30 most vicious John Oliver take downs
By Jeremy Dick
16. John Oliver fully exposes how the lottery really works
Have you ever wasted your money on a lottery ticket? A lot of us have, hoping for that lucky million dollar payday to come out way. But maybe before you go purchase that next ticket from the supermarket, take a few minutes to listen to John Oliver explain how it all really works.
On Last Week Tonight, Oliver suggested that the actual odds of winning were on par with getting struck by lightning and being eaten by a shark at the same time. But ignoring the odds is all a part of playing, and some people literally get addicted to the thrill of constantly trying. The tiny wins they get go straight back into the system and keeps them coming back.
And if you’re thinking that the money you’re spending on the lottery is being used to fund state education, well, Oliver’s got bad news for you. In 21 out of 24 states, the lottery has not provided any funds for further education.
In North Carolina, the lottery was promised to bring an additional half billion dollars in education funds every year. That was ten years ago, and not only did that not happen, but the state actually spends less per student now than they did before the lottery began.
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