On Tuesday night the Lotto draw will be for an incredible ninety million dollars !
This jackpot is the result of there being no winner of the past several draws and already there have been mutterings that the prize amount is obscene - and perhaps some of it should be confiscated for worthy projects that would benefit the public.
Australia is one of the few countries where gambling winnings are tax free - and it should remain that way.
In many places prizes are not paid in the form of a lump sum because they would be regarded as income - and taxed as such. As a result, the prize is paid as an annual amount to lower the tax take - and provide a steady income over a great many years.
Once the tax man starts to take a bite from prize money it will be the thin end of a very wide wedge. Desperate governments are never slow to exploit a new source of income - and we would surely see the tax percentage widen as inevitably as day follows night.
It should be remembered that this jackpot is our own money. It didn't just appear from nowhere. It built up from the money punters paid for tickets that did not win.
The magic will be gone once restrictions on winnings start to bite. The whole reason for buying a ticket in something like Lotto is the remote chance of winning unimaginable riches and having a " Magic Kingdom " lifestyle.
Once that is gone - life can be just another day in a dreary existence !
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