That's right! One winner...With millions of people playing, you can't tell me that there was one winner? The balls are loaded folks! Hand your weekly lottery portfolio over to an investment firm! You'll have a better chance winning the "stock market"!

This isn't bingo, the probability of winning is so minute that it takes millions of people playing a few times to get one winner.

I have wasted 2 bucks on dumber things, although I really can't think one right now.. LOL

@live to ride,

I do find that very strange that out of millions and millions of tickets there was only one match. That to me really sounds about as impossible as winning the darn thing??

"The new multimillionaire has not stepped forward and the lottery has not said where the winning ticket was sold....

No other winning tickets were sold, according to WPRI, Channel 12."

Well thats one way to pay off the national debt...

Do the funds 'disappear' if the winner does not step forward?

I once spent 2 bucks on a stripper it was the breast money I ever spent.

Let the relentless begging from scumbag charites and relatives you never knew you had commence!!!!!!!! Poor bastard will have to change his/her name and hire a body guard. Effin lotto won't let you remain anonymous, at least in Minnesota.

You can buy two Powerball tickets for the price of a cup of coffee at a shop. Now what about a waste of money? I'll wager that half of the people that ridicule buying a ticket go to a casino on a regular basis, and you won't win millions at a casino. The Lottery is not fixed since that would be the biggest secret in a world where there are no secrets, and almost all of the winning jackpot tickets in Powerball history have been single winners.

So what is wrong with buying a ticket besides nothing. Why don't you ask the latest multi millionaire that question. Last year I won $500 playing with the power play on the old format, and I was one lousy number off from One Million. I spent a whole $2 on that, oh wow, I guess I should have invested that on Wall Street.

Some of you people are just silly. A couple of bucks, and who says you can't be the next multi millionaire. People waste more than that every day on BS.

you spend 6$ for a cup of coffee?

Be funny if another attorney tries to get the money for his client..last time it didn't work and the state of Iowa kept the money.

Cheers to the winner..any chance you can give me a few hundred only..I'm not the greedy type.

@ rain

I think it depends on what state you're in.

Some put the money back in for future lottery games. Others put the money back into the community.

I know that in Wisconsin, unclaimed prize money is used to offset property taxes.

In Ohio, unclaimed prize money is used to fund education for K-12th graders.

PES. I guess that you have never heard of Starbucks. Oh that's right, no one goes there.

In response to 'Live to Ride' s comment, the chances of winning the powerball are 1 in 175,223,510 because there are that many possible combinations of numbers that can be made. That being said, yes with millions of people playing only one winner. In fact, statistically, if 176 million people each bought one ticket you could only expect one winner (duh). It is not rigged, it's just the chances are astronomically against you.

It would have been nice if 336 people could have won a million dollars instead of one person winning 336 million.

That's right Michael, no one goes to Starbucks, it's too crowded.

@Live to Ride

With the odds around 180million:1 it is no surprise that there is only one winner. What is surprising is when there are multiple winning tickets.

@PES

Lots of people pay $6 for coffee. Starbuck's, Einstein's, Bikini Expresso. etc. etc., Heard of them? As long as people think it is "cool" to patronize trendy, overpriced, specialty shops you will always have people willing to spend exorbitant amounts for their products.

I personally view the lottery as a retirement plan for those with a weak understanding of math, but that is my opinion. After all, no matter how big the odds, if you get lucky, you're set for life.

it always happens in a liberal state.

Uncle John, is that you who won!!!!! Uncle John why aren't you answering the phone?

Turns out after after a motor boating of a lifetime the stripper took of her mask and it was my MOM!!!
Me: MOM WTF. You new it was me and you still went in full gusto?
Mom: I needed that $2 for powerball
Me: I think you have a problem
Mom: Meth & Crack were no sweat to kick but this powerball has grip on me tighter than a 12 year old boy the first day he discovers his crank.

Well needless to say we are not from Rhode Island so mom is still workin the pole and moms addicition to the Effin powerball is going to cost me $20K in therapy!!!!!

STD69

ROFLMAO!

For those of you with math issues, the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 175,223,510 to 1. This means there are over 175 million combinations that can be created therefore 175,223,510 unique tickets would have to be sold to guarantee just one winner. The odds for multiple winners is even greater.

As for not claiming the ticket yet. If you have half a brain you will not walk into the lottery office hootin and holerin that you just won because the agreement is, they can plaster your face and name all over everything. The best way to claim your winnings would be through a trust. Talk to a lawyer and an accountant, you can afford one now, and have it claimed to a trust and nobody will ever know you won until you start spending the winnings.

If you think it is a scam you are talking about a cover up that is bigger than Area 51, JFK or any other conspiracy you want to list.

Right on....Brown!

