lotteries

I feel as though lotteries offer the perfect example of the dilemma of self-determination. On the one hand, they're a harmless game of chance. On the other hand, they seem to be a regressive tax, moving money from the poor to the state. The question of regulation and design is tough, to say the least. Now the cost to play is going up, as the New York Times reports that some tickets are selling for 50 dollars each. Does it matter? Wouldn't the money simply go towards 50 one dollar tickets otherwise? I would speculate not, or else these new tickets wouldn't be seen as increasing revenue.

Shelby commented:
This is an interesting topic. Perhaps it's the perceived convenience of having one 50 dollar scratcher vs. fifty 1 dollar scratchers. Either way, Santa (in the form of my mother) bought each of us a $1 scratcher and a $3 scratcher. Kevin won $2 on his $1 scratcher ticket. By some mysterious twist of luck, I won a total of $82 from my two tickets. Hunh. When I redeemed them at the grocery store, the woman behind me remarked that I was the first person she'd ever seen who had won anything over $5 on a scratcher. Heh.
on Wed Jan 2 04:57:20 2008

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