State Lottery

[Hammer]

It looks like North Carolina is on the verge of passing a state lottery law. I believe we are one the last states to take the plunge. I'm curious what you guys think about state run lotteries? Personnally I won't lose any sleep if it passes but I'm opposed to it. I'm not opposed to gambling as I actually enjoy it. My problem is the idea of the state running it. It would be ok if they were to simply legalize it and then license or tax it like any other private enterprise. When I think of a list of government services/duties running a for profit gambling operation is not on the list. The government is suppose to protect it's citizens not screw them with false hope of striking it rich.

[]LoL[Harm]

I'm with you Hammer, I've never felt warm or fuzzy over state run gambling.

[Jobius]

Agreed. It might seem like a very jugmental observation, but when I go into the store to pay for my gas the majority of folks buying the tickets sure look like they sould be spending on something other then lotto tickets.

[cogsliastro]

in this state(washington)gambling is running rampade,and the reason is the indians have 3 casinos on thier reservations.the state has no say in the indians reservation laws,so the lottery is the only thing they have to compete.
i think they try Way to hard to promote the lottery,and makes me sceptical about the whole thing.
ohh btw i love to gamble............just not on a 100,000 to 1 odds game like the lottery,i play craps and 2 card poker:)

[MickeyFinn]

Washington is all screwed up in the gambling department.

First off, I'm against giving "Native Americans" more rights than any other American. Hey, I'm a Native American. I claim it on my taxes every year. I was born in America, so I'm a Native American. None of the American Indians alive were the ones who suffered under Jackson's tyrade 200 years ago.

Secondly, I don't understand how we can be so retarded with the gambling laws and so smart with the alcohol laws. The state makes a killing with a huge alcohol tax by controlling all liquor, why not do the same with gambling? We spend so much money on cleaning up the streets, detox for alcoholics, rehab for druggies... Why not do it with money people are willing to donate via gambling instead of through tax dollars we worked for?

[Hammer]

I'm cool with the Indian casino's. I think it's funny that the government set themselves up like this and now have there panties in a wad over how much cash they are losing. It kinda of goes along with my feeling that things tend to work out in the long run.

[Jammer]

just not on a 100,000 to 1 odds game like the lottery

Man, if those huge jackpots had those odds, I'd be ALL over it. :)

I agree with the whole state-run thing being wrong. I'm sure Roscoe will be here soon singing the virtues of receiving lots of cool services on the backs of the crack ho's who buy lottery tickets. But for me, I'd rather the crack ho lottery ticket money go through private, mafia run casinos first before being taxed to provide said services. :p

Jammer

[Grundy]

Liberals and Conservatives should be against this since it amounts to a tax on the poor and results in wealth distribution which is bad. Did I get that right, Roo?

[MickeyFinn]

Let me ask you a question then, Jammer. If your state income and sales tax were to be reduced by 10% thanks to proceeds from instituting a state lottery, would you vote for or against it?

[Murrie]

I am against any thing being done by the government that if done by an individual would land them in jail.

even if it lowered my taxs or some other benefit. The government should have very very very few legal rights that an individual isnt allowed, and those pretty much are in the 'national security' catagory.

[Nymf]

bomb the indians

[Swifty_Johnson]

Many people who win these blow all the money and end up in fianical trouble really really quick. It's amazing to see someone blow through millions in just a few years.

Swifty

[Grundy]

Yeah that recent guy who won like 300 million has really f*cked up his life. The list of stuff that has gone wrong is amazing.

[Roscoes_C&W]

Isn't it a requirement to not be able to speak English if you win the lottery?

[cogsliastro]

Man, if those huge jackpots had those odds, I'd be ALL over it

i was generalizing:)
but craps odds are 6-1 (orsomething like that)if u bet it right.
and if u wanna learn how to play craps,just remeber to always bet the 6 and 8 hardways and board,press em when u can,and put a little on the come line:)
the field is a risky bet,but i throw $5 in there every once in a while.

[Roscoes_C&W]

the field is a sucker bet. They put all those numbers on it to make people think it's a solid bet and it's not, it's a sucker bet. I only bet the 6 and 8, sometimes the 5 and 9 depending on how much im up. I like to throw $2 at the dealer and yell "TWO WAY YO!!!" sometimes as well. I like it when the chips roll across the table and the dealers get all pissed off. Craps is the best. I boozed it and played craps for 24 hours straight last time i was in vegas. Ended up winning like $600, but I'm pretty sure I was up a couple grand at some point, I just don't remember cause I was loaded and the whole entire thing is a blur.

[cogsliastro]

all the 1 roll bets are sucker bets.
and when im up,ill bet the point every once in a while.
as for the field bets,i just really do it for kicks and when a 1-1 or box cars roll......ill admit it,im stoked:)
but mostley ill bet 6 and 8 and hardway them.
craps is a great game,and i dont even have to goto vegas,casino down the street has 4 tables.

[spyder913]

the lottery is only a tax for people who are mathmatically challenged. It's one thing to do it once in a while but the people who play every week are crazy.

[Swifty_Johnson]

Everytime it gets to like 30 million plus, I'll put like $5.00 down for a shot. That's about it.

Swifty

[Jammer]

Let me ask you a question then, Jammer. If your state income and sales tax were to be reduced by 10% thanks to proceeds from instituting a state lottery, would you vote for or against it?

Well, as usual, I was mostly trying to be a smartass with my comments while underscoring my opinion that regardless of who's running lottery/gambling, it is still going to be a tax on the stupid/poor/mathematically-challenged and involve some ugliness.

