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[Nunzillor]

I wonder if America suffers particularly heavily from the "stupidity tax", compared to other countries, then.

Well not worse than the UK apparently, they spent £416 a year on average.

Well, it's about $30 less in the UK.  Still though, that's a lot of wasted money.

[Antioch]

Apparently earnings from state run lotteries exceeds earnings from income tax for a lot of states.

http://blogs.reuters.com/david-cay-johnston/2011/07/15/u-s-lotteries-and-the-state-taxman/

[wobbly]

I wonder if America suffers particularly heavily from the "stupidity tax", compared to other countries, then.

Nup. Australia is the worst here, unfortunately:

http://knowmore.washingtonpost.com/2014/02/04/this-chart-shows-which-countries-have-the-worst-gambling-problems/

Edit: Not sure if you were talking specifically about lotteries or gambling in general. I think a large percentage in Australia is pokie machines.

[Flying Dice]

It's always easier to collect taxes when you call them something else and dangle a prize. Never mind $600, if you told people that you wanted to increase everyone's annual taxes by $6 a year to better provide public goods and maintain infrastructure, nobody would even want to hear it.

[IcyTea31]

http://knowmore.washingtonpost.com/2014/02/04/this-chart-shows-which-countries-have-the-worst-gambling-problems/

I notice my home country Finland is #3 on that list.

I'd like to note that over here pretty much all gambling, including lotteries, is provided by the state monopoly Ray (Raha-automaatti-yhdistys). All profit it makes goes to various public services, so it practically really is an extra tax some people pay.

I don't gamble (I know my math), but I personally like how Ray's advertisements never even imply any realistic chance to win. They only claim to sell excitement and entertainment.

[Caz]

Lotteries suck. Basically the most regressive tax ever that takes advantage of only the poor and stupid.

[Nunzillor]

I have never understood the appeal.  What is exciting about choosing some numbers and never winning?  If anyone here plays the lottery, can they explain their motivation?

[martinuzz]

WTF, my cat just dropped a turd in the litterbox that doesn't smell like cat turd. It smells like human turd.

I hope it hasn't been eating humans again

[Wysthric]

I have never understood the appeal.  What is exciting about choosing some numbers and never winning?  If anyone here plays the lottery, can they explain their motivation?

I do not, but as far as I know, players are enticed by the chance to be set for life. They can lose £2 a week or somesuch (think of it as three bars of chocolate) for a chance (which admittedly most think is larger than it is) to be set for life. It's like a teeny tax for a potentially life - changing amount of money.

I do not buy lottery tickets, because I'd much rather an extra three bars of chocolate or pint of beer a week than the (miniscule - off the top of my head it's like 0.000001% each draw?) chance of a windfall I wouldn't know how to use properly.

[Bouchart]

I hate this whole Powerball mania we've had in the past week or so and can't wait until someone finally wins and it's over.  I'd rather spend the $2 on some old game CD at the thrift store.  At least that I can put on my shelf.

That poor sod who wins.  Everyone he's ever met in his life will be hounding him for cash.

[NJW2000]

Even if they were balanced in terms of cost/benefit probability, that amount of money may not make you as happy as "1/chance of winning"x"a chocolate bar" might, I'd agree. I mean, your salary doubles, you gain a certain amount of happiness, it doubles again later, you gain the same, studies have kinda said. Smaller money makes us happier, especially when we're poorer, if you see what I mean.

[Rolan7]

I do not, but as far as I know, players are enticed by the chance to be set for life. They can lose £2 a week or somesuch (think of it as three bars of chocolate) for a chance (which admittedly most think is larger than it is) to be set for life. It's like a teeny tax for a potentially life - changing amount of money.

Yeah.  Everyone knows the expected result is steadily losing money.  But if you can't succeed by any other means, paying a fee for a miniscule chance of success becomes somewhat reasonable.  (And of the ways to succeed, this one requires little effort and pays off hugely).

But gambling is also addictive, because it's like a Skinner Box.  Apparently if you reward a behavior randomly, it tricks the brain into wanting to repeatedly perform that behavior.  More so than if the reward was constant.  It's why loot drops in roguelikes and RPGs can be so much fun, if handled well...  If all drops were the same quality it would be boring.  Rare drops entice the player by being rare.

[Zangi]

Meh, its for that one in a kazillion chance of winning that monies or at least a portion of it. 

Money can fix a lot of problems, especially the not having enough of it part.  Humans like to dream, hope ain't too bad a thing in life.  Just that pragmatic entities can and will take advantage of it.

On that note, I'll probably pick up a few numbers. 

[wobbly]

Yeah not a gambler myself, but highly suspect that the fantasy element of what you'd spend the money on if you won is a big part of it. The bit I don't understand is why you have to buy the ticket to run the fantasy no., but clearly it makes a difference to some people.

[Zangi]

Yeah not a gambler myself, but highly suspect that the fantasy element of what you'd spend the money on if you won is a big part of it. The bit I don't understand is why you have to buy the ticket to run the fantasy no., but clearly it makes a difference to some people.

It does.  You can dream about it, but if its right there in front of you... and you can take a small step to maybe achieve that dream?  Do you just let it pass by without doing anything? 
Of course not, you'll throw in for that.  Cause what if?

I reckon gambling is like that...  (Also applying to all those mobile games where you throw in real money to gamble for epic/legendary/overpowered stuffs....)