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No one won the $900 million Powerball -- now it's up to $1.3 billion [Unprecedented]
Business Insider ^ | 01/10/2016 | Caroline Moss, Tech Insider

Posted on 01/10/2016 7:47:03 AM PST by SeekAndFind

No ticket matched all six Powerball numbers following the drawing for a record jackpot of nearly $950 million, lottery officials said early Sunday, boosting the expected payout for the next drawing to a whopping $1.3 billion.

The winning numbers -- disclosed live on television and online Saturday night -- were 16-19-32-34-57 and the Powerball number 13.

All six numbers must be correct to win, although the first five can be in any order. The odds to win the largest lottery prize in US history were one in 292.2 million.

Officials with the Multi-State Lottery Association, which runs the Powerball game, said they expected about 75% of the possible number combinations would have been bought for Saturday night's drawing.

Since November 4, the Powerball jackpot has grown from its $40 million starting point, as no one has won the jackpot. Such a huge jackpot was just what officials with the Multi-State Lottery Association, which runs the Powerballgame, hoped for last fall when they changed the odds of matching all the Powerball numbers, from about one in 175 million to one in 292.2 million. By making it harder to win a jackpot, the tougher odds made the ever larger prizes inevitable.

The US saw sales of $277 million on Friday alone, and sales of more than $400 million were expected Saturday, according to Gary Grief, the executive director of the Texas Lottery.

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Society
KEYWORDS: lottery; powerball
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To: Seizethecarp

The “odds” should be based only on the number of people playing. Not on the number of tickets sold etc.

For example: of the 300 million people in the US - subtract the children under 18, the disabled elderly, those in jail, those in hospital, Mormons and Amish.

Must be about 100 million to 1. Doesn’t matter how many tickets each person buys. 1 person = 1.

JMHO


21 posted on 01/10/2016 8:08:43 AM PST by sodpoodle (Life is prickly - carry tweezers.)
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To: max americana

I used to do good at blackjack in Vegas in the 70’s against one or two decks.


22 posted on 01/10/2016 8:12:16 AM PST by Dr. Ursus
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To: Gaffer

It was a good post dude. Don’t beat yourself up. ;D)


23 posted on 01/10/2016 8:13:05 AM PST by Nuc 1.1 (Nuc 1 Liberals aren't Patriots. Remember 1789!)
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To: max americana

cool story :0

did you see both? James Caan and Mark Wahlburg?

thought the James Caan one was better.

that one didn’t have such a happy ending. it was realized that he just needed a HIGH no matter how he gad to get it.

but John Goodman was great in the second one :)

more of a cerebral movie, both of them, which spells trouble in the US market


24 posted on 01/10/2016 8:13:56 AM PST by dp0622 (i .)
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To: oust the louse
I would hand it right back to the gov to get the debt down.

A very big cut of what's spent on tickets goes back to the states. I wonder how much of it is used to get debts down and help communities balance their budgets.

25 posted on 01/10/2016 8:17:24 AM PST by grania
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
This game is a rip-off. Play the lower-odds games in your state.

It is. They all are, of course. But I read a mathematical analysis recently where the author said that once the Powerball hits 450 million (I think that was the number), the math says it's worth it.

26 posted on 01/10/2016 8:17:43 AM PST by Leaning Right (Why am I holding this lantern? I am looking for the next Reagan.)
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To: SeekAndFind

When someone wins this, it will be a good time to preach on the subject of envy.


27 posted on 01/10/2016 8:19:24 AM PST by aimhigh (1 John 3:21)
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To: max americana
the blackjack table was easy pickings because the dealers were amateurs and not pros like in an actually casino

Okay, I'm going to have to ask you to please explain that. How would the quality of the dealers affect the odds of winning?

Unless you were counting cards...or doing something else a bit more, shall we say, creative...

28 posted on 01/10/2016 8:20:28 AM PST by Leaning Right (Why am I holding this lantern? I am looking for the next Reagan.)
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To: oust the louse
JK...10 mill to Jim Rob and then party like a rock star.

