Instant Lottery/"Scratch Off" Tickets-A question

[sexymaid_69]

They make nice gifts for those folks who have everything.

[Devo]

I researched this subject after my parents expressed the lack of return on scratch off tickets that they bought every time they went stopped at a certain gas station to fill up on their cross country trips.

In this case, it was South Dakota.

Payback in South Dakota was 60 percent, about average from what I saw.

Pennsylvania? 44 percent, according to what I found, that's the lowest in the entire USA.

So, you spend a 100 you get back 44, compare that to Casino slots where payback is usually in the 90s.

Further, the poor are the primary targets for scratch offs, the state AIMS to take money from them, so the people who need it most get fucked the most.

Plus PA is notorious for NOT pulling the remaining tickets after the maximum prize has been hit, which greatly changes the odds for the rest of the people buying them.

Which, leads to the fact, that the tickets themselves are not randomly produced, nor, in fact truly by chance.

Do you really not believe that the state would sell off all the losing tickets first, and then, release all the winning tickets near the end of the game, further reducing the chance to randomly win the game on ticket number one?

You gamble, you lose, if you think you are going to get rich with scratch offs, you are stupid, plain and simple.

[Devo]

Just watched an advert last night, with Gus the annoying fucking rodent, going on about the 300K prize for the new scratch offs.

What should be mandatory, is that they advertise what you actually get after taxes, which is probably around 150K, unless you live in Philthy or Shittsburgh which both have higher local income taxes than the rest of the state.

[DanielRS]

My best friends mom won 50 grand off a scratcher a few years back. The odds are incredibly slim but people do win.

[Devo]

Originally Posted by DanielRS

My best friends mom won 50 grand off a scratcher a few years back. The odds are incredibly slim but people do win.

I was nearly struck by lightning twice in my life.

[pittlicker]

Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

[Albedo]

Originally Posted by Devo

Just watched an advert last night, with Gus the annoying fucking rodent, going on about the 300K prize for the new scratch offs.

What should be mandatory, is that they advertise what you actually get after taxes, which is probably around 150K, unless you live in Philthy or Shittsburgh which both have higher local income taxes than the rest of the state.

Lottery winnings aren't taxable at the local level. So you don't have to claim lottery winnings on your local tax form when filing, which means you don't have to pay 3% in Pittsburgh, or nearly 4% in Philly.

Non-Taxable Income Includes:Social Security benefits, Unemployment Compensation, public assistance, alimony, child support, death benefits, gifts, interest, dividends, boarding and lodging for convenience of employer, lottery winnings, Supplementary Unemployment benefits, capital gains (capital or business losses may not be used as a deduction against other taxable income), disability benefits (periodical payments received by an individual under a disability insurance plan), active military service and summer encampment (provide orders; include leave and earnings statement), personal use of company cars, cafeteria plans, and clergy housing allowance. Some forms of payments from pensions and individual retirement programs (such as: Keogh, Tax Shelter Annuity, IRA and 401K) are not taxable. Refer to the PA Department of Revenue regulations regarding taxable compensation. This list is not exhaustive. Contact your professional tax preparer with questions.

[Jacuzzme]

I see these morons at the gas station every morning dropping 20-50 on tickets. Fucking fools. Drop that in a Roth instead for 30-40 years and you’re guaranteed a Couple mil when you retire.

[R.Shackleford]

My grandmother won 25k once, got about 16k after taxes. She was "rich" for about six months and then back to being poor.

[fstforward]

you can go on the lottery website and see, by game, what prizes have been won so far, and which prizes remain...knew someone who did this religiously and played a system of buying tickets with bigger jackpots remaining and he did rather well on scratch offs, doubled his money every year...

[Minka Fox]

Originally Posted by Devo

Just watched an advert last night, with Gus the annoying fucking rodent, going on about the 300K prize for the new scratch offs.

What should be mandatory, is that they advertise what you actually get after taxes, which is probably around 150K, unless you live in Philthy or Shittsburgh which both have higher local income taxes than the rest of the state.

Now that you mention it, I hate Groundhog Day too. Though "Gus" isn't Punxsutawney Phil, Arizona *used* to have something similar until someone handling the animal had gotten bit. THEIR governor was smart enough to put an end to all that nonsense right then and there. Keep on Scratching...ughhhh

[sexymaid_69]

If they put an end to groundhog day Punxsutawney would fade into Oblivion and the town would board up.

[jedo321]

I used to work for the PA Lottery and 25% of the proceeds from all ticket sales (minus materials) goes to SS and other benefits, 74% goes to the government and 1% goes to Scientific Games/G-Tech the companies who run the lottery for the state. People win all the time, mostly business owners. I'd hate to say it but most of the people who play are generally poor and they play the scratch offs more than anything.

[Minka Fox]

Originally Posted by jedo321

I used to work for the PA Lottery and 25% of the proceeds from all ticket sales (minus materials) goes to SS and other benefits, 74% goes to the government and 1% goes to Scientific Games/G-Tech the companies who run the lottery for the state. People win all the time, mostly business owners. I'd hate to say it but most of the people who play are generally poor and they play the scratch offs more than anything.

So, yeah...it is the 'poor man's tax' then. Well, that's kinda depressing

[sexymaid_69]

It's the same as any other gambling, keeping a realistic idea about it one starts off with the thought.
" How much cash can I throw away today?"

Sometimes you're pleasantly surprised, other times you just enjoy relaxing on the casino furniture and check out the decor, both of which you've helped pay for