How can people win the lottery?
There have been lotteries with positive payout on specific days. Specifically, both Michigan and Massachusetts have had lotteries where, when the all out in the award pool arrived at a specific sum, it was paid out to every one of the victors.
A few understudies at MIT (what other place) sorted out this and coordinated a gathering to purchase LOTS of tickets on those days. Strangely, this didn’t cost the state anything — they continued to make their %, they just paid it out strangely.
For the subtleties (which are really intriguing to math nerds) see the book How not to be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking by Jordan Ellenberg.
2) It can check out to play the lottery, regardless of whether the chances are against you, for at a few reasons:
a) The utility of cash isn’t straight. For some individuals, the deficiency of (say) $10 each week is insignificant while the addition of a huge number IS noteworthy. (Obviously, on the off chance that you’re Bill Gates, the addition of millions isn’t noteworthy)
b) Entertainment esteem. Certain individuals get a rush out of lottery playing.
3) On the other hand, there have been a few investigations of lottery champs. It found that a large number of them, a little while later, were not excelling by any means.