Why Play The Lotto
You know, people often say to me: “Matt – what are the chances of me spontaneously combusting?”
“Well,” I say, with a wry smile, “That would be about 14,000,000 to 1. Approximately the same odds as winning the lottery.”
“But- ” they respond anxiously, “what are the chances of me winning the lottery, then spontaneously combusting from sheer frenetic joy?”
“That would be 196,000,000,000,000 to 1,” I retort. “Approximately the same odds as you travelling back through time, to wake up one week earlier, alive and well. Of course, if all of this were to happen, you could go and warn yourself not to play the lottery.”
Realisation passes across their face. “So you mean the chances of me telling myself not to play the lottery this week are-”
“That’s right,” I say. “38,416,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 to 1.”
“I guess I’ll go and buy a ticket then.” And off they go.
posted by Matt at 7:25 PM
2 Comments:
Yeah but the fact that you gotta be 'in it to win it' means I play every week, despite the remoteness of winning...
Crumble me this cookie: what are the chances of your thinking about getting the lottery, finally going to buy the lottery, in the rain, and your umbrella attracting the huge electricity bolt - resulting in getting hit by a lightning? Now, what are your chances surviving that?
Post a Comment
<< Home