Half a BILLION DOLLAR Lottery

[EzyStvy]

I went out last night and bought $20.00 worth of the Mega Million dollar lottery tickets.

I very very seldom buy tickets and I never buy scratch offs... But hey - ya can't win if you don't play

[glc]

540 mil right now - just got back from the store. Bought 5 bucks worth.

[MaxRat]

I have to drive to Michigan to get them... but its been all over the TV today how Michigan changed the rules to the winners.. and some other states too...

if you win any lottery they pull benefits... mainly Un-Employment benefits...

[HAL9000]

I'm tempted to go cross boarder and get some LOL... we can apply to have the taxes back.

[EzyStvy]

On the news last night they mentioned a typical person has better odds of hitting Two Hole in Ones on the same day then they do winning this lottery.

Since I don't play golf - I bought tickets

[Kasturi]

Originally Posted by MaxRat if you win any lottery they pull benefits... mainly Un-Employment benefits...

No need to worry unless you have a lot and I mean a lot of unemployment benefits

They can take all of my debt out before they hand me my winnings. Wouldnt make much of a dent in half a billion

[strollin]

I don't usually buy lottery tickets (lottery = tax on stupid people) but for a chance at a half billion, what the heck, I just might go buy $10 worth of tickets.

[jdeb]

I'll spend a buck just for the heck of it. Lord knows what I would do with all that money. I would probably give most of it away, money can do strange things to people.

[HAL9000]

Originally Posted by jdeb I'll spend a buck just for the heck of it. Lord knows what I would do with all that money. I would probably give most of it away, money can do strange things to people.

I'd definitely spread the wealth with a few key people in my life... heck, even a tenth of that win would still be a LOT of money for a lifetime and then some.

[SARGE]

I'd buy PCM for $2 million and give it to glc. Risley could take early retirement. Picture him on a new yacht in Florida.

[jdeb]

Originally Posted by HAL9000 I'd definitely spread the wealth with a few key people in my life... heck, even a tenth of that win would still be a LOT of money for a lifetime and then some.

Right. It is hard to fathom that many who win squander it and go bankrupt. I would help in this order...

1. Church
2. Mom and Dad.
3. Our kids
4. Brothers and sisters
5. Cousins and nephews
6. Aunt's and Uncles
7. Grandmother
8. Children's charity of some sort

Then I would buy a new truck and car for the wife. Build a new home (big ranch home) with a huge pull barn with a vehicle lift. And buy a mega RV and travel a few months out of the year and visit all the Church's I have wanted to over the years. Bill Winston, Creflo Dollar, Dr. Charles Stanley, Jesse Duplantis, John Hagee, Kenneth Hagin, T.D. Jakes, and others. Oh, I would buy a bass boat as well.

[David M]

I would selfishly keep it all for myself and buy an island country where only decent people can live and visit. I would be the President, legislature, courts, police and chief bottle washer. I would have sole power to vote people off the island. You don't like it my way? Then leave.

[SARGE]

Originally Posted by David M I would selfishly keep it all for myself and buy an island country where only decent people can live and visit. I would be the President, legislature, courts, police and chief bottle washer. I would have sole power to vote people off the island. You don't like it my way? Then leave.

Could I be your financial advisor on the island?

[David M]

Better yet Sarge, I will give you a pile of money you and Galpal can bet at the casino. It would have my face on the bill that I would let you draw a mustache on.....hee hee

[quartet-man]

Originally Posted by jdeb Right. It is hard to fathom that many who win squander it and go bankrupt. I would help in this order... 1. Church 2. Mom and Dad. 3. Our kids 4. Brothers and sisters 5. Cousins and nephews 6. Aunt's and Uncles 7. Grandmother 8. Children's charity of some sort Then I would buy a new truck and car for the wife. Build a new home (big ranch home) with a huge pull barn with a vehicle lift. And buy a mega RV and travel a few months out of the year and visit all the Church's I have wanted to over the years. Bill Winston, Creflo Dollar, Dr. Charles Stanley, Jesse Duplantis, John Hagee, Kenneth Hagin, T.D. Jakes, and others. Oh, I would buy a bass boat as well.

You forgot quartet-man.

Originally Posted by SARGE Could I be your financial advisor on the island?

David, he has been known to handle lots of money, but he is also generous with it in buying things for others, likes building new computers, and known to invest in politics. You might be careful.

Originally Posted by David M I would selfishly keep it all for myself and buy an island country where only decent people can live and visit. I would be the President, legislature, courts, police and chief bottle washer. I would have sole power to vote people off the island. You don't like it my way? Then leave.

