Scratch and Win Entertainment

March 15, 2007

Another day goes by and I say to myself. Why not me? I see all these people winning instant jackpots from scratch and wins and ask myself. Why not me? I buy multiple scratch and win tickets only to lose and feel bad about spending my money and ask my self. WHY ME?

It’s that little addiction I like to call the Scratch and Win Lottery ticket frenzy. It’s the guilty little pleasure people have sometimes when they walk into a party store for a drink and find yourself with an extra buck in change after your purchase. Maybe it’s when you go to get a quick snack at a gas station while your pumping gas into your vehicle. Or even if you grab an extra dollar out of your pocket when you go for your lottery ticket. Either way,there’s always that temptation to buy a scratch and win ticket for a quick fix and to possible earn a little more cash in your pocket. After all, the odds to win something for a dollar or two are a lot better then an actual lottery ticket. That’s when you pay for your scratch and win and hope you get something to win. Sometimes you scratch it in your car or maybe you scratch it when you get home. How about being that person that sits there at the cash register chatting with the clerk about how much your going to win all the while scratching away at the ticket with the free penny from the take a penny give a penny plate.

We’ve all seen those people right? The stack of tickets, scratching away when your in line waiting for the person in front while every bodies watching the same person scratch away. What’s he do with the tickets? Most likely he keeps buying more hoping to roll into the big one and leave the store and set up an appointment to collect his big winnings. Everybody has had the urge to do that, don’t lie. I’m not saying you would, I’m just saying that you’d love to win something on the tickets but you won’t spend a penny.

The other day I purchased about 5 of those Red Wings scratch and wins all together. Two of them gave me my money back and the other 3 lost. Good. I wanted to lose so I could send them in for an extra drawing to win the fantasy trip or TV. So today I’m handed 5 bucks especially for scratch and wins. Couldn’t spend it on anything else, so I go for the 2 for 1 ticket and 2 American Idol scratch and wins. All lost, but of course the American Idol one has the buy 3 non-winning tickets and get into a drawing for the finale or chance to win a 47″ screen TV. That meant of course I had to buy a 3rd American Idol ticket which I promptly did. For the first time in my life, I was that guy everybody see’s scratching a ticket while others are paying for their gas and looking to see if I was winning. Why you ask? Well I just needed 1 more losing ticket and worst case scenario, I get it. Best case scenario, I either earn my money back to buy another, or win a bigger pot and maybe fill up my tank of gas for the week! Well, I lost. I was happy. Now it’s on it’s way to the drawing for me to win a grand prize of a TV hopefully. I honestly don’t care enough to want to go to the finale since I’m not a fan of the show, but maybe I could sell it if I have no choice…..maybe buy some more scratch and wins.

But as always, I got my mega millions ticket for a chance to win 28 million!! Since I was given the money, but had to buy scratch and win tickets…i’m still going to technically put them on my money spent list for scratch and win tickets. Also on a totally unrelated note.. I picked up 3 Nintendo tooth brushes….old school.

March 16th, 2007 Estimated Jackpot $28 Million

Total Spent to date on Michigan Mega Millions: $20
Total Won to date on Michigan Mega Millions: $0
Total Profit to date on Michigan Mega Millions: $-20

Total Spent on Scratch and Wins: $35
Total Won on Scratch and Wins: $9
Total Profit on Scratch and Wins: $-26


Odds of winning the Mega Millions Jackpot

March 6, 2007

All the info can be seen at the Michigan’s website at www.michigan.gov/lottery but if you by some chance came by through a search engine and didn’t go to the main site then I’m not going to do the jackass internet forum thing by linking you to stuff you want. Who the hell wants to keep clicking links? But to hell with everybody that’s ever done that on a forum board to someone who just wants a question answered and gets an ass that says “I know it, but go here cause I’m a lazy fuck that would rather raise my post count” OK, enough with that mess, here are the odds of winning anything in the Michigan Mega Millions Jackpot!

