[wegwerf]

> For one dollar a lottery player purchases entertainment and maybe even a bit of optimism for a little bit of time.

  And above all there is gambling, the cheapest of all
  luxuries. Even people on the verge of starvation can 
  buy a few days' hope ('Something to live for', as they
  call it) by having a penny on a sweepstake.

-- George Orwell, The Road to Wigan Pier, chapter 5

[RollAHardSix]

Except that quote is only really relevant when the gambling is done on a repetitive basis. For many, this was the first and possibly/probably, the only time they decide to play the lottery.

This lottery only garnered so much attention because of the high jackpot, however even that was an anomaly. For most people who pay the lottery repeatedly, yes, it is a 'tax'; however many people who are more than capable of figuring the odds, still decided to play this jackpot - if only for the chance of winning.

Apologies for bad grammar, on a 48 hour day and my 2 cups of coffee isn't jump-starting my brain.