10 Reasons Why I Shall Play The Lottery...

What dreams may come...

It's all over the news. The Mega Millions lottery, played in 42 states across America, has hit its all-time high jackpot, and nobody has won yet! I believe a side effect of talking about the lottery is talking about what you would do if you were to win the lottery. I'd buy a boat! I'd buy a plane! I'd travel! Right?

I am not a gambling person. I may have spent a total of $20 dollars the last time I was in Vegas and what did I have to show for it? Nada. But $540 million? I mean that's a game changer. So after a couple of hours spent day-dreaming, I finally convinced myself to take the plunge. Here's why:

1. Because somebody's got to win. And so why couldn't it be me? I mean, I pay my taxes. I'm a legal resident of the United States, a citizen now at that. I'm over 18 AND I'm not blowing much needed money on a ticket when I have a family to feed. I mean, I'm the perfect recipient, right? Right.

2. Because as much as I complain about being plagued by bad luck, I'm really not that unlucky. I may be a freckly redhead, but I am not Irish. And as such I've always considered myself to be very unlucky. But when looking back at what I have in my life, I've truly been blessed. I have an amazingly supportive family. The best Mom in the world. A boyfriend who truly adores me. Two great father figures who have been there through the years. A job. A car. Extra cash. Food. A roof over my head. I mean, I'm lucky. So, why not be lucky enough to win?

3. Because I'm not greedy. I don't have to win the $540 million to feel like I've accomplished my goal. Seriously, I'll be happy with the second place $250,000 prize! Although $540 million would go a lot further...

4. Because day-dreaming about what to do with $540 million is really quite a lot of fun.


5. Because I made the commitment to myself (and to God if He lets me win, and now to you) to donate AT LEAST 10% of my winnings to churches and charities that I support. I've noticed over the last few years that I really am quite generous when it comes to money. Whenever I get an exceptionally large paycheck, I always treat those around me to something special. Dinner, a show. Whatever. And I don't see winning the lottery as being any different. I may not even be able to stop with 10% when I think about how many deserving charities there are.

6. Because you can't win the money if you don't purchase a ticket. Well, technically you could win if you happened to come across the winning ticket discarded on the sidewalk, but the chances of that happening are even less, I'm sure, than if you bought a ticket.

My most prized winning...

7. Because forking over $1 to win $540 million really is the ultimate gamble. In what other game do you have the opportunity of winning 540,000,000 times what you bet?

8. Because I deserve to win something, dammit! The only thing in my life I can ever remember winning was a pink Duracell buddy that marched around the room to the beat of its own drum. Literally. And even that was rigged, I'm sure, because how else would my brother, sister, and I all have won one? Three in one household? Is that even legal? Even in high school at our graduation party when prizes were aplenty and our odds of winning were about 1 to 0.5, I was one of about FIVE people who didn't win anything.

9. Because I've already figured out what I'll be spending my 1st installment on. And yes, I would take it in equal monthly installments for 26 years. I'm young. I have the time. My first order of business would be buying a fancy red Audi A4 for me. Then new cars for everyone in my family. Then a super vacation to a place-yet-to-be-determined at some exotic corner of the world with my fantastic boyfriend. And of course the 10% I'll give to charity. On the other hand, I could always take the cash value and in that case, well, I'd do the same...

10. Because, well, I support education and it is an education lottery, after all. 

Oh wait... how do you play the Mega Millions?