'National' game?Prev TopicNext Topic

• CASH Only

  United States
  Member #379
  June 5, 2002
  11,296 Posts
  Offline
  Jul 12, 2003, 11:38 pm

  ▲▼

  Now that Texas is considering BOTH Mega Millions and Powerball, if they decide on selling both games, and other lotteries "double-up," would the two games merge?
• golotto

  

  Wisconsin
  United States
  Member #1,610
  June 3, 2003
  668 Posts
  Offline
  Jul 13, 2003, 1:05 am

  ▲▼

  powerball and mm merge?

  ... the lottery never fails to surprise!
• smd173

  

  United States
  Member #434
  June 30, 2002
  675 Posts
  Offline
  Jul 13, 2003, 6:23 am

  ▲▼

  I think they will definitely merge at some point. Keeping the Powerball brand name and slightly increasing the odds. Maybe around 150 Million to 1.
• AnnuityIsGreat

  United States
  Member #1,047
  January 17, 2003
  348 Posts
  Offline
  Jul 13, 2003, 6:42 am

  ▲▼

  I hope they do merge.  I hope the odds are 200M to 1.  Minimum should be set at $25M.  And because the jackpot might reach over $500M with ease, they should only pay in ANNUITY.  I say over 26 years.

  Don't blow all your winnings in one place - Choose Annuity
• CASH Only

  United States
  Member #379
  June 5, 2002
  11,296 Posts
  Offline
  Jul 14, 2003, 2:38 pm

  ▲▼

  I say 30 annual payments WITH a cash option (today's PB)
• orangeman

  

  Amarillo/Austin
  United States
  Member #1,424
  April 25, 2003
  696 Posts
  Offline
  Jul 14, 2003, 3:12 pm

  ▲▼

  If they would make the winnings from a national lottery non-taxable, it would make a big difference.  A tax-free top prize would appeal to many players and the government would get it back in increased ticket sales.

  Making the national lotto tax free would make it more appealing than Powerball and Mega Millions where players have to pay 60% off the top.  This would only be available if the player chose the lump sum payment. 

  Norway already does this.  Why not the good old USA?

  Orangeman
• orangeman

  

  Amarillo/Austin
  United States
  Member #1,424
  April 25, 2003
  696 Posts
  Offline
  Jul 14, 2003, 3:14 pm

  ▲▼

  I'm sorry, I meant 40% off the top.  In reality the tax hit is 39.7 in the top tax bracket until the new tax law kicks in . . .

  Orangeman
• Todd

  

  50

  Chief Bottle Washer

  New Jersey
  United States
  Member #1
  May 31, 2000
  27,938 Posts
  Online
  Jul 14, 2003, 7:22 pm

  ▲▼

  Orangeman,

  I'm afraid that once the US Federal government develops a tax stream, the inertia it creates is almost impossible to stop.  Do you see all the difficulty that President Bush is going through for his relatively small tax cut?  That's why taxes need to be stopped before they ever get started.

  Case in point: the day the government signs into law an Internet sales tax is the day that Internet commerce gets stabbed in the back, because the genie will be impossible to get back into the bottle.

   

  Check the State Lottery Report Card
  What grade did your lottery earn?

   

  Sign the Petition for True Lottery Drawings
  Help eliminate computerized drawings!
• orangeman

  

  Amarillo/Austin
  United States
  Member #1,424
  April 25, 2003
  696 Posts
  Offline
  Jul 16, 2003, 12:04 pm

  ▲▼

  The real issue about a tax-free lotto is the fact that one party (guess who) would say it wasn't fair to the ones who didn't win.  The famous Missouri pol who condemned those who "win the lottery of life" would definitely not like it.

  This particular party is a lot like the Russians in their jealousy.  There is an old joke that goes like this:

  Every nationality has its own pot to boil sinners with devils around the edge to keep them in.  Except for the Russian pot which needs no devil guards.  In the Russian pot when someone makes it to the edge, everyone else grabs him and pulls him back in.

  Orangeman
• Todd

  

  50

  Chief Bottle Washer

  New Jersey
  United States
  Member #1
  May 31, 2000
  27,938 Posts
  Online
  Jul 17, 2003, 3:31 am

  ▲▼

  Orangeman:

   

  Check the State Lottery Report Card
  What grade did your lottery earn?

   

  Sign the Petition for True Lottery Drawings
  Help eliminate computerized drawings!
• CASH Only

  United States
  Member #379
  June 5, 2002
  11,296 Posts
  Offline
  Jul 18, 2003, 7:29 pm

  ▲▼

  I suppose one reason not to combine the games would be to continue giving players a CHOICE of playing one, or both.