Just picked up a few tickets. We rarely participate but this is a fun time to try it. We need some good luck!

We got some too. I wouldn't tell anyone until we obtain and renovate a new cave to hide away in.......

I never buy tickets, but I made sure that I picked up some today just for fun.

I couldn't resist picking up a few!

I’m with y’all. Got a few for fun. Why not :-)

I'd rather buy and ice cream bar... LOL, instant gratification!

We never play either, but hubby bought a few tickets yesterday.

I don't know what we'd do with that kind of money. First thing would be to take some time to absorb it all and get used to the idea.

Never drive again. That had never occurred to me but it would be awesome!

My daughter bought one for each of us. She said if she won, her first call would be to a tax attorney! I've not followed the lottery but do get some of the scratch-off tickets just for fun. I can't say what I would do with that much money-try to do some good, I think.

It would be interesting to know just how much money was spent buying these tickets...staggering! Sadly by so many who can not afford to do so.

I never buy them but thought it would be fun to join in.

Yes, I bought some also, first time ever. I do know what I would do with the money if I won -- explore my interest in rehabbing old neighborhoods.

I guess if this doesn't entice me to buy a lottery ticket, nothing ever will. Ho-hum.

I bought one! I just don't think anyone should win that much money. I would drop to me knees in shock, disbelief and heartfelt gratitude if I hit 5 numbers and won one million. Good luck everyone.

I've never bought one. There are wiser things to do with money.

I really wish there were hundreds of millionaires. Nobody needs a billion or two. I would buy more often if I knew of more people winning $5-10,000. But yes, we caved and bought tickets too. Good luck everyone.

"There are wiser things to do with money."

I just rolled my eyes so hard I think I hurt myself......

Well, too bad you don't know good advice when you hear it. Research repeatedly shows that the largest groups of people who buy lottery tickets are those who can least afford to do so. And of course when hearing that, lots of people will say "that doesn't apply to me". But, mostly, it does.

The best thing to do to help out those in low income groups who consistently waste money on lottery tickets, lacking better judgement on how to spend their limited funds, would be to end lotteries. That, of course, will never happen. And it's ironic that they're are sponsored by governments.

Bought a couple tickets, hoping to win 1 million, not the jackpot. That would be terrifying. I just lost $1 in the candy machine trying to get a bag of pretzels...so not the first time I've wasted money.

I agree that some people play the lottery irresponsibly, but a lot of people just play for fun once in a while. I spend maybe $20 a year on lottery tickets when it's a huge jackpot, knowing I most likely won't win but it's fun to spend time with DH thinking about what we'd do with the money. No worse than seeing a movie and probably cheaper!

What judgement? It's an imprudent thing to do.

Fun? I'll send you my address, you can have a ball sending me $20 bills whenever you want to have a real blast. That'll be fun for me too.

"It's an imprudent thing to do."

Uh...THAT judgement.

I don't suppose you ever go on vacation,out to eat,or buy anything not deemed absolutely essential for life,it would be unwise to do so.

(Eye roll plus raspberry)

We bought just one. I’ve never bought one before, and probably never will again. if I did win, I would give some to my church, some to an orphanage im close to, probably fly my family and I to Europe for my first time. 1.6 billion is a lot, and I wouldn’t want just my family to have it. Giving some to my church and charity is very important.

Well, we didn't become mega-billionaires tonight...darn it!

Fortunately, we have the Powerball to look forward to tomorrow and playing the slots at an Indian casino on Friday night. All those quarters (loose change) I rolled will come in handy this weekend! :)

I guess I should go out tomorrow and buy one. I'd love to have someone to drive me. I really don't like driving anymore. I've often thought that if I did win a lot, that I would hire someone to drive me.

I seldom buy one. a few times I did but then forgot to check them, so I quit buying them.

Well there was at least one winner that I saw last night

It's pretty amazing if a single person won the whole thing.

It was fun!

I agree with Elmer...but it was a fun $2 I spent. :0) Got 1# + the mega ball = $4 I'm ahead! lol

They showed a few previous lottery winners on the evening news. Each said what they'd done with the money. One couple purchased and built a grocery store for their small town. Cool!

I just heard at the grocery store that a man from my little town won. Well, my zip code is the next town over, but this one is closer. Don’t know if it’s true, but pretty cool.

