While the government is required to divulge the names of the persons who win lottery prizes, there is no requirement for the winner to stand up in front of a news conference and answer the press' dumb questions. I feel sorry for those people who support lottery officials' news conferences and give them free publicity - they probably don't know they can refuse.

that's good to know because I have 1 in 292 million chances of winning the Powerball and I want to be well prepared:D

My Powerball Dream
 

After winning the Powerball...
Day 1: I give my employer 2 weeks notice (don't want to leave my team members at work in the lurch).
Day 2: I put in an offer for a home in The Villages. I don't need to look at the price. Hope I can close within a month.
Day 30: Home sale closes in The Villages, and I become a frog.

Just remember I have the 1 in 292 million chance of winning with each ticket I purchase. If you do not purchase one ticket you have what is call "absolute zero chance of winning" Just do what makes you happy...

5.49 million exemption
 

Federal estate tax has a 5.49 million exemption which means most of us will not pay any tax. If you are a Florida resident, you will not pay any State estate tax either.

I will give you that "tax reform" is needed especially for the middle class. Which by the way, has fewer and fewer people the last several years.

The lottery you correctly can say is a "self imposed tax".

As far as dirty politicians, we get our chance to vote and only 50% (less many times) bother to vote----so who is to blame? I do know that there are honest politicians who do their best to do a good job for their constituents.

Nobody is twisting our arms to purchase insurance. Most just hope we don't have to use it but thankful we have it when necessary. Life insurance is very useful for a young family person and can be useful in estate planning too. It does pay to shop for insurance just as you would when you purchase anything else.

I will still take living here in the USA over any other place in the world. Can it be better----of course.

Regardless of the odds of any particular game of chance, the lottery "steals" most heavily from those who can least afford it. It is, indeed, a regressive tax on those who voluntarily participate. Politicians are aware of this statistic but care only about the revenue generated to cover their profligate spending. Targeting part of the revenue for any particular endeavor (education) or demographic group (elderly) is just part of the scam. Government acts as an agent for/of the people and, as such, should not be permitted to pursue any activity that an individual citizen is forbidden to pursue. Therefore, as a Libertarian, I am opposed to any activity that government is involved in unless individuals are also free to participate in it. And by participate, I mean run/manage/own a lottery, not just purchasing a ticket. In my home state of PA, the state government owns and operates "state stores" for wine and liquor and only permits "outsiders" to partake in a very limited and very controlled fashion - COMPLETE HYPOCRISY, which is what one should always expect from government. After all, they have the big guns!

You know I think there's a lot of very intelligent comments here, but the ones that play it think if you don't play you won't win. When the lottery started in Ohio they said 60% of the profit would go to support the schools, I think less 10% goes to the schools. Anytime the govt. has their fingers in it, you're going to get screwed!