A Billion Dollars

[LovelyLadyLux]

Was up at O dark 30 to catch the 515am Ferry to the mainland. Was an ok crossing although the horn went constantly due to the heavy thick fog. Usually I sleep but didn't so after crossing the Border into the USA I headed to a grocery store that has a coffee shop. On the door was a huge sign that said "MEGA MILLIONS is $1.6BILLION"!!!!!

Well - although I would have really loved a coffee I just had to get a ticket before any lineups started. A whole whopping $2 for a chance to WIN over a BILLION! This is an all time high for a public lottery to be at 1.6 BILLION sooooo if I disappear after tomorrow at 6pm with a winning of 1.6 BILLION I promise I will return at some point to let you all know of my new riches!

Might be hard typing though with all the gold and platinum bangles, rings and do dads hanging off of me but that will be the price I'll have to pay for being super rich

[Horus]

Well heres hoping you win then

[Grandad]

Well heres hoping you win then

And don't forget your friends

[Horus]

I thought that would be a given Grandad

[LovelyLadyLux]

Oh - if I win it is a given that all my friends will benefit as well Matter of fact when I win I'll be visiting everybody with my entourage. Am not too sure how many I'll need to help me manage (just hoping you all have sufficient spots to put us all up ....... course on the other hand ...... we all might visiting at my homes in the UK (so you won't have to far to come to see me)!!!

[Hurghadapat]

So we are looking foreward to a group get together in the UK....bring it on LLL

[LovelyLadyLux]

And - not sure why I missed it. Must have been overwhelmed by the thought of 1.6 BILLION in the Mega Millions lottery - the PowerBall Lottery is at something like $582 MILLION! A mere pittance compared to the Mega Millions Lottery but I couldn't help myself & had to spent $2 on a ticket for the Powerball Lottery too.......

When I win both that'll mean $2 BILLION to play with so for sure we're all meeting up. Original plan in the UK but now I'm thinking we'll all have to meet up someplace warm and tropical.

Mega Millions lottery will be drawn in about 3 hours. That'll give me all day tomorrow to plan what to do with the winnings before they draw the PowerBall Lottery Wednesday night.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Well I had TWO of the numbers but I think you need 3 to 'win' $10.

The pot was the largest ever at $1.6 BILLION which means after taxes the estimated take home jackpot for the drawing is 918 million. Lottery Corporation gives you the option of taking a one time lump sum payment or getting an annual amount for 30 years.

According to the game's official website, the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350 so not really great odds.

I don't know if anybody DID win tonight but if nobody did the Jackpot will only go higher with the next draw happening this Friday. Guess I'll find out tomorrow when I go to grab my morning cuppa.

BUT BUT BUT

Tomorrow is the Powerball Lottery at over $625 Million (the pot gets larger and larger as more people continue to buy tickets) sooooo all is not lost yet - we still might all be meeting up when I win tomorrow night!

[Horus]

We live in hope

[Hurghadapat]

My case is packed ready for the off,just say where and when.........

[Grandad]

You have to pay tax on lottery winnings????

In that case I won't be buying any tickets, what's a measly $918 million anyway?

[LovelyLadyLux]

Am here at the coffee shop and somebody or somebody's did win last night as now the pot is down to a mere 40 million.

Rather interesting as in the USA you do pay tax on any winning. Not in Canada though. There you only pay on any interest your winnings might earn.

So folks now we have to wait for the Powerball lottery and if I win we will only have a paltry $350 or so million to burn through vs $918. Might be a struggle but we will just have to make do. Guess only 2 to 3 months in the sun instead of 6.

Will know tonight!!

[Horus]

We still live in hope

[LovelyLadyLux]

Well I didn't win the Powerball but then nobody else did either and it is now worth $750 MILLION to be drawn either this Friday or Saturday - but since I'm no longer in the States I guess I'll have to pass on it.

I will say I do have a mixed mind about these lotteries when they get that large. They get that large because everybody lives in the dream of unbelievable riches and for only $2 you can have the dream. I've often thought it would be better if they divided up the Lottery into $10 MILLION chunks which is a pretty darn hefty amount and then keep getting winners but am not sure people would buy tickets if the pot was capped. More people would become ridiculously rich but ??