5abbingia t1_iy02y80 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
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
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