Ohio Woman Admits Lying in Lotto Case

CNN ^

[AppyPappy]

CLEVELAND (AP) - A woman said through tears Thursday that she lied about losing the winning ticket for a $162 million lottery prize awarded to another woman.

Elecia Battle, 40, of Cleveland, is dropping her lawsuit to block payment of the Mega Millions jackpot to the certified winner, said her lawyer Sheldon Starke.

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

You are willing to pay more for fire insurance on your house than is statistically justified by the small liklihood of having your house burn down.

Not exactly willing - my mortgage requires coverage.

[smith288]

'infinitesimally

Wrong. You dont play and I do, then my chances are infinitely better compared to yours. In relation to other lotto players, yes, infinitesimal.

[DeaconRed]

Lottery = a tax on the poor.

Half Right
Lottery=TAX
A tax on anyone who purchases a ticket. If you don't play you don't pay.
Name one other tax where you have ANY chance of recovering your money, OK I'll admit it is slim, however it is possible to win some money, even if you don't get the big prize.

Now, even if you don't play, be glad some people do -- Why? Your taxes would be increased somewhere to make up for the $$.

[bobsatwork]

I am shocked. Anyone who couldn't see this was a scam should leave their wallets at home.

[smith288]

Sure

My plans arent to impress fml. If so, I would have told you.

[Sloth]

Lottery = a tax on the poor greedy but lazy.

FWIW, I'm both greedy and lazy... but I'm not a moron, so I don't play the lottery.

[AppyPappy]

You have a better chance of getting money from a mistake in your taxes than winning the lottery.

[LPStar]

Some people play the lottery for fun, and know the stakes are mathematically rigged. It's perhaps ok as a minor recreation. I feel worst for the poor children of parents who suffer because money is spent on tickets rather than nutritious food or warm clothes or books.

[Physicist]

I should have said mathematically stupid/ignorant. You need not be stupid to play the lottery.

It is possible to play the lottery smartly. If the payout is high enough, the expectation value of a $1 play actually rises above $1. At that point it's an investment, albeit a very high-risk one.

If Powerball goes above $100 million, I put $5 on it. If it goes above $200 million, I put $10 on it. If it goes above $300 million, I put $15 on it, and so on.

Another consideration is that winning a large lottery is qualitatively different from winning a substantial amount of money in, say, a casino. If I won $10,000, or even $100,000, playing craps, it wouldn't make a huge difference in how I live my life. $100 million, however, is out-of-band. It lies above the phase transition between wealth and power. A single dollar among $100 million may technically be worth the same as any dollar bill, but it can do so much more. That additional worth isn't reflected in the expectation value, however.

[DeaconRed]

"You have a better chance of getting money from a mistake in your taxes than winning the lottery."

Wrong:
Poor people don't pay taxes (except lottery)

[fml]

Maybe, but by not sharing you are indeed greedy. (just kidding)

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

Interesting...what do you mean by "expectation value"?

[ArrogantBustard]

Lottery = a tax on those who can't 'do' math.

Thank you. It took three tries, somebody finally got it right.

[hattend]

She lied? No Way!!!! I am deeply saddened by this revelation. And shocked! SHOCKED, I tell you!

.

.

. psssst...Is she in jail for filing a false police report, yet?

[smith288]

Maybe, but by not sharing you are indeed greedy. (just kidding)

Indeed! lol

Ill be greedy to who I need to be greedy to... (a few family members will get nada! HA)

[smith288]

Physicist

I wouldnt never knew you were REALLY a physicist until I read your post...LOL You REALLY must be one.

[Publius6961]

Nothing sobers up a professional do-gooder faster than a serious likelihood of jail time. Same for small time wannabe crooks.

[AppyPappy]

I think he means "return". If you have a 1 in 35,000,000 in winning $5, you don't play. But if the return is $55,000,000 then you do.

[Publius6961]

Where are the people that were too stupid to see her for what she was and were calling the real winner all kinds of filth.

?????

[Paradox]

I wouldnt never knew you were REALLY a physicist until I read your post...LOL You REALLY must be one.

He is one of Free Republic's Resident Nerds (tm) :)