Prize: $Millions         5 White Balls + 1 Mega Ball  —  Odds:  1 in 175,711,53

Prize:  $250,000       5 White Balls  —  Odds: 1 in 3,904,701

Prize:  $10,000        4 White Balls + 1 Mega Ball  —  Odds: 1 in 689,065

Prize:  $150            4 White Balls  —  Odds: 1 in 15,313

Prize:  $150            3 White Balls + 1 Mega Ball  —  Odds:  1 in 13, 781

Prize:  $10            2 White Balls + 1 Mega Ball  —  Odds:  1 in 844

Prize:  $7           3 White Balls  —  Odds:  1 in 306

Prize:  $3            1 White Ball + 1 Mega Ball  —  Odds:  1 in 141

Prize:  $2            1 Mega Ball  —  Odds:  1 in 75

So there you have it. The odds to win in the Mega Millions. Are they all correct? According to michigan.gov it sure is! I do question the mega ball odds since they are 46 to choose from, yet 1 in 75? Hmmm. Makes me wonder but I guess if they say its 1 in 75 then it’s 1 in 75.  And to be a nice guy, I’ll also link you to the main website.

http://www.michigan.gov/lottery/0,1607,7-110-812_15265—,00.html

Once again, good luck winning everybody!

March 6th, 2007 Estimated Jackpot $370 Million

Total Spent to date on Michigan Mega Millions: $17
Total Won to date on Michigan Mega Millions: $0
Total Profit to date on Michigan Mega Millions: $-17

Total Spent on Scratch and Wins: $18
Total Won on Scratch and Wins: $5
Total Profit on Scratch and Wins: $-13


The Guide to Friends and Family after you win “THE BIG ONE” pt one.

March 4, 2007

This just keeps going in and out of my head every time I think about the lottery. Who are my true and real friends once I become the multi-million jackpot winner? I mean the people that are always there for you and don’t care about the money you might earn one day but rather hang tight, rock out and just chill with you while your at your poorest. The kind of friend who would see you win your millions and call you up and congratulate you and ask to come to just hang and nothing else. I’ve come up with some sort of list of the kind of family and friends that are the good and the bad. I’ve always figured people I rarely knew or family I’ve never seen would come out of the wood works asking me how they know me and want to be buddy buddy best friends. Deep inside I almost hope people I used to know come out to see the instant riches I won to get to know the, but then again would they really want to see me? or just bug me for money? It’d be great to see a whole group of people I’ve never seen for years and catch up, but if they wanted to talk to me why not talk to me? Why would I have to win the lottery just for them to want to be my friends again? Just a lot of things that go through my mind if/when I win the lottery. I personally, would almost feel offended that some people came out of nowhere that I used to know and talk with so much that I miss just to want to talk about money. Not even that they’d talk about money, but that’s the only reason they contacted me in the first place is because I won the lottery. So here are the different types of friends and family members that I picked out that any lottery winner may know already or come to find out. Following are the types of people along with some advice and some maybe deserved payout.

Family Members:

1. ) The In House Family that wants you out - This is the family that you may or may not like, most likely love because you are obviously staying with them in their house. Or maybe they are staying with you because times are tough. Either way, these are the family members you see everyday. They are more then likely taking you in if you are older since you need to be 18 to play the lottery afterall. If they give you hard times about your stay then they are more then likely to want at least something from you. It won’t even be about the fact you won millions and they think they deserve it just for being family, but the fact that you stayed with them and they took you in under their wing and paid for your rent and possibly food and everything else until you get back on your feet.

Advice: They deserve something whether you think they do or not. If they’ve hated your guts and wish you’d find a job and leave them for good it makes no difference. In their hearts they want whats best and don’t want to see you wasting your life. They deserve at least a small portion of your lottery winnings.

Payout Deserved: Pay off their house. Pay off any of their debt owed. $5000 in spending cash

2.) The In-House Loving Family - This is the family that keeps you in their house based on how much they love you. They know other relatives could possibly take you in and that they necessarily don’t have too. They do though. They don’t force you to get some job. They don’t force you to pay rent and they don’t force you to pay any part of the bills. They want you to save up what money you do have so you can get a small start out somewhere that doesn’t include living in a run down area. They care for you and even buy you stuff that maybe you don’t need, but small tokens of love and affection to let you know they care.

