Things that are more likely to happen to you than winning the Powerball jackpot
Lottery fever has taken over America. Again. But this is a big one. Tonight's Powerball Jackpot is worth 1.2 billion dollars. Not million. Billion. With a "B". This is a HUGE jackpot. But what are your odds of actually winning this? Well, not good. The actual number is 1 in 292,201,338. So, more or less impossible. Yet people are standing in line to buy tickets by the handful in front of tonight's drawing. We thought we'd take a look at things that are more likely to happen to you than winning tonight's lottery.
1. Being Struck by Lighting.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the risk of being struck by lightning in any given year is less than 1 in a million, although they do state that your odds are slightly higher if you live or work in Florida or Texas. But then again, if you live or work in Florida or Texas, the odds are probably better that you'd actually want to be struck by lightning,
2. Being Struck by Lightning Repeatedly.
Okay, it doesn't happen often, but occasionally one poor soul will be struck by lighting more than once in their lifetime. The odds are exceedingly slim with the odds of being hit twice around 1 in 9 million. The record, you ask? It is held by a man named Roy Sullivan, a ranger in Shenendoah National Park who was hit by lightning seven times. And presumably questioned his very existence daily.
3. Getting Bit by a Shark.
The odds of getting bitten by a shark are 1 in 3,748,067. There is a much better chance that you will be bitten by a shark than winning the lottery. A much better chance. And according to petpedia.com, over half of the shark attacks in the United States happen in Florida. Again with Florida....
4. Being Hit by a Meteor
According to National Geographic, Tulane University Earth Sciences Professor Stephen A. Nelson put the odds of being hit by a local meteor, comet or asteroid is about 1 in 1.6 million. Not enough to get Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck to board a shuttle, but still considerably better than winning the damn lottery.
What have we learned?
We have learned that we are not going to win the Powerball Jackpot tonight and unfortunately, not any future drawings either. It's not going to happen. But is that going to stop us? I'll answer in line at the convenience store....