I know, I know – lotteryist isn’t a word. Yet. But if a person who plays the piano is a pianist, then I chose to call a person who plays the lottery a lotteryist. Who knows, it might catch on.
First off the bat, I don’t really approve of the lottery as a means of government revenue. If we cannot fund our government with reasonable taxes and fees, our government is too big.
Second off the bat, I am cheap. When I spend a nickel I want something of 5 cents’ value and to get 3 cents change. I’m smart enough to realize that isn’t likely to happen when buying a lottery ticket.
Those things being said, the lottery is here and I decided to play the lottery for a year. I will buy a $3.00 Powerball ticket each week and write about the experience. I put 156 $1.00 bills in a cute little See’s Candy tin. I will put winnings – if there are any – in another cute little See’s Candy tin. I’m going to use the same numbers in the same order. 52 weeks from now I will decide how to use my fortune or I will console myself with a box of See’s Candy. By the way, See’s Candy is awesome. If you don’t live where you can get See’s Candy – well, I feel really sorry for you.
I determined last Saturday, being June 1, was a good day to start. And promptly forgot to buy a ticket. The drawing is at 10 pm and at 8 pm I realized I hadn’t even found out where lottery tickets are sold in my little town. It was at the third stop-and-rob that I saw the LOTTERY HERE! sign. Then I couldn’t find the ticket place in the store. Next, I couldn’t figure out how to fill in my “special” numbers. The clerk took pity on me and gave me a tutorial on lottery tickets. Who knew there was a learning curve for playing the lottery!
Two hours anxiously waiting. Did I waste my money? Am I rich beyond my dreams? Am I going to suffer these stomach-churning nerves every week? This isn’t going to be much fun if I do.
One number came up. No winning for me.
A friend comforted me with, “You got one. Keep practicing. You’ll get better at it.”
I don’t know much about the lottery, but I’m pretty sure that’s not how it works.