Advice: They grew up with you and raised you from a baby. You left and came back or never left at all and just trying to reach that next step to be stable without them. They deserve a lot more then you think they deserve. A lot more.

Payout Deserved: Pay off their House. Pay off their debt. Buy them a new house. $250,000 spending cash for each member in the house.

3.) Mom and Dad - These two made you. They raised you. They might just be the family in house that love you or hate your guts. They have nothing but everlasting love for you. They gave you life and the believed in you from the beginning…if not, at least they still love you with a parents love. They deserve a lot of things. They spent endless nights listening to your crying as a baby, took you to the hospital when you got injured for something they told you not to do in the first place. They made sure you were taken care of and grew up a good person.

Advice: They deserve a lot. Your love. For the parents that loved you so much and believed in you, so much should be paid back to them as a thank you. If your parents were lousy and crappy, at least you can do is pay off what they owe. They will appreciate everything and anything you give to them from the lottery whether yout hink they deserve it or not.

Payout Deserved: Good parents - Pay off their House. Pay off their Bills. Buy them new house anywhere they want at any price around a million dollars. $2 mill in cash and pay the taxes on it Bad Parents - Pay off their House. Pay off their Bills. $1 mill in cash and pay the taxes on it.

4.) Yearly Aunts, Uncles and Cousins - These are the people that grew up with you. You also got to hang out with all of them sometime during a calender year. I say yearly because sometimes you only visit them during holidays, birthdays or traumatic events. They all care because they all show up and said events. They just have busy lives with lots of friends and just don’t have the time to possibly drive a long distance to come see you unless it’s a family gathering. You may see them weekly! Maybe your close with your family like that and have tight bonds.

Advice: Although they haven’t done much for you, send you birthday money and showing up with presents is a lot. A little compensation coming their way is due. Not to much unless your generous. They’re family after all but there’s also a lot of them too. You can’t just be giving your entire nest away now can you?

Pay off: $10,000 each in cash below 10, $5000 in cash above 10

5.) Yearly Grandparents - You see them all the time on holidays, sometimes even more. They don’t ask much except to lend an ear to listen to them. They want to see you 140 times more then you’d ever think about wanting to see them. Your their flesh and blood. They just want company and want to know whats happening in your lives. That’s all they ask. They are the first most likely to fund anything you need and offer an ear.

Advice: They may not have long to live, cherish the time with them that you have now. Go on a vacation with them to wherever they want to go. They understand that money isn’t worth that much to them anymore, only their family.

Payout: Pay off any debts. Pay off their house if they still owe. Plan a yearly vacation with them on your expense. $250,000 cash for them.

6.) Only seen once grubby Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins - Who are these people you ask? They are your family of course!! Don’t remember them? Well they remember being forced to come see you as a baby. Where are they now? You don’t really know but they will contact when they find out that you won the lottery. They’ll more then likely try to coax you into a big family get together at an expensive place to eat to catch up on good times. Why you ask? Your rich, that’s why. They found out and now they think they deserve a piece over anybody besides your mom and dad because they’re your blood and they seen you once and held you as a baby. Why do they even bother? You haven’t seen them in ages and you know it’s all about the money. They don’t particularly care for you until now. If you fall into the trap of taking them out, be forewarned that you’ll hear their stories of how things have gone bad and owe a lot of money on a lot of things. They had to cancel their trip to the Bahamas too!! So sad. If they have a lot of debt, then planning any trip wouldn’t be the smart thing to do at all.

Advice: Talk to them if you’d like. But know the bond is only trying to be formed so they be wined and dined and have you pay off any of their debts. Be careful though, they may try to work you over for a few months before starting to drop the hints that they need money.

