Posts Tagged ‘odds’
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.
Monique Lloyd: Mathematical Lottery Odds
on Thursday, December 30, 2010Monique Lloyd Funny Money Quote saying that people fail to understand the mathematical odds against winning the lottery are worse than the chance of being struck by lightning. Monique Lloyd said:
“The lottery is a tax on people who flunked math” — Monique Lloyd
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In this quote, Monique Lloyd is making a witty observation about how lottery tickets function as a regressive tax that disproportionately impacts those less proficient at mathematics and probabilities. Specifically:
- She notes that playing the lottery regularly amounts to a hidden “tax” as the odds are heavily stacked in favor of the lottery organizers, not the players.
- Lloyd then states this “tax” primarily affects those who did not master mathematical skills like calculating probabilities of winning extremely low-chance games of chance.
Her point is that while playing the lottery can be entertaining for some, it relies on the statistical unlikely hopes of many and effectively transfers wealth to the lottery systems from those without a full grasp of the unfavorable odds against them.
Overall, the quote offers an insightful perspective on lotteries by characterizing them as a tax that unintentionally preys upon mathematical weaknesses for financial gain. It’s a clever way to frame the economics of gambling activities.