[N8 v2.0]

...lucky, lucky, lucky dawg!


$149M Lottery Winner Had 78 Cents in Bank
AP | 23 Nov

NEW YORK - With just 78 cents in his savings account and $44,000 owed to creditors, parking attendant Juan Rodriguez plunked down $1 on a lottery ticket. Good thing he wasn't pinching pennies: He won a $149 million lottery jackpot.

Rodriguez, 49, of Queens, bought his Mega Millions lottery ticket about one month after filing for bankruptcy.

He stepped forward over the weekend to claim his prize, proving to be a man of many dollars but few words. At a news conference, he wore dark glasses and said he was "excited." Asked what he planned to do with his millions, he said, "I have no idea."

According to court papers, Rodriguez had exactly 78 cents in his savings account and nothing in his checking account. He owed $19,486 on one credit card and $10,070 on another. And he owed the Internal Revenue Service $2,279.

Rodriguez bought his ticket in the middle of a double shift at his $28,000-a-year job as a parking garage attendant. He immigrated to the United States from Colombia in 1982.

There was one clue that Rodriguez wanted his cash fast: He opted for

 

[Skookum]

Yah whatever everyone know that the real money is in the heart.....
















*running to the local quickie mart to buy a lotto ticket*

 

[JRB]

What did he opt for???

 

[SkaredShtles]

The question should be - why is someone with only $.78 in the bank spending money on lottery tickets?

Prediction: he blows it all within 5 years............

-S.S.-

 

[JRB]

You're just hatin' like I am, S.S.

 

[reflux]

Prediction: he blows it all within 5 years............

werd.

 

[Barbaton]

and in my usual role as Smoking Gun-slinger:

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1122041lotto1.html

 

[heikkihall]

The question should be - why is someone with only $.78 in the bank spending money on lottery tickets?

Prediction: he blows it all within 5 years............

-S.S.-

I bet it takes less than that

 

[Damn True]

Hmmm, part of me is really stoked for the guy and hopes he makes his, and many other peoples lives better because of this.

The other part of me is a little bummed that this guys is now a kajillionaire because of dumb luck, while I work my arse off and am in debt. I suspect that some of the folks above are feeling this way too and that is where the vitriol is coming from.

 

[splat]

Another Problem about all this publicty , is the thousands of People who will now believe even more that the lottery will solve there problems.

 

[Damn True]

Another Problem about all this publicty , is the thousands of People who will now believe even more that the lottery will solve there problems.

Solved his.
For now at least.

$149m would solve mine.

 

[heikkihall]

The question should be - why is someone with only $.78 in the bank spending money on lottery tickets?

Where would he be if he didnt spend that dollar though? You cant win if you dont take the chance. (I dont actually play the lottery)

 

[OGRipper]

The fact that there are more fortunate and more lucky people in the world shouldn't get anyone down...there are also people way less fortunate and less lucky out there too. It's just jealousy, which is ok, but some of yooz gotta get better at recognizing it. With a couple of recent deaths (Jeremy and Kyle), injuries, and other stuff out there, I've been way thankful about just being able to get out and ride. I mean, you don't have to be happy for the guy, but come on, it's not like the lottery has suddenly become a viable personal finance strategy!

 

[-dustin]

he mirgrated here in 82, is a man of few words (which leads one to believe he can't speak english very well), makes less than $30K a year, and has 2 credit cards with over $10,000 limits? wow, something's ****ed up there.

 

[N8 v2.0]

he mirgrated here in 82, is a man of few words (which leads one to believe he can't speak english very well), makes less than $30K a year, and has 2 credit cards with over $10,000 limits? wow, something's ****ed up there.

..and he wins the lottery.... I'd say its the American Dream!

 

[Nate at RIT]

I once had $0.00 in the bank. I kept that statement.

 

[jmvar]

The first thing he should do is get a t-shirt that with Dave Chapel on the front decked out in R. James attire that says..............."I'm Rich Biatch!!!!!!!!!!!"

Yeah hopefully this guy won't blow his dough within the first 5 years. You never know, maybe he had a medical emergency or was paying to put some kids through school.....I know I am being hopeful here because the press would have dug up any feel good story they could have gotten out of it.

Either way, I hope he gets a good lawyer and financial adviser.

 

[Slugman]

Another Problem about all this publicty , is the thousands of People who will now believe even more that the lottery will solve there problems.

And that is why they have press conferences... it's all sales and marketing for the lottery.

 

[dan-o]

Don't lotteries bring in revenue for the state's that operate them? Why is that bad? People waste their money on worse things than lottery tickets.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Don't lotteries bring in revenue for the state's that operate them? Why is that bad? People waste their money on worse things than lottery tickets.

Lotteries are state-sponsored gambling. I think gambling is a waste of resources. I don't think the state should be the sponsor of a gambling venture. Just my opinion.

-S.S.-

 

[dan-o]

Lotteries are state-sponsored gambling. I think gambling is a waste of resources. I don't think the state should be the sponsor of a gambling venture. Just my opinion.

-S.S.-

I guess, but I view them more like charity raffles since the revenues benefit the community as a whole - usually in places like education. I don't gamble or play the lottery but I'd rather that the money of these people go to a state fund versus some private casino.

 

[Damn True]

Essentially, the lottery is a bad math tax.

That dosen't keep me from buying a ticket now and then, and I agree. If I am going to give away some money for nothing in return (sounds like regular taxes eh?) Id prefer it be to the state to (hopefully) spend on some public service I use or a school in my town as opposed to giveing it to the Maloof Bros.

 

[sam_little]

Hmmm, part of me is really stoked for the guy and hopes he makes his, and many other peoples lives better because of this.

The other part of me is a little bummed that this guys is now a kajillionaire because of dumb luck, while I work my arse off and am in debt. I suspect that some of the folks above are feeling this way too and that is where the vitriol is coming from.

Maybe a little more time working... less time on the :dancing: ? Just a thought...

 

[Austin Bike]

Lotteries are a tax on people who are bad at math.

 

[Toshi]

statistically speaking, poor people engage in vices partly to differentiate themselves from the snobbish/"boring" middle class. this includes things that amount to no good such as smoking and playing the lottery, even tho lung cancer stats and lottery odds are not state secrets...

http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:JfWLotrjo0QJ:aem.cornell.edu/faculty_sites/gb78/wp/lottery.pdf+poverty+lottery+correlation&hl=en

"We use lottery sales data from 38 states over 10 years and find a strong and positive relationship between sales and poverty rates."

http://caliber.ucpress.net/doi/abs/10.1525/sp.2002.49.1.35;jsessionid=i_l7DIbzV8E_?cookieSet=1

i suppose i should be feeling sorry that society reduces the poor to destructive behavior, but i don't feel that way at all.

 

[Damn True]

i suppose i should be feeling sorry that society reduces the poor to destructive behavior, but i don't feel that way at all.

That is hogwash.
Society dosen't cause poor people to waste money on the lottery or smoke. People CHOOSE to do those things, or the choose not to.