Power Ball Lottery - $1 Billion

Washington State Lottery ^ | 10 December 2025

[JParris]

It’s mine. No one else should even try.....

[deks]

Can the 30-year payment option be passed on to an heir?

[rey]

The lottery; a self imposed tax on the mathematically challenged.

[Libloather]

Until you win.

[piasa]

The government wins every time.

[pricilla]

Chance of winning the powerball jackpot about 292 million to one.....chance of being killed by a meteorite in your lifetime about 75 million to one....good luck

[sit-rep]

i stopped buying powerball when they went to $5 a ticket...

[Laslo Fripp]

I believe that was MegaMillions.

[Salamander]

I wish.

Not even sure how to play.

Pick numbers?

Random issued ticket?

In dire straits.

Need a break.

[Sirius Lee]

Got an F in Statistics, but offset by an A+ in Optimism.

[xp38]

What you’re really buying is a chance to fantasize for a few days. Granted one can fantasize without buying a ticket and you’d be ahead a couple of bucks but I suppose the ticket focuses your fantasy a little bit better.

[Libloather]

From what I gather, the payments can be changed down the road. Could start with 10 years and lump sum the remaining amount. There are options.

[21twelve]

A few years ago I bought a couple of tickets. I guess I will now too. Back then I did a deep dive into the various lottery winners.

One of the “winners” ended up divorcing each other. BOTH of them were found several years later, dead in their big homes, alone, and both had been dead for some time before anyone knew (or cared) that they were missing.

The real winners had stories of getting two new cars, new carpeting, building an actual church rather than having a store-front for their congregation, and setting up college funds for their kids.

[Sirius Lee]

Here's the thing. I like the idea that some random someone, somewhere, will eventually win this thing. Life is full of random midgets running around punching people in the nuts, so it's nice to imagine that there could be a stunningly beautiful woman showing up like bolt out of the blue to give you a big ol' kiss and keys to a new bass boat.

Plus, with most wins - the dumb ones - the money soon finds its way back into the local community. Vendors and installers of gold toilets and such.

With the smart ones, an unremarkable LLC comes into existence, and hardly anybody takes any notice.

[This_Dude]

Back up, this one’s mine😎

[oldtech]

I’m 87 & the 30 annual payments sounds like it would net me the most money.

[zeestephen]

Re: "30 year payment option - passed on to heir?"

Certain types of annuities cannot be inherited.

I would be very surprised if that is the case here.

Anyway: 90%-95% of winners choose the Cash Option.

[BBB333]

Yet people in the US of A win these jackpots on a regular basis...

[Living Free in NH]

The lottery; a self imposed tax on the mathematically challenged.

How about a guy who spends thousands of dollars on guns & ammo for home protection, but is never threatened? Was that a waste of money?

It's just a couple bucks for a happy dream.