I’m a winner,i think. I got the megaball, but sadly nothing else. Too bad, I had all my spending plans in place. First of all I would buy the house across the street and evict the horrible people who live there. After that I’d endow my public library and of course take care of my family. Oh well, I still have tickets for tonight’s powerball, a mere $620m.

I have two numbers plus the Powerball so I think I won $4. I only spent $10 so didn't waste much. I had a lot of plans too.....maybe next time! :)

I didn’t win either. But that’s ok. I just play for fun and did not spend more than I can afford.

One ticket sold in South Carolina matched all six numbers in the Oct. 23 Mega Millions lottery drawing for a total jackpot of $1.537 billion. (Reuters)

We got one number plus the mega ball so I believe that's $4. Just the mega ball alone is $2. Marylmi I think you won $10 for 2 #'s and the mega ball.

We only play when the jackpots are huge and yes we can afford it! It's fun so why not?

I also bought a $5 scratch off and won $5 on it. That's literally the most I've won from the lottery ever. lol

I didn't read the whole thread but am wondering why, when the jackpot gets that large, they don't split it into several. I would be frightened to win that much money.

Darn, forgot to buy tickets. We hardly ever buy lottery tickets but last time hub won a few bucks, enough to replace the few bucks spent over the years.

Sjerin, that's a fright I would be happy to experience. :)

sjein....I agree about how much fun it would have been "if" ....say.....1000 people would have won.

I guess the whole thing was won by someone in SC. In a way it's too bad more people didn't share in the windfall. Historically, lottery winners do not do well. They don't know how to handle millions, much less $1.6 billion, and the money gets blown in a hurry. Some actually end up in debt. Plus the winners are plagued by hoards of people asking for handouts.

For none of those reasons, I don't play the lottery. It just seems like a lost cause to me, although I realize somebody eventually wins.

Hypothetically speaking. A million isn’t enough to retire on since more than 1/2 comes off the top for taxes & fees.

The cash out for last nights lottery was $800 million. That is way too much for me. Never thought I’d ever say that but it’s true!! LOL

Luckily South Carolina allows winners to stay anonymous if they win. I think that's a good thing, and I'm surprised most states require identification (or hiding behind a trust). There's been history of lotto winners being killed.

1 winner! Wow, their heads must be spinning. I hope they do okay with it.

I had the megaball so I broke even. I don't know when or if I will ever try it again!

If you came out with $800,000,000 and wanted to bank it while you figured out what to do with it all, you need to open 3,200 accounts to have it all insured by the FDIC ($250,000 is the insured maximum).

I was shocked to read only 8 states (mine is one) allow winners to remain anonymous. Glad SC is also one. I think it's ridiculous that the others won't allow that. Our first stop would've been to the attorney's office to form a trust.

I remember years ago on Oprah she had some lottery winners on who's own family members plotted to have them killed!

I wish this winner well. I hope they have a good head on their shoulders and stay out of the spotlight!

I hope it was won by a pool of players instead of a single winner....make more people happy.

Oh, I think I could have handled the "problem" of $1.6 billion dollars! Alas, I don't live in SC and I didn't win anything. I buy $10 worth of tickets once or twice a year - fun to think about!

I just turned in my ticket and got $12. Spent $10, so got that back plus $2. I'm saving it for the next big one! Lol

My husband usually buys one lottery ticket. I guess he figures the odds are about the same whether you buy one or twenty.

My nephew won $160,000 in the lottery or a scratch off, or something. He isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. He bought a new pick up truck for himself and a Lexus for his wife. Then they went on a trip. Mind you, they lived in a rented travel trailer in a mobile home park.

Came home....ran out of money, so put the Lexus up for a title loan...which is like pawning it. Didn't have the money to get it out, and lost it. Put his truck up for a title loan also....lost it. Back to riding a bicycle.

My husband has asbestosis. His doctor told him to go sign up with an asbestos lawyer, and he did. They were very excited. Said he had the best case they had seen in two years. (Yes, of course, he would rather have good health, than receive money for having asbestosis.) We have gotten several checks...for about $8,000 combined. Got one today for $10,800. I told him it was better than winning the lottery. We don't have to hire a financial advisor or hide out. He has missed a lot of work lately because he has been sick and in the hospital, so it came at a good time.

Marilyn....I'm so sorry about Jody having asbestosis. That's horrible! He's worked so hard all his life too. I'm glad your getting some compensation.