< like>< like>< like>< like>< like>< like>

29 posted on 01/10/2016 8:21:47 AM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets (Islam is the greened eyed monster that doth mock the meat it feeds upon.)
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To: SeekAndFind

really...without foreknowledge of the numbers assigned or chosen week to week on going...what are the real odds that a totally random system keeps picking the “unpicked” numbers...or just how gullible are the ones still buying...say pretty low on first one and pretty high on second...ever heard of loaded balls???


30 posted on 01/10/2016 8:22:50 AM PST by ldish (Have had enough...you??????)
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To: oust the louse

Looking forward to the Party!!!


31 posted on 01/10/2016 8:26:16 AM PST by RIghtwardHo
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To: dp0622

It make perfect sense. People are greedy. Winning 1.3 billion is better than 500-800 million


32 posted on 01/10/2016 8:27:43 AM PST by 4rcane
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To: Hulka

There are limits on how much money can be remunerated and in this case would be enforced.


33 posted on 01/10/2016 8:29:49 AM PST by steve86 (Prophecies of Maelmhaedhoc O�Morgair (Latin form: Malachy))
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To: LostInBayport
Things usually don't turn out well for lottery jackpot winners. Either they are undisciplined and they end up broke in the end or they are alienated from friends and family because everybody has their hands out.

When you are perceived as "earning" your money, such as building a business and becoming wealthy, people tend to leave you alone. But a lottery winner brings out the very worst in friends and family as well as a never ending parade of scam artists. People figure that you did nothing to earn it and so you should be obligated to shell a good portion of it out to others, especially your relatives, who will suddenly come out of the woodwork grasping for their slice of the pie.

They won't want to hear about how you had to pay 55% of it to the taxman and how you have to now hire an army of lawyers and accountants to manage it all. They are only interested in their "lump sum" and guess what, it will never be enough. Give everybody in your family $50,000 and they will soon be muttering what a cheapskate you are. No amount will satisfy them once you start dishing it out.

I almost want to say "no thanks" to being a big lottery winner.

Really, the only proper way to handle such a windfall is to put the winning ticket in a safe place and hire a good lawyer to work out the details of claiming it. Try not to reveal your name to the press if at all possible and keep a very low profile. Might be necessary to "relocate" to a different part of the country and only give your contact info to those people you want to hear from.

34 posted on 01/10/2016 8:30:09 AM PST by SamAdams76
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To: sodpoodle

“Must be about 100 million to 1. Doesn’t matter how many tickets each person buys. 1 person = 1.”

The way the Chinese calculate it: the odds are 50-50; either you win, or you don’t.


35 posted on 01/10/2016 8:31:57 AM PST by CondorFlight (I)
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To: oust the louse
I would hand it right back to the government to get this debt thing down...

No need for you to bother. You could transfer it to me. I will take care of it.

36 posted on 01/10/2016 8:33:35 AM PST by School of Rational Thought
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To: Gaffer

At least is was a FreeRepublic thread you accidently posted from instead of posting something from your Ashley Madison account.


37 posted on 01/10/2016 8:35:10 AM PST by Sawdring
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To: Sawdring

Ashley Madison? Now that’s a low blow..... :0)


38 posted on 01/10/2016 8:36:18 AM PST by Gaffer
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To: SamAdams76
Try not to reveal your name to the press if at all possible and keep a very low profile. Might be necessary to "relocate" to a different part of the country and only give your contact info to those people you want to hear from.

All but two state require publicity of winner. Apparently is some states one can get away with claiming the prize as an LLC or partnership (group winners), but a prize this size, the government will make sure the winner pays for the good luck.

39 posted on 01/10/2016 8:38:40 AM PST by School of Rational Thought
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To: SeekAndFind

Bubba running a numbers game down the street, off to jail. The States/Feds get their share, all is good.


40 posted on 01/10/2016 8:41:35 AM PST by hadaclueonce (I thought Ethanol was the devil, now i find it is America is an Oligarchy)
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