There’s a billboard on my commute home that shows the current Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots. I notice as it gradually ticks upwards: 127 million, 140 million, 158 million. Occasionally it resets, abruptly becoming a paltry 40 million. I do sometimes plunk down my $2 for a ticket, fantasizing about what I would do if I happened to get the numbers right. “I’d take the lump sum,” I think, “even though it’s always less that way, and of course it’s even less after taxes.” My brother used to complain about this last fact - after the government gets its teeth in you, that $300 million is maybe only $200 million, and surely the $200 million return on a $2 ticket is terribly disappointing.
No clue how you had time to write this, but I am glad you did and excited to read all that comes next!