Mega Millions of Liars

There's a billboard I pass every day on Rt. 280 in Newark that updates commuters with the current Mega Millions jackpot. While I am usually miserable after a long day of work, I am only occasionally vulnerable enough to go buy lottery tickets. I know it's not logical, but I play whenever the jackpot is insanely high. The last time this occurred was at the end of December last year. It was over $200 million and I picked up some tickets. By the time the jackpot was finally won in early January, it was up to $380 million. I obviously didn't win.

 But even after the jackpot was won, my excitement did not end.There was a glitch on the board, and the top piece of what had previously been a "3" still remained lit.

Mega Millions Glitch on the Left

I couldn't wait to see the jackpot get up to $100 million, and have the glitch turn the 1 into a 7. People would go apeshit thinking that the lottery was a record-high $700 million. But every time the prize got close to $100 million, somebody would claim it. All through January and February, my dreams of crushing dreams were crushed.

Then finally this week, it happened...

I'm sort of amazed that nobody from the lottery commission has climbed up and fixed this by now, but I'm sure the mistake definitely works in their favor in terms of ticket sales. Lottery fever is highly contagious once triple digits occur, and this obscene number is twice as much as the highest prize ever won. It's currently up to $127 million, but if it gets much higher, the numbers will look normal again. $200 million and $300 million will look like they're supposed to. It won't be until $400 million that the numbers will get screwy again. $400 million will look like $900 million. Though highly unlikely to occur (or fool anyone), I've got my fingers crossed.