Comments on: I figure those lights were aliens buying Mega-Millions tickets https://habitablezone.com/2012/03/30/i-figure-those-lights-were-aliens-buying-mega-millions-tickets/ Fri, 03 Apr 2026 22:41:18 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: bowser https://habitablezone.com/2012/03/30/i-figure-those-lights-were-aliens-buying-mega-millions-tickets/#comment-13148 bowser Sun, 01 Apr 2012 14:50:38 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=12162#comment-13148 That is very close. But you'd have had to share it with 3 other winners, so what the heck. That is very close. But you’d have had to share it with 3 other winners, so what the heck.

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2012/03/30/i-figure-those-lights-were-aliens-buying-mega-millions-tickets/#comment-13135 TB Sat, 31 Mar 2012 14:54:37 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=12162#comment-13135 <p>Woot!</p> Four numbers! 162 bucks! Biggest haul I ever made in the lottery. If I'd gotten the Mega number too, that would have been $11,557. If I'd gotten the fifth number instead, it would have been $228,000! 29 people in California got that. Weirdly, both missed numbers were the same. 23. Three jackpot tickets got sold in Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland. Something over $200 million each before taxes. I'm not sure what mine is after taxes. Yeah, dammit. It's taxable income. Woot!

Four numbers! 162 bucks!

Biggest haul I ever made in the lottery.

If I’d gotten the Mega number too, that would have been $11,557. If I’d gotten the fifth number instead, it would have been $228,000! 29 people in California got that.

Weirdly, both missed numbers were the same. 23.

Three jackpot tickets got sold in Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland. Something over $200 million each before taxes.

I’m not sure what mine is after taxes. Yeah, dammit. It’s taxable income.

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2012/03/30/i-figure-those-lights-were-aliens-buying-mega-millions-tickets/#comment-13126 TB Fri, 30 Mar 2012 22:23:38 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=12162#comment-13126 <p>I got mine!</p> Five bucks worth of quick picks. I figure I have an excellent chance. Mathematically, my odds of winning are 1 in 176 million. Actually, 5 in 176 million, or 1 in 35.2 million. However, if I don't buy any ticket at all, my odds are 1 in infinity. Now, since 35.2 million goes into infinity an infinite amount of times, I figure I've raised the odds in my favor infinitely! Another cup of coffee, please. Seriously, every single combination has been sold, so someone is going to win the jackpot. Some creative thinkers realized you could win by purchasing every number for $176 million, and still make a nice profit. Unfortunately, it's very likely more than one person will win the jackpot, splitting it down, so if four people win, you're screwed. Never mind having to figure out a way to fill out 176 million slips to buy all the tickets. I don't play very often, but I won a dollar once. I got mine!

Five bucks worth of quick picks.

I figure I have an excellent chance.

Mathematically, my odds of winning are 1 in 176 million. Actually, 5 in 176 million, or 1 in 35.2 million.

However, if I don’t buy any ticket at all, my odds are 1 in infinity. Now, since 35.2 million goes into infinity an infinite amount of times, I figure I’ve raised the odds in my favor infinitely!

Another cup of coffee, please.

Seriously, every single combination has been sold, so someone is going to win the jackpot. Some creative thinkers realized you could win by purchasing every number for $176 million, and still make a nice profit. Unfortunately, it’s very likely more than one person will win the jackpot, splitting it down, so if four people win, you’re screwed.

Never mind having to figure out a way to fill out 176 million slips to buy all the tickets.

I don’t play very often, but I won a dollar once.

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