Payoff Deserved: NOTHING

7.) Brothers and Sisters - This is a toss up. You grew up with them your entire beginning of life. They helped you through thick and thin and stood up for you if anybody got in your way. They also broke stuff and pinned the blame on you. They also sometimes ridicule your life choices. Either way they love you. If they don’t say it, they do. Just trust me on this. Even if it means sticking up for you one second and pushing you themselves in the ground the next. What does this all mean? This means that you had a playmate as a child, they kept you company, they were your personal bodyguard no matter how strong or week.

Advice: They will always be there whether they hate the way you live your life or the people in it. Relax, they always had your back and now it’s time to let them know you have theirs.

Payoff Deserved: $500,000 Cash

8.) Any family that has disowned you - Parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles or cousins. All of them. They thought you weren’t good for them at any point in your life. They’ve gone to the extreme of cutting you out of their life for one way or another. You needed their help and they shunned you. You made attempts and they blocked them. They are the family that disowned you. They may all of a sudden come back and say how sorry they were once you won the lottery, of course they would….YOU HAVE MONEY NOW!!

Advice: Don’t be stupid. Don’t talk to them. If you do, never give them a dime.

Payoff Deserved: NOTHING

9.) Husband/Wife you love - You love them. You couldn’t wait to be theirs forever so you could spend ever last waking day with them until you died. They’re the everything that has supported you in whatever you do no matter how dumb or wild it was to begin with in the first place. They may not have agreed to it, but they backed you knowing you have an idea. They deserves a lot, maybe half of what you won at the maximum. However, if they truly loves you they’ll understand you’ll take care of them and give them whatever they asks for without having to pay them out in cash in moderation.If she demands cash, maybe she just found a loop hole to get rid of you.

Advice: You love them, they love you. This is all up to you in what you do. If you know they love you back they’ll stay with you forever.

Payoff Amount: Buy them anything they want within reason.

10.) Husband/Wife you hate - You hate them, no doubt about that. Why your still with them is beyond me. You don’t want to give them anything that’s for sure and you sure as hell don’t want her to get anything in a divorce that you’ll no doubt want. They’ll try to divorce you and collect anything he/she can. Get legal protection and don’t try to pay he/her off to keep he/her mouth shut.

Advice: Get a legal lawyer to protect yourself from anything more then he/she already gets.

Payoff Deserved: NOTHING

11.) Kids you love - You love your kids. You probably loved making them more, but that’s besides the point. They deserve a little something. If they are young, then it’s best not to spoil. If they are older then let them have some fun! Toss a mill their way.

Advice: Give them some cash and teach them how to be responsible with it.

Payout Deserved: $1 mill

12.) The In-Laws - This is a touchy subject. Technically you won the money. Therefore your wife has no right to promise them any money on your behalf. Are they a great part of the family? Maybe they are but maybe they aren’t. It’s hard to say since most people don’t care for their in-laws but some get along really well with them. This is a total up to you kind of payment. They really didn’t do anything except give birth to your loved one and you thanked them, right? It’s like a buy in kind of thing. How often do they come see you? If they are the type that drop on by or come visit you then they deserve a little something for giving birth to your loved one. If not, at least throw in a couple bucks their way to make them feel like you at least thought of them. They can’t really complain afterall, it’s either something or nothing.

Advice: If your friendly and hang out with them then some money should go their way. Your not obligated to give any away but make sure your loved one is ok with that. If you feel strongly that they think they deserve it just because then I suggest against it. But they paid for a few things I bet during your marriage and they should at least get something.

Payout Deserved: $50,000 cash

That pretty much sums up to where the family falls into your life after you win the lottery and what they might want. Now to bring on the types of friends in tomorrow blog.

But we all know that the big jackpot is upon us!! $340 million bucks!! I’ve gotten my chance to win, do you have yours?

March 6th, 2007 Estimated Jackpot $340 Million

Total Spent to date on Michigan Mega Millions: $17
Total Won to date on Michigan Mega Millions: $0
Total Profit to date on Michigan Mega Millions: $-17

Total Spent on Scratch and Wins: $18
Total Won on Scratch and Wins: $5
Total Profit on Scratch and Wins: $-13