Generally, one has a year to claim the prize anyway. No rush....get your house in order before acting the fool. Then, don't act like a fool.

Not all people want every body in the world to know everything about their lives, people should not required to disclose their names. Need a law protecting people from predators after winner a huge amount.

Browns backer and everyone else...... If the odds of winning are 175223510 to 1, the odds STAY that way for each ticket. Every ticket will have the same 175223510 to 1 odds. The ONLY way to be absolutely certain that you will win is to buy EVERY possible combination of numbers. If the tickets are two dollars apiece per group of numbers,that will cost you 350447702 dollars,at least twice what your going to win. The only other problem is, even if you do all that,it doesn't mean that five other people couldn't win it and share the prize money with you! I'm still buying them though.........

And just how do you know that he/she has no ability to manage money?

I think that is called jealousy.

Because Big Blk Dog thought him everything to know about money.

So is it safe to assume Big Black Dog's numbers didn’t pop up?

If I won I would find Big Black Dog and take him out to the strip club and make it rain with $100 bills. Dude would need a night out to unwind his uptight ass. I'd blow that loot like MC Hammer & Mike Tyson cause I'm Oprah rich biatch.

Well, I hate to rain on everyone's parade for the winner, but said winner will be one of the more fortunate ones, pun intended, if he/she is able to hold onto the money and maintain any semblance of normalcy in his/her life. You can Google past lottery winners, and I'm talking about the whole lotta coin winners, and you will find a pattern of loss, divorce, excessive spending and, ultimately, bankruptcy, sometimes even worse outcomes than that. Matters aren't helped by the fact that winners are bombarded by people who either want to help or hinder, as the case may be. Congratulations to the Powerball winner from Idaho. May you live long and. . . prosper. Wait! You already did the latter!! ;-)

To Paige420x you almost had me. If someone really knew how to make $74 an hour on the computer they sure would not be telling someone else how to do it. You getting any bites on your scam? ("make cash28")

He may be broke in 5 to 10 years, but that would be a fun 10 years ! Speaking of playing the long shot, I need to get with a geneologist. Hey, the guy's got to be related to someone. He feels like family to me all ready ! P.S. Winner Congratulations. Don't do something stupid like drink or dope yourself to death, or marry someone 40 years younger .

Why shouldn't he/she drink, do dope, buy someone 40 years younger, spend all the money in ten years and then die with a smile on his/her face!!!!!!!

Why would you congrats anyone who win 325 million....I think it a shame the states are worst than the Mafia...You would have better odds at winning....F-Powwerball

Jealous much?

I remember that down in FL. They called it playing Cuba because the numbers came from Cuba.

Me thinks he was my long lost uncle or something, we MUST be related...

They sold tickets with 5 matching numbers in 10 states, what they did not sell is any with the powerplay option. Since the price went up, a lot of people have quit playing that for the extra dollar.

http://www.powerball.com/pb_home.asp

Rhode Island is a very liberal state. I think that it is not fair to those that didn't win. I mean, shouldn't he have to share the wealth. Why don't they just divide it among all those that played so they can get their "fair share".

Al As soon as whoever won this is located Obama will declare through Obamney Care that he will need to be insured that will cost 326 Million. He can either turn it over to him or share it with the rest of the state.

With the odds around 180million:1 it is no surprise that there is only one winner. What is surprising is when there are multiple winning tickets.

AMERICAN DREAM: Ask any young girl and she'll tell you that the American Dream is still alive.

Have a baby; get on welfare; and never have to work your entire life.

Just keep having a baby every 4 years and you're good until you can't have them any longer.

Sell your food stamps for cash, and buy $300 worth of lottery tickets a month, until you win something and if you don't, so be it.

You can always make quick cash by pulling student-loan scams; Earned Income Credit scams (that's good for $5,000 per year); let your working relatives claim one of your kids on their IRS return; etc.

The American Dream is alive for single welfare moms; live for free and never work for decades.

Hey Local Guy,

If welfare is such a good living, why aren't you doing it?

Seems to make sense to me since you neocon's think the poor have it made. Why work? Quit your job and join them. Or maybe you're just talking out your ass and don't actually have a clue what you're talking about?

LOCAL GUY- Where do you come from???? The conversation is about a lotto winner not one of your family members ...heeeeheee You must be a repug/teabagger/nut job!

Cool, gotta keep those demons under control Dennis. Hell, I suspect that if I won I'd tear the damn ticket up rather then see that high percentage of tax go for establishing and maintaining the new Socialist State.

@amazeing

The powerball is a bunch of thieven Greedy Ba*tards.

You can't steal what you're given. Nobody's forced to play the Powerball.

