$540 MILLION: Mega Millions buying frenzy sparks another jackpot increase

It will   take more than a butter knife to take down this monster. Good Luck on that  fight LotteryLeroy.

Jackpot just reached $640 Million!!!!

Seriously, THREE OF YOUR FRIENDS won the (I assume you meant) top MM prize in the past 10 years?

Those odds are about as long as actually winning the jackpot yourself...

Hi, goodmorning to you...yea it's an insane amount isn't it?

So, if you win the MM tonight, your state allows you to completely maintain your anonymity behind a blind trust? Because if not, the same 'hackers' will have enough information about you to do whatever they wish, and even if that's the case, what's to stop them from "attempting to break into various financial institutions and lottery headquarters' online client files" on a one-time payout, particularly one of this magnitude with this much publicity surrounding it?

I'm comfortable, thanks...

That's who I was thinking of also

I've hardly seen anybody buying tickets around here!!! I've maybe seen $50 being bought in my many gas station adventures (besides my winning one)

Water tower town... Love me some Scotty mccreery!!!

You know, I was just thinking, the State of Illinois, is now testing out the online lottery ticket sales for the Mega Millions game.
However I'm interested in the legal logistics of this.

For one it seem's that this will effect the State economy overall, since vendor's have grown to depend upon lottery ticket sales as a part of their profits etc.

The State is kind of shafting the vendor's by doing this, and in a way is most likely circumventing the allocating amounts in which they passed as part of the lottery laws, it's operational costs, advertising etc. as well as funding.

I do think it would be a bad idea to allow purchases to be made using credit cards, for gambling, however a debit should be okay.

But either way, there is still the issue of the vendor's.

For example South Carolina, if they have any excess amounts such as the taxes collected on Jackpot amounts which aren't allocated into the Educational purposes, but put into a "general Fund", this general fund may be allocated for anything that the State legislatures may wish to direct the funds too, even themselves, for example if they choose to allocate a one time 1-2% State employee bonus then those amounts would also benefit the General Assembly (and yes, they have brought the bonus idea up recently).

Also I feel, that all member States should coordinate with eachother, prior to offering free game tickets for the multi-State games.
Otherwise it would throw a favor towards one State over the other, since the State would be really buying the free tickets for their State players, in order to increase the States chances of having a winner, or multiple winner in their State, thus making even more profits by their investment, since they will get a higher return by the taxes.

Does anyone else feel a bit concerned about free multi-State game tickets being given out to residents of one State, and not the same afforded to all of the other States?
Enumeration would dictate that higher populated States, would gain even more by giving out freebies.

Or do I have this all wrong? idk, I only have a problem for free game tickets in one State and not the others, for the multi-State games only.

Something worthy to think about!

Gordianknot,I get what your concepts entail, Just a wee bit perplexed in how a program which each state who participates has to be regulated? Its my understanding that each state who participates has rules but not one of them is to come to a GROUP decision on how state run "enticers" are played. They are at liberty to promote within the rules by the Multistate guidelines. I cringe though that a state would line its own politicians though....Our state lottery gives to a senior sector ....

So no I am not too concerned with these state run freebies (enticers).Ya either win or ya dont.

Tonight though I shall step up and graciously win the entire jackpot! :) A Dollar and a dream at a time.

Ty for the reply, and your thoughts on the matters, yea it's a bit disconcerting, knowing that they left a catch 22 in there in which they could easily manipulate,
and profit from at the expense of players/citizans.

For years I had been a gambler, for the most part from playing video gambling devices, that was until S.C decided that they wanted all of those dollars, and destroyed
A whole industry by making games of chance illegal.

At first, lawmakers stated they would allow the people of the State to vote on keeping gambling devices or making them illegal, then they changed their mind (feared that it would garner enough votes to keep them).

So instead they made them illegal, then when they wanted to create the lottery, they needed a means to give an exception to the rules, since a "Lottery Terminal" by the States own definition is considered a gambling device, and no distinction between a video poker/keno or lottery terminal, so they needed  the people of S.C to vote to have the lottery.

I voted against it, mostly based upon principles, since I also knew that it wasn't really going to be about education as they claim.

My biggest concern, was that they advertised originally that it was going to be for educational purposes, and of course most sane people I included (at least I hope I'm sane), could never argue against a State having more tools (money) to increase the availability of eductional quality for students.

But instead the vast majority of the funds collected for education, goes towards grants and scholarships, so it hasn't really effected a depreciation of taxation in the area of education in which matters most, the public educational system.

Instead it has supported secondary education, AKA the universities, allowing them to increase tuition costs, and giving higher incentitives to professor's in order to retain them.
But it also has driven the costs out of control.

I always thought, that all revenues raised by the State for educational purposes, should be allocated exclusively from the K-12 since it's excepted by the societies that basic education is the very least in which the societies should provide to the youths.

When they graduate, and decide to learn a trade, by attending an institution of higher learning, that's a responsibility I think in which should rest with the parents, or responsible party.
And while those graduating from an institution of higher learning, will eventually (with the exception of the recent lack of job's in the market) contribute to the societies via via adding to the national GDP.

I think giving grants etc. from State revenues to Universities is unfair, to the K-12 public educational system.
Since those monies being given will directly benefit only the towns/cities in which have Universities etc.
Whilst our public school system is underpaying the Teachers whom prepare those youth's for higher education.

Now onto your remark regarding "graciously win the entire jackpot :)" that couldn't be more of truth, if I had spoken it myself, I like to think that when I win tonight, I to would act deligently, and in a cautious manner, to insure that those monies would be shared, but also not used foolishly, since everyone of those dollars, were someones elses wishes and dreams!
That's the very least one should do, that is respect everyones best of hopes!

Best of luck tonight! ;)

Yea I know, I can post doozies as far as posts go.
You see. while I understand that incentitives can be used for advertising purposes, I also think that giving free plays for multi-State games if it is not coordinated across the board for all member States, it does sway, and change the fairness of the multi-state games.
For example States on average get to keep some 65% of all ticket sale prices, and 35% or $0.65 (or $1.30 for megaplier, and $ 1.30 and $1.95 for power ball power up) is kept by the State.
So a State can give a free ticket play for a mere $0.35, whilst the average person playing will have to pay $1.00 ($2.00) or $2.00 and $3.00 for a game play.
So a State that gives out free multi-state tickets, throws the odds in their favor of having more winners, and jackpot winners for a drawing.
That is an area I think in which needs, and should be addressed.

Congrat's to the single Mega Millions jackpot (as of the current time I'm posting) from Maryland..... WOW is all I have to say, although I thought that there would be between 5-7 winners sharing the Mega Millions Jackpot, once I noticed that #23 had been drawn as both a white ball, and as the Gold Mega Ball, I pretty much new that it reduced the chances of having so many winners.

So with that, again Congrat's to the single winner, and it is in my hopes that you use my wishes and dreams wisely!