The Scoop: Here are answers for your lottery questions
Most Tennesseans haven’t done this much scratching since their last case of poison ivy. Lottery fever has arrived and it’s hit Warren County in full force.
I had grand visions of the scratch-off lottery tickets being a resounding success, but I didn’t foresee the mad crowds that packed stores throughout the county Tuesday when tickets first went on sale. Just about everyone wanted to check out the lottery – and try to win some quick money in the process.
As with anything new, the lottery has brought with it a fair share of questions. And since I work for the newspaper, folks figure I know all the answers. That’s why I was toying with the idea of encouraging readers to send in their most pressing lottery questions. In return, I was going to research the questions and provide appropriate answers.
But all that seemed like too much work. That’s why I’ve made up my own batch of lottery questions I’m sure are on the tip of everyone’s tongue.
Q: Tell me about the odds-of-winning figures that are posted on the back of lottery tickets. The game I played said the odds of winning are 1 in 4, but I bought four tickets and didn’t win. What happened?
A: To put it as concisely as possible, you’re a loser.
Q: But seriously, does that mean the lottery odds aren’t accurate?
A: The laws of probability are difficult to explain, but I’ll provide a quick refresher course based on what I retained from high school math.
If the ticket says the chances of winning are 1 in 4, that means 25 percent of the tickets are winners. But where that 25 percent falls is anybody’s guess. You could play four times and not have a winning ticket while the next customer in line buys four tickets and wins on every single one.
Mathematically speaking, the law of averages is pretty good that it won’t take too long to be successful in a game with a 25 percent chance of winning. It’s sure better than your odds of being dealt a royal flush in poker, which are 1 in 649,739.
Q: I had never bought a lottery ticket before, but after buying my first batch of tickets I couldn’t resist the urge to buy more. Now I have purchased around 80 tickets in three days and get the feeling I can’t stop. What can I do?
A: You have what’s called gambling addiction and it could escalate into quite a problem. It’s feasible for gambling addicts to lose their homes, their cars, and their families.
But hey, at least you’re helping education while your life is going down in ruin.
Q: I’m an 18-year-old high school senior who has just been awarded a $3,000 Hope Scholarship. But what I would really like to do is put the money toward a new car. Is that possible?
A: Considering there are dead people currently receiving TennCare benefits, I say go for it. There’s a good chance the state will never know.
Q: I realize playing the lottery is just another form of taxation, but it’s fun. Is there a way to incorporate the lottery philosophy into other taxes we are forced to pay?
A: We should keep the lottery in perspective and remember it is gambling. While it would be a joy to scratch off a ticket to discover you had just won a year of free property taxes, it would be agonizing to receive a losing ticket where you were forced to pay double your normal property tax rate.
Q: I’m down to my last $20 and I’m one month behind in my rent. Should I use the $20 to put food on the table for my children, or should I play the lottery?
A: If you’re in that much financial trouble, my question is why do you still have a kitchen table? Pawn the table, get an additional $20, and then spend your last $40 on lottery tickets.
James Clark is editor of the Standard. He can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at [email protected].