That is a lot of money.
And that is what the current Powerball estimate is, if you take it in installments over 20 years. It is just under $1 billion is you take it all at once. Either way, a lot of money.
When I went into the gas station at my local grocery, I greeted the woman at the cash register (a Facebook friend and a local Democratic party activist). She was taking care of another customer, so I was passed on to the other clerk, who asked what I would like. “I’d like a billion dollars, please.” It was, after all what everyone coming into the shop was doing, buying a ticket even if they had never bought one, and buying more if they were regulars with the game. That was me, rationalizing that the money went to support worthy causes like education in my state. I bought several quick picks. Not that I will get anything more than $4 or $10 at the best (that is the highest I have ever gotten).
My friend was pretty cheerful about the rush, and we agreed that our small town was much better to live in than Philly or Chicago, where people were braving the elements to stand in lines to purchase their tickets. Here I had to wait while there was one person ahead of me. My friend and her fellow clerk were a bit gloomier, however, as they thought ahead to the Wednesday rush to come. One seller of lottery tickets in town had already run out of lottery ticket paper, and they were sure it wouldn’t happen to them, but still… Save a breath of sympathy, she suggested, for the poor people ringing up the tickets after tickets after tickets. Do you suppose they can get repetitive motion injury from this?
Of course, I can afford to contribute to the lottery and help offset state underfunding of education in this roundabout way because I do have a cushion. I am glad for that. One should not gamble with money one cannot afford to lose. I hope the person(s) who win tomorrow (I doubt it will roll over again!) is deserving and smart and judicious about how to manage their windfall.