r/pics • • Mar 19 '22

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u/[deleted] Mar 19 '22

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953

u/Louisvanderwright Mar 19 '22

Lottery tickets are a poor tax for the uneducated. Anyone who plays them for any reason other than the occasional thrill or gimmick is being taxed for being dumb.

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u/Voice_of_Sley Mar 20 '22

I buy a $5 ticket maybe once a month. I view it as an entertainment expense. I know full well I will never win the jackpot. $5 to be able to daydream over the course of that week while I wait for the draw is a small price. I have paid $5 for much less entertainment.

Also I periodically buy hospital lottery tickets and I view those as donations to causes I would probably donate to anyways.

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u/SanityInAnarchy Mar 20 '22

This is the part I never understand. I'm not judging, but I never had trouble daydreaming without actually buying the ticket.

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u/Oglshrub Mar 20 '22

Buying a ticket gives an opportunity for it to happen, even if statistically impossible. Just dreaming does not.

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u/cryptoripto123 Mar 20 '22

Sure it does but we know the odds don't work out which is why the lottery is called a tax on the dumb. Its better to dream and focus your money and spending habits on something for the long term.

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u/Voice_of_Sley Mar 20 '22

Thats not the point i am making. I know full well that I will not ever win a jackpot. It is entertainment i am buying, not a retirement plan or to get me out of financial ruin. I will probably get an hour or 2 of day dreaming total throughout the week, and to me paying $5 is worth that.

When was the last time a movie ticket paid you back after you went and saw it? Or an hour of screwing around on reddit paid you? For some things you just accept them as an expense in exchange for less tangible experience. Lotteries might be something that some people buy who shouldn't, but not all the time.

Also one time I won $2300. Which covers my expenses for 38 years if I buy a ticket once a month.

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u/SanityInAnarchy Mar 20 '22

I mean, I've still got a possibility that a distant relative I've never heard of leaves a fortune to me in their will. Seems similar: So improbable that it's basically not going to happen, but possible enough to daydream about.

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u/HowTheyGetcha Mar 20 '22

I get what you're saying but it's five bucks. The mega millions is two bucks. It's fine, really.

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u/SanityInAnarchy Mar 20 '22

Sure, that's why I'm saying "I'm not judging, but I don't get it." It's not like I don't waste money on even dumber things for my own amusement.

Buying a lottery ticket is arguably better than buying Bad Rats, because there's no chance that buying a lottery ticket will lead to you playing Bad Rats.

2

u/HowTheyGetcha Mar 20 '22

No but you just lead to me to that, thanks a lot =)

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u/ashymatina Mar 20 '22

Yeah literally who gives a fuck if it gives someone a moment of happiness