Can a non-US resident buy lottery?

[rodsika]

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/28/mega-millions-jackpot-hits-record-476-million/?hpt=hp_t3


The US lottery prize is now 500 million dollars. If you won it. You would get more money than all the Nobel Prizes in Physics since the early 1900. Can the ticket be bought outside the United States? How? And if it is won by a non-US resident. Would he quality and get the entire Prize?

 

[Pengwuino]

I did some browsing and it seems like yes, anyone can win the lottery. They would claim the entire prize (or at least, the same share a resident would if there were multiple winners). One source noted that the federal tax is a flat 30% for non-residents, but I'm not sure which state, if any (the person's home state or the state of purchase), would receive state tax

 

[SHISHKABOB]

every time I see those big mega millions lottery things on billboards I dream for a few moments about how I'd never have to worry about tuition ever again...

 

[lisab]

every time I see those big mega millions lottery things on billboards I dream for a few moments about how I'd never have to worry about tuition ever again...

Definitely true. In fact, most likely all your current problems would be instantly gone -- only to be replaced by myriad new problems.

 

[SHISHKABOB]

Definitely true. In fact, most likely all your current problems would be instantly gone -- only to be replaced by myriad new problems.

yeah, which is why I only dream for a few moments :(

 

[Pengwuino]

Definitely true. In fact, most likely all your current problems would be instantly gone -- only to be replaced by myriad new problems.

Solution:

Step 1: Money-> Swiss bank accounts

Step 2: Fake Death

Step 3: Profit!

 

[rodsika]

What I meant was.. buying it outside the united states.. how do one purchase a ticket when one hasn't set foot in the united states?

And if General Relativity was true, is there just no way to determine the winning number two days before the draws?

 

[Pengwuino]

What I meant was.. buying it outside the united states.. how do one purchase a ticket when one hasn't set foot in the united states?

And if General Relativity was true, is there just no way to determine the winning number two days before the draws?

No, you can not purchase lottery tickets outside of the US. It is illegal to buy lottery tickets through the mail and lotteries have not been put online yet (although there are states moving in this direction).

 

[Jack21222]

On one hand, I know that there's a negative expected value to playing the lottery, even when it gets this high. I know I'd be better off taking my money and using it to pay down various debts, or even just shoving it in my mattress.

On the other hand, throwing $5 from my entertainment budget once every few months doesn't sound too harmful, and I'd get some enjoyment out of my wasted money. I'd even get about $3 of that back on average!

 

[lisab]

On one hand, I know that there's a negative expected value to playing the lottery, even when it gets this high. I know I'd be better off taking my money and using it to pay down various debts, or even just shoving it in my mattress.

On the other hand, throwing $5 from my entertainment budget once every few months doesn't sound too harmful, and I'd get some enjoyment out of my wasted money. I'd even get about $3 of that back on average!

I've heard the lottery called, "A tax on people who are bad at math." But I guess if you know the odds and choose to play anyway, it's just an entertainment expense.

I admit there is a small pool at work I occasionally put money into. I think $1 or $2 is a fair price for esprit de corps.

 

[Pengwuino]

I've heard the lottery called, "A tax on people who are bad at math." But I guess if you know the odds and choose to play anyway, it's just an entertainment expense.

I admit there is a small pool at work I occasionally put money into. I think $1 or $2 is a fair price for esprit de corps.

I've heard "bad at math" replaced by "stupid" :P It's kinda sad that, according to some research I saw in a different life, that the average person with a low income spent 10% of their income in gambling.

 

[Chi Meson]

And if General Relativity was true, is there just no way to determine the winning number two days before the draws?

It's because relativity (both special and general) IS true that you won't be able to determine winning numbers ahead of time. The best you can hope for, according to the standard model, is that if quantum entanglement can be used to send information, you MIGHT be able to find out INSTANTANEOUSLY that you lost.

 

[Borg]

It's a waste of your money because I'm going to win it. I also plan on being struck by lightning several times this week and getting three holes in one in the same round of golf.

 

[leroyjenkens]

Is there some nationwide lottery that I'm not aware of? I thought lotteries were state specific.

I never play the lottery, but I'm tempted to play this one. Just one ticket. I would want to play the numbers 1,2,3,4,5, but I don't think I could bring myself to playing those numbers, even though I know the probability of them coming up would be the same as any other combination of numbers.

 

[Borg]

Powerball and MegaMillions are both multi-state lotteries. The MegaMillions jackpot is currently at a record of 500 million if one person hits it.

 

[Hobin]

The best you can hope for [...]

Obviously not. You should just buy the person who implements the random-draw function a drink.

 

[lisab]

Powerball and MegaMillions are both multi-state lotteries. The MegaMillions jackpot is currently at a record of 500 million if one person hits it.

540 million now.

 

[Borg]

540 million now.

I saw that. The news said that the final amount will be set tomorrow at noon and could hit 600. And if it doesn't hit tomorrow...

 

[rodsika]

Supposed someone from the future told me the number and I could win the $600 million but I never set foot in the US. If I'd let you buy a ticket by transferring you the $3. Would you give me at least half or $300 million and keep the other half, or would you be greedy and keep all $600 by yourself? Bottom line is. In *hypothetical* event like this. What person in the US you can trust where a stranger whom you gave the $3 ticket would be willing to give you at least half of the prize ($300 million) or even the whole $600 million? Would Greg Bernhardt be that person or Evo? Or a public pastor whom you are certain would give it to you?

