I may as well have dropped those same dollar bills into a sidewalk sewage drain (I was actually a little sick to my stomach for a few weeks after that experience)...Anyway, after reading a few of the comments in this thread, I actually feel little bad for ever silently berating and judging lottery players ever since I learned the value of money...Interesting perspective, though: as a few others have pointed out, playing lottery offers some value to the player in the same way non-players spend money on other forms of "fun" / "entertainment".I'm ashamed to admit, but I've blown an embarrassing amount of $ on designer accessories in my life...