$500 Million (340 Million after taxes) shuts off everyone’s notion of probability.
Powerball madness is once again gripping Newport as the jackpot has crept up to the half-billion dollar mark and lots of people you know, normally rational human beings with a grasp of probability hear that there’s a 1:175,000,000 chance that they might hit that jackpot and respond like Jim Carrey in Dumb & Dumber.
After all, it’s not as though there are many people on the planet for whom $500 million (or even the $340 million after taxes) won’t mean just about a permanent fix to any current and foreseeable fiscal issues.
Of course, the 1:175 million chance is only for the jackpot. There are still a bunch of smaller prizes that you’re in the running for, so your actual overall odds of winning something are 1:31.85.
Think of the lottery like you would any investment. If you’re going to put down $20 on Powerball, you’re going to want to hedge that with $20 on Mega-Millions. (No, not really.)
We’re wishing everyone the best of luck (though not quite as much luck as we’re wishing ourselves).
May you all enjoy winning everything but the grand prize.
How Everyone Responds When You Tell Them Their Chances Of Winning Powerball
$500 Million (340 Million after taxes) shuts off everyone’s notion of probability.
Powerball madness is once again gripping Newport as the jackpot has crept up to the half-billion dollar mark and lots of people you know, normally rational human beings with a grasp of probability hear that there’s a 1:175,000,000 chance that they might hit that jackpot and respond like Jim Carrey in Dumb & Dumber.
After all, it’s not as though there are many people on the planet for whom $500 million (or even the $340 million after taxes) won’t mean just about a permanent fix to any current and foreseeable fiscal issues.
Of course, the 1:175 million chance is only for the jackpot. There are still a bunch of smaller prizes that you’re in the running for, so your actual overall odds of winning something are 1:31.85.
Think of the lottery like you would any investment. If you’re going to put down $20 on Powerball, you’re going to want to hedge that with $20 on Mega-Millions. (No, not really.)
We’re wishing everyone the best of luck (though not quite as much luck as we’re wishing ourselves).
May you all enjoy winning everything but the grand prize.
-Tristan Pinnock, Blast Gaming Correspondent