PM_ur_Rump t1_iy06x62 wrote
Reply to comment by 5abbingia in People who win the lottery make poor financial decisions because people who make good financial decisions don't buy lottery tickets. by DjHalk45
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.
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