Jackpot is now at $350 million. 76 million to 1 odds, but hey you can't win if you don't play.

-- Buddy (buddydc@go.com), May 09, 2000

Answers

Yep-bought 3 tickets. I will let you all know.

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), May 09, 2000.

The lottery is a tax on people who can't do math.

-- Ken Decker (kcdecker@worldnet.att.net), May 09, 2000.

Hey Ken, not to the one that wins!

-- Buddy (buddydc@go.com), May 09, 2000.

Anybody know the states that carry the Big Game lottery?

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), May 09, 2000.

The States are:

Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, New Jersey, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Michigan

Web-sites:

http://www.galottery.com/

www.theofficialbiggame.com (a bit busy right now)

-- Buddy (buddydc@go.com), May 09, 2000.

Aren't your odds of getting the winning numbers the same regardless of how many tickets are purchased or how big the pot is? Of course your chances of getting the whole pot might diminish as the number of tickets goes up.

Ken, I'm with you on this one.

-- Flash (flash@flash.hq), May 09, 2000.

I understand the objections to lotteries. There are people who spend way too much of their money trying to win lotteries, just as there are abusers of other things. However, in my case that doesn't apply. I have a few bucks that I won't miss and it's fun.

-- Buddy (buddydc@go.com), May 09, 2000.

Got 'em...

-- Peg (not@really.necessary), May 09, 2000.

I heard the odds are 80 million to one.

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), May 09, 2000.

The precise odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 76,275,360. So considering the jackpot size, the "average" payoff on a $1 ticket (not counting secondary prizes) is well over $4. But to convert this theoretical average payoff into a tangible result, one would have to play a LOT.

-- David L (bumpkin@dnet.net), May 09, 2000.

Caveat to my previous post: that average payoff is contingent upon no more than one ticket hitting the jackpot.

-- David L (bumpkin@dnet.net), May 09, 2000.

Well, we lost :-( but..there's always next time!

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), May 09, 2000.

yup, got one, only one. not counting the one i put in the office pool. already tossed it in the trash. oh, well, least i tried.

-- ed (edrider007@aol.com), May 10, 2000.

Not a winner :( .

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), May 10, 2000.

Great. Got my ticket today. You guys are all invited over when I win big. I could do a lot with 350 million dollars.

-- (readyfor@action.now), May 10, 2000.

Hope your kidding "ready for action". The drawing was yesterday and two winning tickets were sold. Hold on to that ticket for Friday's drawing though.

-- Buddy (buddydc@go.com), May 10, 2000.