One wonders how much he would have had over 2 decades had he put the same money in a outperforming stock fund, like Vanguard.
>>>One wonders how much he would have had over 2 decades had he put the same money in a outperforming stock fund, like Vanguard<<<
Call the Social Security Office and ask them.
Really?
Eww-Awww!
Just trying to communicate to you in YOUR language.
I don’t play the lottery, but, if he paid $5, it would be:
$5*52*18=$4680
$10*52*18=$9360
But, that’s not having invested the money....that’s just straight cash value. It’s a great deal if you look at it that way.
We’d have to know how much he spent to win the prize.
But he’s probably still coming out ahead of your idea. But, really that’s not your best point.
Your best point is that he’s one in a million that has done that well, where as someone investing as you said is a winner every time.
If he really only bought one ticket at a time: The drawing is held twice a week and he spent $3 on the ticket, so that's $312/year x 18 yrs (the ticket only cost $1 in the past, but I'm ignoring that). He's spent less than 3k.
Of course, this is only a news story because winning money on the lottery is a very unexpected outcome.