - but I got tired of being wrong all the time with
my guesses and now rely on a mathematical system that works.

There are about 20 people in our pool. We play against the spread.
Every week I pick all underdogs except for 2 favorites - numbers 7
and 11. These numbers are keyed, meaning if they win I get an extra
'point'. I already checked the first week's schedule and do not like
the teams 7 and 11 are giving me, but I won't back off the system.
If a preponderance of favorites win - and it doesn't have to be a huge
preponderance either - and IF my two favorites comes through I will
most certainly be in the late hunt. The odds of winning a 2 game parlay
are approx 3 to 1. So if my numbers hit once every 3 or 4 weeks I will
have a good week, especially if a preponderance of underdogs win. I
won 3 times last year using this system.

Numbers 7 and 11 are forcing me to take Philly and Cincy as my
two keyed favorites. I don't like them because I know a lot of other
people are going to jump on them too. Even that is ok. If they go down
I can still win if a larger preponderance of underdogs comes through.
The NFL season is my lottery. I used to make my picks dutifully every
week - analyzing every game. I still analyze them but I don't pick what
I like, I pick what my system orders me to pick. I chose the numbers
and 11 because I like the idea of one game being early and one being
later in the day. Wow, with a huge payout in the billions I'll bet there
are groups with multiple thousands of people getting in. Too hard to
win. Plus it's no fun. Not for me anyway.

I am hoping the slate of games changes for some reason before kickoff
so 7 and 11 will take me to less high profile games. I love when I'm the
only one with an underdog out of all 20 players. That happens now and
then. Using my system of only two favorites, both keyed, I figure I don't
win because I picked a lot of underdogs, I figure the other players lost
because they took too many favorites. I like the system forcing me to
make picks I would not ordinarily take. I hope I'm still alive when kickoff
arrives. That's the big lottery right there - will I be alive when the season
starts?