September 13, 2007
I plunked down $20 on Mega Millions tickets a couple weeks ago when the jackpot hit $325M ($330M by the time of the drawing).
Let's just say I haven't quit my job just yet. I wound up with 5 one-ball matches and a single two-ball match, meaning... I didn't win a damn thing since I didn't match the mega-ball.
And what was I expecting? Well, the odds of winning anything at all are 1/40. I bought 20 tickets, so I had a 50-50 shot, so I figured I'd get two whole dollars out of the deal. Instead I got the other half of my 50-50 shot, a.k.a. zilch.
Turns out they had four winners -- the most ever in a single drawing -- so the prize reverts to $12M for the next one. Looks like I won't be getting in on the ol' white trash retirement fund any time soon.