 

[Evo]

Supposed someone from the future told me the number and I could win the $600 million but I never set foot in the US. If I'd let you buy a ticket by transferring you the $3. Would you give me at least half or $300 million and keep the other half, or would you be greedy and keep all $600 by yourself? Bottom line is. In *hypothetical* event like this. What person in the US you can trust where a stranger whom you gave the $3 ticket would be willing to give you at least half of the prize ($300 million) or even the whole $600 million? Would Greg Bernhardt be that person or Evo? Or a public pastor whom you are certain would give it to you?

It would be me. I'm a sucker.

 

[Vanadium 50]

What person in the US you can trust where a stranger whom you gave the $3 ticket would be willing to give you at least half of the prize ($300 million) or even the whole $600 million?

Me!

Me! Me! Me! Me!

 

[rodsika]

Wow. Looks like there is a chance for me to win.

Does anyone know what maximum amount of money can be transferred from bank in US to international? Maybe just 1 million dollar or less? What's the best way to transfer $300-$600 million out of the US? Also I can't even get a visa to enter US because I'm single and they are afraid usually of single people because many just go into hiding in the US and became illegal immigrant. So my problem is how to transfer the over $300 million money to me in another country? Any tips?

 

[rodsika]

I'll be generous for now and share the numbers. It's 24, 36, 15, 52, 39 and 44.
Well. If I got at least 3 right. Make deal with me next time ok? lol...

I remember they pay in installments. That means one must open a US account. Now. I wonder if non-US citizen can even open a US bank account. Also I heard about this so called bonds where it can be the cash. There is nothing like this in my country. Are bonds (treasury bonds) like cheque where one write the amounts? Or are they like cash where they are made to order? In the movie, the bad guys hold a attache case with bonds worth trillions. How could that happen?

 

[Pengwuino]

Wow. Looks like there is a chance for me to win.

Does anyone know what maximum amount of money can be transferred from bank in US to international? Maybe just 1 million dollar or less? What's the best way to transfer $300-$600 million out of the US? Also I can't even get a visa to enter US because I'm single and they are afraid usually of single people because many just go into hiding in the US and became illegal immigrant. So my problem is how to transfer the over $300 million money to me in another country? Any tips?

I can tell you how to get the entire amount out of the country. My fee is $10,000 though.

You seem confident enough that you're going to win so my pre-pay requirement won't be an issue, though.

 

[AlephZero]

So my problem is how to transfer the over $300 million money to me in another country? Any tips?

Something like http://www.snopes.com/fraud/advancefee/nigeria.asp might work

 

[Redbelly98]

Supposed someone from the future told me...

(In a smoke-filled room somewhere overseas . . .)

"Big problem: the Americans have wised up to scam about imprisoned Nigerian princess. We must come up with more credible story."

"Uh...how about this -- we send other email. This email says 'I am from future and I know what winning lottery numbers will be'. And then--"

"Eediot!" <Slap!>​

 

[Astronuc]

From the past the winning combination 2-4-23-38-46, MB 23

At least one winner in Maryland, and apparently there may be more.

Across the country, Americans plunked down an estimated $1.5 billion on the longest of long shots to win a jackpot valued at ~$640 million.

The odds ~ 1 in 176 million per ticket.

http://news.yahoo.com/record-mega-millions-numbers-2-4-23-38-031533994.html

 

[arildno]

I've heard "bad at math" replaced by "stupid" :P It's kinda sad that, according to some research I saw in a different life, that the average person with a low income spent 10% of their income in gambling.

Nothing new about that. The 4th century historian Ammianus Marcellinus delivers a diatribe against the mores of the people of Rome in book 28, and has the following to say about the craze the rabble has for horse races:

"28 Let us now turn to the idle and slothful commons. Among them some who have no shoes are conspicuous as though they had cultured names, such as the Messores, Statarii, Semicupae and Serapini, and Cicymbricus, with Gluturinus and Trulla, and Lucanicus with Porclaca and Salsula, and countless others.123 29 These spend all their life with wine and dice, in low haunts, pleasures, and the games. Their temple, their dwelling, their assembly, and the height of all their hopes is the Circus Maximus. You may see many groups of them gathered in the fora, the cross-roads, the streets,124 and their other meeting-places, engaged in quarrelsome arguments with one another, some (as usual) defending this, others that. 30 Among them those who have enjoyed a surfeit of life, influential through long experience, often swear by their hoary hair and wrinkles that the state cannot exist if in the coming race the charioteer whom each favours is not first to rush forth from the barriers, and fails to round the turning-point closely with his ill-omened125 horses. 31 And when there is such a dry rot of thoughtlessness, as soon as the longed-for day of the chariot-races begins to p159dawn, before the sun is yet shining clearly they all hasten in crowds to the spot at top speed, as if they would outstrip the very chariots that are to take part in the contest; and torn by their conflicting hopes about the result of the race, the greater number of them in their anxiety pass sleepless nights. "

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Ammian/28*.html

 

[Jack21222]

From the past the winning combination 2-4-23-38-46, MB 23

At least one winner in Maryland, and apparently there may be more.

Across the country, Americans plunked down an estimated $1.5 billion on the longest of long shots to win a jackpot valued at ~$640 million.

The odds ~ 1 in 176 million per ticket.

http://news.yahoo.com/record-mega-millions-numbers-2-4-23-38-031533994.html

A winning ticket was sold in my county. Alas, it wasn't me. My 5 tickets were all trash. Hopefully, it's somebody I know.