Now if you want me to be serious and weigh in on the matter, I can do that, too. First, that is one HUGE-ASS "if" in your scenario. But, giving you that, I still don't want a state-run lottery in North Carolina. Not because I'm some religious nutjob with a hard-on for sinful gamblers (Grundy and Hammer can vouch for the fact that I'm about as religious as a sack of ballpeen hammers), but because I believe that if our Governor and legislators would take the time they are spending on trying to get a lottery bill passed and use it to cut wasteful spending from the budget, we could get at least the same savings without putting so many gullible people at risk of wasting money they really need for more important stuff. I might vote Republican a lot, but it bothers me to see minorities and other folks who are clearly scraping by, standing in line at "Speedie Gas" with their last $20 and a head full of false hope.

But, that's just me. The truth of the matter is that even though I suspect that most North Carolinians don't want a state run lottery either, we will have one anyway. Then, once it is running, the state will not only refuse to lower taxes based on the proceeds of the lottery, but will quickly start talking about how things are still tight and we need to find other sources of revenue. Color me cynical when it comes to any government handling of money.

Jammer

[Roscoes_C&W]

I wait for when it's like 100-200 million. I guess California is joining the mega lottery with multiple states soon, where the jackpot is 300million+. But I don't even play any of it, I usually forget it even exists and don't really have the time or patience to deal with liquor stores or convenient stores.

You got to bet the point. You got to bet the pass line, then when the point is set you go to back up your pass line bet on the point, that's how u get odds. Then just put money on the 6 and 8 and rake in the cash, hopefully as long as they dont roll a 7. Craps is a great game, but I wouldn't play it at some shithouse casino down the street with low lifes and losers who are gambleholics. That's not fun. I only play in vegas or tahoe at casinos with people looking to have fun and throwing the dice not really knowing what they are doing and getting wasted. And there's allways hot sluts all over the place, but you can't pay attention to them, that's a different game and cause u to lose. Can't play 2 games at once.

[cogsliastro]

i should have said"press the point"my bad

[Noleader]

It is a good way for the state to make some coin...

[Swifty_Johnson]

While is a good way for the state to make coin, people need to keep an eye on what they do with the money. Most states say it will go to help education, but what states have been doing is reducing the money for education that the state pays and using the lottery money to cover that. So while it does go to education, there is no increase in education money. :(

Swifty

[Murrie]

It is a good way for the state to make some coin...

Thats not the point they are still engaging in an activity that if one of us poor subjects attempts to engage in we would be locked up.

Gambling should be legal - or it should not.

[Noleader]

Nothing in this world is that black or white Murrie... Controls and limitations are what make the world go around, it is finding the balance that is tricky. I think State run Lottery is a good balance of limit and freedom.

State Run reduces the chance of fraud along with a lot of other crime that normally goes along with the practice

[Murrie]

I call BS on that NL - your venturing into the lands of Socialism and Communism -
if "State Run" reduction in fraud is the reasoning, then everything should be state run since fraud and corruption run throughout the economy and society.

Do you want Cooperation's to be state run?
Charities?
Sporting events?
Concerts?

where do you draw the line?

Gambling should be legal - or it should not.

[Hammer]

I vote for legal, regulated, and taxed.

[Roscoes_C&W]

There's a difference between charities, sporting events, concerts and gambling. Many will argue that gambling is much like a drug, and can undermine society. When in Vegas you will notice it's all neato and pretty along the strip and in the casinos, but if you go further in that city you will notice it's a shithole with whores and drugs all over the place. I bet you wouldn't want casinos in your backyard, or down the street from your house. The state run lottery is a fine way for the state to make an income. It's basically a voluntary tax, which I'm all for. If people are dumb enough to give their money to the state, then so be it.

[Swifty_Johnson]

Vegas is the biggest tranisent town in the world. More people come into Vegas to live or leave to get out of there then any other city on the planet. Some of the bigger casinos will hold gambling classes for people, they are good to go to and they don't BS you.

Vegas works as people travel to the city and pour millions into the local economy. Bolxi Mississippi doesn't work like Vegas as the Casinos suck the money out of the local economy. For gambling to work, you need a steady flow of people from outside into the area to feed the casino. That's what Vegas and every successful gambling town has.

Swifty

[Popo]

bomb the indians


" bomb dis, bomb dis! " :cheese:

[Popo]

IMO, why care.. if people want to take the gamble on a state lottery then let them. It's not your money they're gambling and you're not partaking if you don't want to. It brings in state revenue from ppl that are dillusional about the 1,400,000:1 odds.

[Roscoes_C&W]

Gambling is legal. It's called the stockmarket.

[Popo]

" bomb dis, bomb dis! " :cheese:




var er din sinne om humorist nymf!?



( er du göra intryck på med min fasansfull engelsk till svensk översättare ? :hump: )

[Noleader]

I call BS on that NL - your venturing into the lands of Socialism and Communism -
if "State Run" reduction in fraud is the reasoning, then everything should be state run since fraud and corruption run throughout the economy and society.

Do you want Cooperation's to be state run?
Charities?
Sporting events?
Concerts?

where do you draw the line?

Gambling should be legal - or it should not.

You are trying to make it all or nothing again. The US Mail is *Still* run by the US Government and it is a cooperation (granted not as closely tied to the gov as it was). That is the balance I am talking about... The US Mail is kind of the back up "Incase all else fails" way to get items delivered. Although Ideally it would be better if they where not government managed the fact remains if all postage companies went out of business you would be asking your government why you are not able to send your mail.

With gambling the State Run Lotto is a nice balance. It is an 'elected tax' as roscoes said, plus you do not have to deal with the normal crap that follows casinos around (speaking from seeing the detriot casinos at work). Casinos tend to destory local businesses along with the crime that comes in.

This allows people that want to gamble a way to do so legally and creates a revenue stream for the state without the burden a casino puts on a city.