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Wowee! The Mega Millions jackpot is up to $640 million, which means the expected value on a lottery ticket is positive!
Considering that 20 percent of Americans already think playing the lottery is the most effective way to get rich (it's not), we're not surprised to see that people everywhere are dropping everything to line up to get a ticket.
This is not an iPad line... this is a line for lottery tickets!
HAWTHORNE, CA - MARCH 29: With the line stretching around the block, hundreds of people waited for over two hours to buy Mega Millions lottery tickets at Bluebird liquor store on March 29, 2012 in Hawthorne, California. The Mega Millions jackpot has reached a record high of $540 million. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
People are lining up in the parking lot WATCHING other people buy tickets
HAWTHORNE, CA - MARCH 29: Tammy Redlen (L) helps Sierra Luchien (C) fill out her Mega Millions tickets as they wait in line for over two hours at Bluebird liquor store on March 29, 2012 in Hawthorne, California. The Mega Millions jackpot has reached a record high of $540 million. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Here's the view from inside the story when the pot was $540 million (now $640 million)
HAWTHORNE, CA - MARCH 29: With the line stretching around the block hundreds of people waited in line to for over two hours to buy Mega Millions lottery ticket at Bluebird liquor store on March 29, 2012 in Hawthorne, California. The Mega Millions jackpot has reached a record high of $540 million (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Inside stores there's an electric buzz
HAWTHORNE, CA - MARCH 29: Customers wait in line to buy their Mega Millions tickets at Bluebird liquor store on March 29, 2012 in Hawthorne, California. The Mega Millions jackpot has reached a record high of $540 million (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Hundreds of millions of people got the thrill of buying a ticket
HAWTHORNE, CA - MARCH 29: Jasmine Covington rubs her Mega Millions Lottery ticket against a Bluebird statuette for good luck at Bluebird liquor store on March 29, 2012 in Hawthorne, California. The Mega Millions jackpot has reached a record high of $540 million (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
This guy dropped $1,080 on lottery tickets. We hope he can afford to lose.
HAWTHORNE, CA - MARCH 29: James Kim (L) owner of Bluebird liquor store help Milton Smith in buying $1080 worth of Mega Millions lottery tickets on March 29, 2012 in Hawthorne, California. The Mega Millions jackpot has reached a record high of $540 million. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
There's a mile-long line at Terrible's Primm Valley Lotto Store in Nevada!
Another insane line!
There are literally hundreds of these videos on YouTube
WINNERS BE WARNED:
These 14 Lottery Winners Lost It All >
Gus Lubin Senior correspondent Gus worked at Business Insider from 2009 to 2017. Starting as an intern, he did a bit of everything, launching sections covering lifestyle, science, personal finance, military, and more, eventually serving as executive editor of Business Insider and editor-in-chief of Tech Insider.As a writer, some of his favorite stories looked facial bias, the philosophy of Peter Thiel, Chinese ghost cities, self-driving car ethics, the average family on earth, Wikipedia hoax-hunters, income inequality, bleak futurism, global communication patterns, and the worst hotel in New York.As an editor and executive producer, some of his favorite stories include photo essays from the Canadian tar sands to the streets of Cairo, features about Vine stardom and dog cloning, and a documentary on hacking the grid.Gus graduated from Dartmouth College. He interned at Boston Review, 826 Boston, and Yes! Weekly. Read more Read lessncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyqutKapZ5loJ6wtcHRnqpmp5Zivaa7z6WcZqSZo7avs4yup2aen6d6tbTEZpmin12frqS3z6irZmpgZn9ufw%3D%3D