[united893]

I used to do the same. Told my mom to buy that ticket, and explained to her she was wrong. And that made her sad to realize.

She buys the tickets because she enjoys the pleasure of forward predictions: what will she do with the money. Go to the bahamas, buy a villa. Relax.

That forward projection means dopamine and norephedrine release -- similar to taking a drug. She enjoys that pleasure that's why she buys it.

[nlh]

Hear hear. That's exactly why I occasionally buy a lotto ticket or 20 when the number gets REALLY big. I consider $20 every year toward an hour of fantasizing about what I'd do with a $500M lump sum a worthwhile investment.

($500M lump sum...$250M after taxes...invested into triple tax-free muni bonds paying 2.5%....ahhhh...$521,000 a month for life...mmmmmm)

[inakarmacoma]

Norepinephrine?