The Lottery: Should I Play And When?

Many folks play the lottery every week, sometimes multiple times if they can. For some, this is their idea of a million dollar dream.

However, I've noticed that people play in greater numbers when the Powerball jackpot is at a maximum. In short, the higher the prize, the more tickets are sold.

Now I'm not a gambler (and yes even the education lottery is gambling.)  However, I'm an expert on numbers, odds, and trends. 

The lottery is a numbers game in more ways than just choosing the five lucky numbers.  When a larger number of people are playing, it lowers your chances of winning the prize money. 

Buying as many tickets as possible can also be advantageous, or going in a pool with others. However, lotteries and raffles alike can be more risky when your numbers could end up the same or similar with others, forcing you to split the large prize. Result: you would have won just as much as you would have if you played when the pot was lower. The Lottery Commission is crafty, just like a casino. They are going to make their money, and they know that people will be more likely to play when the reward is huge.

Therefore, if you're going to buy a lottery ticket, do it when the jackpot is no higher than $150 million. Your chances will improve and hey,  150 million is still a nice payday, even after taxes.

Also, don't take the lottery so seriously. It's rare that people actually win and when they do, they often fail to properly manage the winnings. 

The Law of Averages In Real Everyday Life

There is a saying that 50% of people will like you, and 50% of people will dislike you. Sayings like these can prompt one to consider the law of averages.

Briefly stated, the more you do something or the more you have of something, the better your chances are on averages. It's basically a numbers game.

Many like to put the law of averages in practice when they gamble. This could even be a raffle or playing the lottery. The more tickets you buy, the better your chances are.

Life really is a gamble anyways. Proper usage of The Law Of Averages can tip the scales in your favor.

If you're looking for a job, you want to apply to as many places and opportunities as possible.  It can also make rejection hurt less. Options are always great.

There are many (especially men) that use the law when dating and finding that special someone. They talk to as many people as possible, go out on dates, socialize and such. Dating sites and speed dating events were designed with averages in mind.

The Law of Averages is not much different from practice and repetition. Often the best way to learn or master a craft or a skill is to put it to use. The more you do it, the better you can become.

The principles and examples I have outlined can be used for good and evil. Let's hope that more people will use them for positive benefits.

Seven Vices other than drugs and alcohol

Many know I don't smoke, drink, or take recreational drugs. This prompted an ex-girlfriend a few years back to ask me what my vice was. A vice is like an addiction, except it is not always dangerous I have a couple actually, as many of us do.

Here are seven of these such vices that exist.

1. Unhealthy food and drinks

People are consuming more of these now that the weather is cooler. Tasty sweet foods, desserts, buffets, and sodas are just some of the things that many crave. They also cannot do without them. That sugar rush has said to be equivalent to the type of rush crack addicts get. That sounds a little scary to me.

2. Social media

This is personally one of my biggest vices. Heck I have blogged about it on occasion. Currently Facebook and Twitter are the ones that are hot that have been around for so long. Now you have the two newcomers Instagram and Pinterest keeping the social media craze alive. People love to take photos, and they want to capture every moment via Instagram. Pinterest is good for photos, showcasing your interests, and putting certain items in a scrapbook type format. Many folks spend countless hours on some sort of social networking site and apps. It's a self-expression for them.

3. Entertainment (television, music, movies).

These forms of entertainment are good ways to escape from your normal life and to unwind. Television keeps a person's attention, whether be a football game, a suspenseful drama, the political debates, or a reality show. Music is the universal language, and has really become enhanced thanks to iTunes and Pandora. You can listen to music of all times virtually anywhere. Movies are cheap to rent and stream thanks to Netflix and Redbox. Then you have film buffs such as I than enjoy catching a movie at least once per week.

4. Sex

Sex is one of the greatest ways to express your love and affection for someone else. You see sex everywhere now, including in some of the previously mentioned vices. There are those that love it that much. You even have sex addicts or "nymphos”. They can't get enough of it.

5. Gambling

Gambling is one of the more dangerous of the vices I'm listing. Yes even the education lottery is gambling. Vegas, Atlantic City, and numerous Native American casinos stay in business due to folks being addicted to gambling. It is so serious there is Gamblers Anonymous just like AA and NA. You can ruin your life and the others around you through gambling.

6. Working Out.

Yes as much as I love health and wellness, even working out is a vice. I mentioned a couple of years ago about "The Gym Rat" There is a reason this term is so popular, and that is because these people spent so much time in the gym seven days/week, for two and three hours at a time. Your body needs rest to properly recover and even if you're a professional athlete or bodybuilder, you must set a limit. It is awesome to get those stunning results and compliments from others. Nevertheless, you want to be able to enjoy those accolades.

7. Shopping

Women have been known for years for spending hours in the mall, spending hundreds of dollars. Present day, both genders are spending lots of money in various fashions and forms of shopping. Online shopping has become huge, especially with eBay and Amazon, and one can easily spend hours dishing out money. Convenience can make one more apt to do or try something. The explosion of coupons, Groupons, and LivingSocial deals has also made it easier just to shop the day and night away.

So what is your vice, if not drugs and alcohol?

 

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