$475,000,000

[In_The_Wind]

[img][/img]

[ret5hd]

1. lotto winner, eh?

[In_The_Wind]

6. I hope! I want to be> Please! Please! Please let it be me!

[Sekhmets Daughter]

2. Crazy, isn't it?

So, how many numbers have you played?

Good Morning!

[In_The_Wind]

4. I haven't checked last night's tickets yet.

The 1st words outta my mouth this morning was Reinvest all of last nights's winnings!

[img][/img] While we were driving around yesterday afternoon looking for my accountant's new office ... we spotted a perfect house for sale overlooking the Hudson River.
He said We'll move in there.

[img][/img]

[Sekhmets Daughter]

7. How sweet!

Thanks for the coffee!

[In_The_Wind]

15. You'll have to come up for a visit.

I've decided not to buy a private jet but I'll charter one for your flight.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

16. Already spending your winnings huh?

A visit would be lovely...the chartered jet is most considerate of you!

Autumn, I would like to visit in the Autumn!

[In_The_Wind]

18. I can dream! The changing leaves are beautiful until they fall.

I'll be a snowbird again.

[krispos42]

3. Nobody won, eh?

Well, I guess I'll be paying my $2 idiot tax again today.

[In_The_Wind]

5. I make donations to a good cause whenever I can.

[krispos42]

8. Well, I figure that for a couple of bucks...

...I get hours of fantasizing.

[sharp_stick]

9. Yup me too

I know every time I do it that it's just a tax on people who are bad at math but like you the few hours of fantasizing are worth the investment.

[krispos42]

12. Well, I want to be ready just in case.

I'll have to be ready to buy one of the houses down the street, get myself a new car, and take flying lessons.

[Earth_First]

10. For as much flack thay the lotto gets here...

I'm in for $2 for a chance at half a bill...

[In_The_Wind]

22. I'm going to buy 5 tickets.

[TreasonousBastard]

11. About twice your odds of winning...

and if you do win, that's the total of annuity payments over 20 years, or whatever the payout time is. If you do that, though, and you die, your heirs have to pay taxes on the whole thing.

So, if you take the cash, which is the sensible thing to do, you only get the net present value, which is a lousy $200 million or so. And you'll get hit for at least 50 mill in federal taxes. Wotta ripoff!

But, it's not all that bad-- $150 mill is more than Donald Trump actually has.

[onecent]

13. What's sad Is "we would have to pay all the taxes" for winning, and the RICH

DO NOT PAY THEIR PORTION YEARLY...This world is upside down...

[TreasonousBastard]

14. I am reminded that Lady Gaga was talking about...

the first time she filed after making it big.

Every penny of her income was taxable earnings and she hit the roof when she saw the bill. Not that she was complaining about living on what was left, but she noted the really, really rich don't pay taxes on the money they don't earn by working...

[Earth_First]

17. Depends on residency...

Some states do not have state tax appropriation on lottert winning if I remember correctly. One would only be liable for the federal taxes.

Regardless, I'd pay the taxes on a thousand bucks and walk away happy...

[TreasonousBastard]

19. That's true-- NY here doesn't tax lottery winnings...

but the federal bite is big enough.

And, yes, should I ever have a $200 million windfall, taxes would be a very small problem.

[onehandle]

20. Yes, I would take the cash. Yes, it would be more that Trump actually has. nt

[In_The_Wind]

21. I'll gladly pay the tax.

[img][/img] And ... sail away [img][/img]

[Jeff R]

23. Should we be so lucky...

Love that huge house that over looks the Hudson.
What a view that place has.

[WCGreen]

24. Check or Cash...

[In_The_Wind]

27. One lump sum in the bank with lots of cash in my pockets.

Like the old days.

[olddots]

25. when you win remember -----

we all like candy and coffee to wash it down with

[In_The_Wind]

26. I'll let you help me shop.

[Moondog]

28. That's a nice number. Even after taxes it would net out to

something worth having. Good luck to all.

[In_The_Wind]

29. I have a tendency to share.

In the old days I gave away more than we make in a year lately.
It's nice to dream.
Thanks for the Good luck wish.

[Moondog]

30. YW.

[HipChick]

31. It is up to $550 - cash option $350.1M

sweet!

[IrishEyes]

32. I feel like I'm the only one who would take it over the 26 years.

That is over a $21 million a year before taxes. I think I could live on that. I don't need the $350 million upfront. Most of the money would go to charity anyway. Yes, I bought a ticket. I know I won't win but it is fun to dream.

[Earth_First]

33. I'm willing to bet that it's over 700 by Saturdays drawing...

The ticket frenzy during these enormous jackpots gets to almost irrational levels at this point..

[A HERETIC I AM]

34. The last time it got this large, back in November.....

I read that tickets were selling at something like 125,000 per second (If I remember correctly) when combining all the states that have Powerball.

That's at $2.00 per ticket, so a quarter mil every damned second was being dropped!

[In_The_Wind]

35. I think it'll go higher by the time the balls are picked.

It's time for me to go sailing again. I'll hire a crew!