The Lottery: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

State lotteries claim to be good for education and the general wellbeing of citizens.
But are they? (Spoiler alert: No.)

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[timesnewlogan]

“You can’t win if you don’t play!”

Yeah, but you can’t lose, either.

[obviously]

"1 in 4 car accidents are caused by texting and driving"
People: "won't be me"

"1 in 302, 575, 350 chance of winning a lottery"
People: "hey, you never know"

[jackmaehoph]

When I win the lottery, I'm gonna take an eagle scuba diving!

[knackwarrior]

Gambling addiction hotlines would be so much better if every fifth caller was a winner.

[nitpicker]

I am one of the most successful lottery players in the history of the lottery. My fool-proof system has never failed. My strategy is simple: Don't play the lottery. Over the last 10 years, I have won $0 playing the lottery, which puts me in the top .005% of players.

[TopFurret]

Back in middle school, we'd write essays. Sometimes the prompt was "what would you do if you won the lottery?" Starting the gambling problems early eh?

[imaloony]

I work at a casino. I know how this works.

I'm actually shocked by the number of my fellow dealers who do gamble. Like... seriously, you see how this typically goes man.

[todddoetken]

Iowa's former governor Terry Branstad worked for several years trying to begin a state lottery. He finally passed it by promising that ALL profit would go to public schools. No more than 3% of lottery profits have ever gone to our public educational system. Iowa's public education was #1 until Governor Branstad made drastic cuts that literally destroyed it. Iowa's public education is no longer something Iowans can brag about.

[MrGamerman]

"fuck you evolution I decide who flies!" probably how I would spend it too.

[RupertWins]

Whoever writes this show is pretty brilliant.

[LVEVL]

John Oliver is a goddamn legend. Utterly decimates all those in his crosshairs

[reenougle]

John Oliver is erudite and hysterically funny at the same time. And he talks about important issues no other show touches. I absolutely adore this show.

[SapphireCrook]

So, let me get this straight.
The [American] government bans weed to protect you from a (supposedly) life ruining addiction, but has no problem actively marketing this other life ruining addiction?
Man, the hypocrisy is strong with this one. 

[catsadilla]

Winning the lottery is like taking one of those $10 LEGO sets, throwing all the pices onto a table, and them all landing in the correct positions as the fully assembled product.

[Nobodyimportant]

I'm a conservative and I still hate the lottery. My whole life I've known the lottery is just a cheap way to get revenue out of the lower-income population without raising taxes, and it makes me sick.

[willkoestner]

Once, my girl and I thought it would be amusing to spend a night at local video slot machine. Burn some cash, get drunk, do something new.
We saw a guy railing slots like his life depended on it. Eventually noticed his son had his face pressed against the glass that separated the gambling area from common area. Couldn't be older than 10.
Eventually his wife came in. She ignored the kid, got into a shouting match, and took his wallet and the food stamps he had on him.
After she left he pulled cash out of his sock and kept going
Worse things have happened, but it's something I can't forget. That fucking kid. Idk

[xvxvcaspervxvx]

As someone who use to work at a casino...its disgusting too be told to take everything you can and not say anything to the player that may encourage them to stop gambling. Literally, thousands of dollars spent and you know these people don't have the money to support themselves or their families and clearly have a problem..."but it's their choice to keep playing" until they ask you for help; most do not.
Worst job ever! And I use to sell credit cards at grocery stores!

[sentdex]

The lottery, otherwise known as the poor tax.

[kittykake]

As an Oregonian, this is literally the first time I've heard John Oliver say a bad thing about Oregon. It's actually kinda refreshing.

[drewjames-hyperkiddstudios]

I don't play the lottery or gamble for the same reasons I don't drink, which is why I thought your last comparison was pretty great.
Simply put, I don't have a moral objection. I just don't trust myself to gamble or drink responsibly so I abstain altogether.