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Why You've Been Infected With That Terminal Disease: Powerball Fever

By Dr. Dave Hnida

DENVER (CBS4) -Okay, you've heard the odds of winning: something like one in 292.1 million. That's 1 in 292,100,000 in big numbers.

(But it's not zero in 292.1 million).

You've never won ANYTHING

(But there's always a first time).

Yeah… just look at all of the other suckers blowing cash on tickets

(But maybe they know something I don't.)

It's nothing but a fool's errand

(But I'm sure you've done dumber things-I know I have.)

So why are all of these people wasting all of their hard earned cash when they've got better odds of being eaten by a shark? (That's one in 11 million, btw).

According to psychologists (who probably sneak out and buy tickets, too), there are two main reasons we are sucked into the quicksand of Powerball:

Hope. I mean, think of what you could do with all of that money! Sure, it's a pipedream, but it's a great dream, and hope is one of the best things that allow the human spirit to plug through another rough, tedious day.

Number Two: Camaraderie and Collaboration. Think about it. Buy a ticket and you're part of the crowd. Part of a group. A gang. You're not being left out. Look at all of those people spilling dollars out of their wallets. You might even say a friendly word or two as you stand in line deciding what you KNOW are the winning numbers. It's a friendly experience when we're all in it together trying to beat the odds, and dream the impossible dream.

But how much is too much? Are you betting the mortgage or paycheck on a surefire winning ticket---and not just this week but every week?  Or simply spending more than you can afford in the hope you'll be living on Easy Street?  Well, you've probably got a gambling problem and I'm sure you do riskier things than buy a Lotto ticket. There's something wrong, and you need a helping hand with your addiction.

But an occasional lottery ticket—ah, probably not a worry. Even if you hear about those psychology studies about people whose lives blow up AFTER they win the lottery. That's actually more of the exception than the rule, and let's face it, I think most of us would be willing to give it a try.

Everyone with a speck of common sense knows money doesn't buy happiness….and I'm sure the chauffeur that I'm hiring with my winning numbers would agree with me as we shuttle around town.

Let's face it. Its Lotto fantasy camp. Sort of like Rockies Fantasy Baseball Camp each spring. You're not going make the big league roster, and you're not going to hit the Powerball jackpot.  And neither am I… probably.

As the old saying goes, "Brother, can you spare a dime?"

Or in this case, how about two measly bucks?

 

 

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