Sounds like amazeing didn't win (again). LOL

I remember reading somewhere that you have better odds of being abducted by aliens than winning the powerball & it didn't mention anything about them being illegal.

Just think.....the odds of you getting hit with a bolt of lightening are one million to one,meaning the winner could have been hit approx. 178 times!!!

that is the lump sum the original was over 500m

The original was $326,300,000. Lump sum is $203,500,000. That's before state and federal taxes are taken out.

I like this idea, I'm for it 100%, but you'd have the hardcore liberals crying over it... as a matter of fact, I'm surprised no one has condemned the winner of this lottery for simply winning yet...

i couldnt agree with you more ..

Local Guy - All I can say is that I hope you don't live near me.

Congratulations to the winner of the lottery. I do believe Local_Guy_USA has issues with women, but his issues are his. My wonderful niece who has three kids and is now a divorcee due to her ex-husband a wondering low-life sperm donor, marriage is till death due you part, not in the event you pop out three kids and want a new car smell so off to the divorce court we go ride. Men do not have the right to decide what occurs within a womens body, so in my opinion stupid men should keep their stupid opinions to themselves. Michael Collins

Check it out local guy changes lottery rules to credit worthy only. Bet you have at least one friend well you did.

Local Guy- you must be a grocery bagger to have so much knowledge about nothing...but in your uppity attitude. You are a bitter, sad in humane person to say that blanket statement.

Ask any clerk at any store; the biggest buyers of lottery tickets are the welfare-4-life single-moms.

lol it might be true, in your neighbourhood. At the very least, it sounds like you played yet again.... and didn't win lol

I believe that local guy is stating that if a winner has used public assistance to buy lotto tickets then they should pay back the taxpayer after their big win. A few years back we had a big winner (5 million) in a state lottery and the woman was on public assistance as her only source of income for several years, the states AG went after all the payback and the winner got 1.8 million after all was done. I have no problem with that.

That's a good idea local guy make them pay back all the welfare they received over the years. I've heard that's what they do to deadbeat dads in GA. If they owe child support The state keeps it. Income tax refunds too.

Navyveteran2, there is no remaining anonymous when somwone wins big. In order to collect, you have to agree to publicity. You will be in the news, on internet lottery sites and anywhere else they want to put your face for advertising reasons. This is in all contracts and fineprint for lottery winners. It is written to the effect that "by redeeming winning tickets, you agree to allow us to use your likeness or other information for promotional purposes". So, when you cash the ticket, you automatically give away your right to remain anonymous.

Half, I certainly agree that a winner won't be anonymous, but surely there's a way around that, fake I.D. maybe? Anything to keep the people crawling out of the woodwork, claiming to be a long lost friend, relative, etc. from camping on your door step.

Mellow, you can't claim a lottery with a fake id as you have to fill out so many tax forms for the IRS to collect tax for on your winnings.

That was the best post I have seen in a long time....

Maxwell, the game is drawn only twice a week. Redo your math and see just how slim your chances really are and how much you would really spend. I play and consider that the lottery (MegaMilliona, Powerball, and The Pick here in Arizona) are really a form of tax that is completely willing on my part. I just wish the idiots in Phoenix hadn't reduced the budget for the affected areas in order to compensate for the expected income from the lotteries.

Well you can't win if you don't play and at some point somebody is going to win. For me, it's worth the two bucks just for the fantasy.

Right Sarah, it's the fantasy of winning that keeps folks buying the tickets. Some time ago I decided to play the lottery, so, I started saving single dollar bills. So far I have almost 400 of them just for lottery tickets. Big problem, lol, when I go to get some I balk real quick, "Hell no, not for some damn lottery ticket!"

I apologize Mr. Christopher; I should have read the rules of the game more closely on the Powerball website.

Redoing the math with the caveat that I can only play twice per week, I would be able to play (52*2*20) 2,080 games over a 20 year period. My chances of winning at least once in that 20 year period would be:

0.00118704%

Hmm, not nearly as good of odds as if I were able to play once per day! Maybe if I played twice a week for 40 years, then my odds would be up to...

0.00237408%

Well shoot, that's still not very good. I know! Since I can't possibly keep losing forever, I'll keep playing (twice per week) until the odds of me losing that many games in a row is only 50%! Then the next game I play I'll have a greater chance of winning rather than losing!

According to the powerful calculator over at Wolframalpha.com, it should only take me...139,132,000 games to get there. Playing twice per week, that is roughly...

1,337,807 years, and 36 weeks.

Set your calendar folks! On Monday, October 22'nd in the year 1339819 I'm going to be rich! You're all invited to the party!

maxwell, when you calculate the population of the userbase that will then be using this website and being invited to your party in the year 1339819, well heck, thats not a party i ever would want to go to lol

Its still better than the chance of earning that much!