I love reading James Lileks. He makes me smile:
Yes, I bought a Powerball ticket. And then I ate it. It’s much more interesting than just buying one and waiting to see if you win; now you hope, intensely, that you lose. If you take down the numbers before you swallow it, you get relief the moment they announce the winning numbers.
If you know me, you may or may not know that I’ve never bought a lottery ticket and that I think it’s a waste of money. I do, however, think you have every right to waste your money if it makes you happy. I even voted in favor of bringing the lottery to North Dakota a couple of years ago.
Maybe I’m too rational or analytical, but I’d rather take my chances on a game where I have a fighting chance, like blackjack. There is, after all, a very good reason why mathematicians don’t play Powerball, and it should be printed on the back of every ticket: You’re six times more likely to become President of the United States than win Powerball.
I think I’ll start getting ready for the 2016 campaign…