When I was in MI, the folks there were pretty stoke about this, I don't need it

[theking]

..so I won't participate but good luck to those that play  :

[theking]

They have these too:

[theking]

All about the students right?  :

[Hung_Low]

It's funny that all these money are supposed to go to school but no kids have benefited from it.

[theking]

Good luck to all that play tomorrow evening...

[theking]

The Mega Millions prize is up to $1.55 billion. Why is it taking so long for someone to win?
https://www.kcra.com/article/the-mega-millions-prize-is-up-to-dollar155-billion-why-is-it-taking-so-long-for-someone-to-win/44756791#

There is no mystery why the Mega Millions jackpot has grown to $1.55 billion, making it the third-largest ever ahead of Tuesday night's drawing.

The prize has ballooned because no one has matched the game's six winning numbers since April 18, amounting to 31 straight drawings without a big winner. The nearly four-month-long unlucky streak could be all the sweeter for the person who finally lands the top prize, which is inching toward the record lottery jackpot of $2.04 billion won in 2022 by a player in California.

“It’s a fun thing,” said Merlin Smith, a retired real estate appraiser who stopped Monday at a gasoline station in Minneapolis to buy five tickets. “But if you’re depending on winning, you’d be disappointed a lot.”

Why does it take so long for someone to win?

It has been a long stretch of jackpot futility, but Tuesday night's 32nd straight drawing since the last winner still isn't a record. The longest run for a Mega Millions jackpot was 36 drawings that ended on Jan. 22, 2021, with someone winning a $1.05 billion jackpot. The record number of lottery draws was for a Powerball prize that ended after 41 drawings when someone won the record $2.04 billion jackpot.

Wins are so rare because the odds are so miserable, at 1 in 302.6 million. When a drawing fails to produce a big winner, the prizes roll over for weeks. Bigger prizes sell more lottery tickets, which also drives more revenue for the state services lotteries fund.

Steven Tallant, who bought three Mega Millions lottery tickets Monday at the same gas station in Minneapolis, said he doesn't expect to win even a smaller prize.

[DuMa]

I'm not too crazy for it and you are 100% lost if you never take a shot. 

I'm in a work pool and personally, I have 1 ticket for a few gas stations that I stopped by.  First phase, I just need to see the news that so and so gas station won and I'm like, I was there.  2nd Phase is to wait to see if anyone shows up.  3rd phase is it could be me. 

Story time.  I was at the new ellk grove sky river casino this past weekend and saw security guys in suits and slot techs all surrounding this one machine that had won a jackpot.  They were reviewing the cameras.  I think an illegal or someone with a felony won the jackpot and took off running.   

[theking]

In case someone on here wins,.... :

You Can Remain Anonymous If You Win the Mega Millions Jackpot in These 16 States — Why Not the Others?

With the Mega Millions jackpot up to $1.55 billion, people across the U.S. are embracing their dreams of wealth and spending their dollars at convenience stores, gas stations, and other places that sell lottery tickets in the hopes of a big win.

How You Can Make Up To $100,000 From ‘Coin Roll Hunting’: Here Are 5 Tips for Making Money From This Hobby
Learn: 3 Things You Must Do When Your Savings Reach $50,000

If you win Mega Millions Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, and choose the cash option, you’ll receive a lump sum of roughly $757.2 million, Fox News reports. After the IRS takes federal taxes of 24% off the top, you’ll walk away with roughly $575.4 million.

Either way, that’s life-changing money for most people. Experts suggest that if you win, you should keep it a secret for as long as possible.

That’s because winning that much money makes you a target — not just of theft, kidnapping, and other scams — but even friends and relatives coming out of the woodwork asking for cash.

Unfortunately, only 16 states allow you to remain anonymous after winning a big prize in the state lottery. In most cases, you’ll need to request to remain anonymous. Some of these states only let you stay anonymous if you win more than a certain amount.

16 States Where Lottery Jackpot Winners Can Remain Anonymous
Arizona (only for winners of $100,000+, but city and county will be revealed)

Delaware

Illinois (only for winners of $250,000+)

Kansas

Maryland

Minnesota (only for winners of $10,000+)

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana (town or city may be revealed)

New Jersey

New Mexico (only for winners of $10,000+, but you can request anonymity if you have security concerns)

North Dakota

South Carolina

Texas (only for winners of $1 million+)

Virginia (only for winners of $10 million+)

West Virginia (only for winners of $1 million+)

Wyoming

Why Can’t Other Winners in Other States Remain Anonymous?
As you can tell from the list above, the majority of states mandate that lottery winners have their identities revealed. In many states, lottery winners are a matter of public record, so even if your win isn’t promoted by the state lottery, it is readily available for anyone who wants to look it up.

[theking]

In case someone on here wins,.... :

What you should — and shouldn't — do if you win the Mega Millions jackpot, according to an expert

There’s still a chance — 1 in nearly 303 million – for a lucky winner to score the Mega Millions jackpot, which climbed to an estimated $1.55 billion after no ticket matched all six numbers after Friday's drawing. If won, this jackpot could be the largest in the game's history, potentially beating out the 2018 record jackpot of $1.537 billion won in South Carolina. "At this level, jackpots are hard to predict with complete accuracy," a Mega Millions news release said.

While securing the golden ticket is all a matter of luck, holding onto one’s newfound fortune after such a windfall requires some strategy. In fact, compared to the average American, lottery winners are more likely to declare bankruptcy within three to five years, due to a lack of financial planning.

Yahoo News spoke to Andrew Lokenauth, a personal finance expert and founder of thefinancenews letter.com, for some tips on what to do, and not to do, if you are the jackpot winner. Some answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

A Hoosier Lottery employee holds Mega Millions tickets at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis on Thursday. (Darron Cummings/AP)
A Hoosier Lottery employee holds Mega Millions tickets at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis on Thursday. (Darron Cummings/AP)
Someone just won the lottery jackpot, what should they refrain from doing?
Andrew Lokenauth: One: Don't sign the ticket, because once people know who claimed it, everyone is going to be rushing after you. I would say put it in a safe place, and depending on the state you're in, you can claim it anonymously (Delaware, Kansas, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina or Maryland).

Two: Don't tell anybody. This leads back into the first point because you could become the victim of robbery, or people can try to extort you.

Go private until things get under control. You'd want to delete your social media or make it private until you figure things out. Legally change your address to a P.O. box. And get a new phone number and email address, because it can be easy to find both online.

What actions should lottery winners take?
Make digital copies (on encrypted storage) or print copies of your ticket. If you lose it or someone steals it ... these are time-stamped items of proof that you actually own the ticket.

You're going to want to look into hiring six different professionals. The first would be a lawyer, who would help you structure a legal entity [and set up a] trust that protects your money.

Who else should you hire?
Personal security. You want somebody to look after and monitor your bank accounts, your investments, but also professional security to protect your safety.

An accountant to give you a recap every month or every week on your money, where it's going, your spending, how your investments are looking, because you're going to want to grow your money.

A financial advisor to help you build and create your wealth so you can pass it on to future generations. Or, if you want to give back, you can set up a charity.

A tax attorney to help you save on your tax bill. The tax code is, I believe, over 75,000 pages. A lot of wealthy individuals use the tax code to their advantage and they pay very little taxes.

An estate planning attorney to help you pass down your wealth to future generations.

Is it better to cash in on the winnings in one lump sum or receive annuity payments?
Due to inflation and the cost of the dollar decreasing over time, it's always good to take the lump sum and then you can work with your financial advisor or a hedge fund [to] strategically manage that money.