Tyrant!

[SARGE]

Originally Posted by quartet-man David, he has been known to handle lots of money, but he is also generous with it in buying things for others, likes building new computers, and known to invest in politics. You might be careful.

Yeah, bob still reminds me of my "investment" in Newt. I'd been better off with penny stocks. Dumb dumb

[David M]

Stop that Terry. I'm a selfish SOB and don't know squat.

[quartet-man]

Originally Posted by SARGE Yeah, bob still reminds me of my "investment" in Newt. I'd been better off with penny stocks. Dumb dumb

I was just razzing you. You got inspired to DO something to make a difference and did it. Even if Newt loses, that is more than a lot of people do. I have made mistakes with money too. I have given some to ministries that might have turned out to have been mistakes. I gave to someone who was supposed to be in need that I think was a scammer. It seems like there are others, but I am drawing a blank.

[rwest]

I put a dollar in a pool with some folks. But if win anything big...

It's Mine! Mine. Mine. - it's all mine. it all belongs to me....

You'll find me on a huge sail boat off the shores of Acapulco laying in the sun with a Tequilla Sunrise in one hand a big fat stogie in the other. Oh, and dont forget to look for the hot dancing girls in front of me!

[EzyStvy]

There was this guy Joe, who decided to win the lottery. He decided the best way to do that was to pray everyday.

So every morning at dawn, rain, fog or shine, Joe would go into his backyard face east, spread his arms wide and say, "Dear God please let me win the lottery today."

He did this every day for two years.

Then, one cloudy morning as Joe stood there the clouds parted and a beam of sunshine engulfed in a radiant glow. Then a booming voice from the heavens said, "Joe, met me half way on on this - buy a ticket."

[David M]

Originally Posted by rwest I put a dollar in a pool with some folks. But if win anything big... It's Mine! Mine. Mine. - it's all mine. it all belongs to me.... You'll find me on a huge sail boat off the shores of Acapulco laying in the sun with a Tequilla Sunrise in one hand a big fat stogie in the other. Oh, and dont forget to look for the hot dancing girls in front of me!

Exactly! You have to remember that the winner of the lottery only gets to keep half of the money. The other half goes to the government and isn't the government effectively a charity anyway? The only difference is you don't get to choose the recipients of the money.

[jdeb]

Originally Posted by David M Exactly! You have to remember that the winner of the lottery only gets to keep half of the money. The other half goes to the government and isn't the government effectively a charity anyway? The only difference is you don't get to choose the recipients of the money.

Right. That money goes to the lobbyists who then turn around and give it to congressman and senators.

[David M]

What I mean is half the lottery winnings are taxed.

[glc]

In this case, lump sum is considerably more than half the annuity (full) amount. It does work out to about half AFTER tax.

With much of the nation gripped by Mega Millions fever, hopefuls snapped up $100 million worth of tickets ahead of tonight's Mega Millions drawing, pushing the jackpot to $640 million from $540 million on Thursday. The 11 p.m. ET drawing could provide a lucky ticket holder with a lump-sum, pretax payoff of $462 million. After taxes, the payout is a still-whopping $324 million.

If you take the full $640m as an annuity, you won't have that much after taxes. Lump sum doesn't look so bad.

[HAL9000]

Just went in with a friend who was going to the US for some tickets... we'll apply for the tax refund if we win

[SARGE]

I got mine earlier in week and this morning as well. As predicted, this afternoon and folks getting off work, plus later this evening, the crowds are crazy. No lines all week or this morning at my 7-11. Drove past it and a few others around 4 pm CST and my gosh the traffic jams. Parking lot so full at one, folks were lined up waiting for others to leave and shut down the entire place. People parking in right-hand lane on 3-lane street waiting to get in, thus tying up rush-hour traffic going east. I may drive past again betwen 7-8 for grins. Folks have had all week. Like April 15th at the post office almost.

[quartet-man]

Originally Posted by HAL9000 Just went in with a friend who was going to the US for some tickets... we'll apply for the tax refund if we win

Did it take both of you to buy and carry out the tickets? Couldn't one of you stayed in the car or better yet at home?

[strollin]

Winning tickets bought in Illinois, Kansas & Maryland. Dang! I thought for sure I had a winning ticket!

As usual, I didn't even win a dollar.

[HAL9000]

Originally Posted by quartet-man Did it take both of you to buy and carry out the tickets? Couldn't one of you stayed in the car or better yet at home?

I did stay at home... I don't have my passport to cross the border.... I really should get that someday.

[David M]

It's fun to fantasize even with the odds of being struck six times by lightning and surviving are greater.