Roger Jones: Long Odds
on Tuesday, July 12, 2011Funny Money Quotes: The monstrously long odds of winning the lottery is not something those who play it want to give serious consideration. Roger Jones said:
“I guess I think of lotteries as a tax on the mathematically challenged” — Roger Jones
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This quote by Roger Jones shares similarities with the previous quotes about lotteries. Specifically:
- Jones characterizes lotteries as a type of “tax” since money spent on tickets is very unlikely to be recouped in winnings due to the long odds against players.
- He further specifies that this lottery “tax” disproportionately impacts those who are “mathematically challenged” – meaning they may not fully understand how improbable it is to win compared to the amount wagered.
Overall, Jones is making the same insightful point as others that lotteries rely on statistically unrealistic hopes to transfer wealth from less quantitatively-minded players to the lottery systems themselves. His phrasing of lotteries as a “tax on the mathematically challenged” succinctly captures this perspective through a wry yet thoughtful observation.