5abbingia t1_iy02o0t wrote
Reply to comment by heidismiles in People who win the lottery make poor financial decisions because people who make good financial decisions don't buy lottery tickets. by DjHalk45
A reasonable amount of lottery tickets is zero.
heidismiles t1_iy02sdo wrote
A reasonable amount is the amount you want to buy, which doesn't hurt your budget in any way.
Let people have their fun.
jhvanriper t1_iy0auar wrote
Hey mathematically but $2 buys a bit of fun what if I win fantasy.
5abbingia t1_iy02y80 wrote
That's not the definition of reasonable, which means according to reason.
AngelOmega7 t1_iy03l71 wrote
“According to reason” if a person buys a non-zero amount of lottery tickets that doesn’t impact their finances, that is a perfectly fine amount to buy.
algabana t1_iy0377n wrote
what if they buy them for the thrill and not because they expect to win? its not a financial decision its entertainment.
5abbingia t1_iy03g4o wrote
I see your point, but the thrill comes from the expectation of winning, doesn't it? And that's an unreasonable expectation.
PM_ur_Rump t1_iy06x62 wrote
It's unreasonable to say "I can give $2 to the lottery fund every few months, which goes to help support state programs, daydream a bit about being a millionaire, and not at all miss the money?" It's basically a donation with a chance of a payout.
BetterFuture22 t1_iy07qao wrote
Yes, hence nickname of "poor people tax"
PM_ur_Rump t1_iy09bx0 wrote
A voluntary donation is not a tax.
BetterFuture22 t1_iy0oybr wrote
That's why I put it in quotes, clever one.
Let's be real, the vast majority of purchasers are people who don't have a lot of money - if they were better at math, they'd realize they're just throwing that money away.
PM_ur_Rump t1_iy1jsi4 wrote
But it's not throwing money away. It's just spending money on something that they want to spend money on. Yes, if you are buying a bunch of tickets regularly, it quickly becomes a form of real gambling with terrible odds, but for most it's just a buck or two that doesn't really hurt them. No different than spending money on anything just because you want it. It's not an investment, it's just a game with a side of charity. "Poor" people are allowed to perform acts of charity too.
heidismiles t1_iy0409u wrote
Have you never fantasized about being wealthy before? Are you from Earth?
algabana t1_iy049e4 wrote
there is a chance of winning isnt there? it doesnt have to outweigh the cost to be thrilling
take it this way: i know that by buying $20 worth of tickets every week i will be losing on average $5 a week. on the other hand, every week theres a 10% chance i end up making $100, the thrill of that is an experience worth more than $5 according to me.
MooPig48 t1_iy07vgd wrote
Expectation? I don’t really think anyone has that expectation. Hope, sure.
mmft_93 t1_iy03ani wrote
Everyone's sense of reason is different based on their own experiences though 0.o so however much they can buy without hurting themselves seems reasonable no?
drumsripdrummer t1_iy05ew2 wrote
You can smoke a little bit of crack without hurting yourself, but that doesn't make it reasonable
ironicf8 t1_iy09dee wrote
No. No you cannot.
PM_ur_Rump t1_iy06kxk wrote
I mean, if it doesn't hurt you and you get some enjoyment out of it...
The_one_maybe t1_iy08btf wrote
Happiness is a very individual thing, and is inherently unreasonable, as it cannot always be reasoned out. A reasonable amount may not be the best way to put it, but an amount that brings about happiness at a greater rate per dollar than other alternatives would be the most logical decision to put money intended for enjoyment on. I see where you're coming from, as the lottery is a terrible investment, but a couple dollars for a chance to dream may be a small price to pay for many.
icecoldfivefold t1_iy0b2pq wrote
You have $400,000.00 in the bank. There's a chance spending $1.00 will get you $485,000,000.00. is my mom unreasonable for buying the ticket or are you unreasonable that a dollar is too much to risk on a small chance of millions? Lmao
annoyedsquish t1_iy03k02 wrote
You're quite the fun-sucker.
5abbingia t1_iy08sz3 wrote
It's legalized gambling, it has nothing to do with fun.
giantvoice t1_iy04cfv wrote
No different than betting on sports or paying for fantasy leagues. Except a ticket is only $1-$2.
BushyOreo t1_iy0dg5g wrote
Which also are dumb
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