Your odds of experiencing a zombie apocalypse are only slightly higher than winning the lottery.
It has been said that the lottery is a tax on the stupid. Given the odds of winning, 1 in 292,201,338 (according to the Multi-State Lottery Association), that's not too far off. I've heard people say they just play the home version by throwing a dollar away.
For all but a select few the lottery is an enormous waste of money. But do I play anyway? I'll admit that I do, mostly at the insistence of my spouse. Neither of us really believe we are going to win. So why do we play?
I view it as a license to dream. When the job is a little stressful it's fun to imagine what it would be like to walk in on a Monday morning and tell everyone to get bent. I only play when it's serious money. I can't be bothered with trivial sums. A few million doesn't scratch my itch. I want serious FU money (it's my fantasy - I make the rules). I actually want beyond FU money. I want FU in church money. I want to interrupt the preacher on a Sunday morning, cuss out every hypocritical douche in the congregation, and have the preacher say, "Bless Brother D's heart. We're going to take the offering now."
In my lottery winning fantasy I don't quit my job. Can you imagine how much more fun work would be if you didn't have to be there? Or in my case, if you didn't have to filter your thoughts? And trust me, if they heard the things I don't say they would be appalled. I think most of my coworkers would wet themselves laughing. I also wouldn't expect to keep my job very long, but I would be fired in dramatic fashion.
If you too have paid the stupid tax I wish you luck. If you win try to do something good with your windfall. It's seriously more money than any one human needs. Current estimated jackpot $700 Million.
(Pictures are free use, no attribute required. I used pexel.com)