260 Million Reasons to be Sucky

[ottid]

Ooooh, another lotto seller here! I used to guarantee winning tickets until the time of the draw But because I'm in little old NZ the jackpot doesn't get that high, it can get as high as $36mil (I think, they keep changing it on me) before it has to go, and then if 1st division doesn't win, it goes to 2nd, and so on and so forth.

[HawaiianShirts]

Me: I actually don't have powerball right now, our lottery machine is down.
SC: FUCK you fucking places, goddamn this fucking, GODDAMN! *storms out*

"First off, stop cussing, 'cause you're not good at it."

[Magpie]

For my grade 12 data management course I calculated how big the jackpot needed to be for the expected value of the ticket (the amount that you can win divided by the probability that you will win) to be greater than you paid for it. (Assume that everyone who ever plays buys the maximum number of allowed tickets, that gives you how many winning tickets there are. You know the odds of getting a match, and of getting a partial match for set amounts.) I can't remember what it was, but even when the expected value of your winnings is worth it, you're still probably going to lose money.

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

"First off, stop cussing, 'cause you're not good at it."

I Robot reference?

[trunks2k]

I remember times when neighboring states would have big jackpots for their lotteries (or my state would have a giant jackpot). People would go just over the border to stand in line for an hour to get tickets, when they could just drive another two minutes down the road to any gas station and walk in and out within a minute.

[Mr Hero]

I Robot reference?

You have asked the right question.

[SqueakerBot]

But why would you sell lottery tickets if you weren't the lottery fairy? </sarcasm>
Did the lady really think you decided who wins?

[VenomX]

You know what I should have asked? If he was trying to use the green handle...but that shouldn't even fit in his car.

You would be VERY surprised. Theres a station in town that had a woman pump diesel into her car. When it stpped running she tried to get the station to pay for it. Turns out she forced the nozzle into the car....

[Gaki]

But why would you sell lottery tickets if you weren't the lottery fairy? </sarcasm>
Did the lady really think you decided who wins?

Actually it's a very common mode of thought apparently. A lot of old women have actually told me that many cashiers are just vindictive and DECIDE not to sell the winning ticket.

...yeah...that's EXACTLY how we are. Evil little ones.

You would be VERY surprised. Theres a station in town that had a woman pump diesel into her car. When it stpped running she tried to get the station to pay for it. Turns out she forced the nozzle into the car....

This actually reminds me of a lady who drove off with the pump handle still in her car. She came in and railed our manager saying, "Your pump damaged MY CAR, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?"

He replied, "Your CAR damaged MY PUMP...what are YOU going to do about it?"

She threw the handle down, got in her car and drove away without another word and my manager reattached the emergency breakaway.

[Tama]

You have asked the right question.

I trust your judgment.

(Had to...I had to. It's my favorite movie)

[purplecat41877]

Just out of curiosity, when did the lottery machine go down nationwide? I was working at my grocery store job in the late afternoon/early evening that day and the lottery machine where I am was fine so I possibly would've been off duty when it happened.

[Gaki]

I don't remember the exact time of it but it was only down for about 20 to 40 minutes. We weren't printing lottery for some time afterwards because it would print really slowly.