According to the lottery industry it's a myth. I found this on the NASPL (North American State and Provincial Lotteries) site:
"Is it true that the odds of winning the lottery are worse than being struck by lightning?
No, even if we just consider the awarding of large jackpots. In 1996 1,136 people won $1,000,000 or more playing North American lotteries. An additional 4,520 won $100,000 or more. By contrast, 91 people were killed by lightning.
In addition, there's no second prize in a lightning strike. In a lottery, you win lesser amounts of money by coming close to the winning numbers. On many games odds of 1 in 5 or 1 in 4 are not uncommon. Lotteries award over $50 million in prizes in North America every day. Lightning isn't nearly that productive."
Notice how they sidestep the question which asks about being struck by lightening. The answer only refers to how many people are killed.
They may be right. Perhaps this is a myth but it should be noted that people are trying to win the lottery by buying tickets. But, most people do their best to avoid Lightning. Lightning is typically around when there are big, scary clouds in the sky and rain too so there's plenty of warning to take shelter. Unless you're Colonel Pickering from Caddyshack, most people tend to avoid the rain (and thunderstorms) by going inside. All things considered I think lightening is doing an extremely well considering this handicap.
Useful tips to avoid Lightning
According to Rocky Lopes of the American Red Cross here's what to do:
"If you hear thunder, you are in danger from lightning,Thunder means that lightning is close enough that it could hit your location at any minute, so you should immediately move indoors or into a hard-topped vehicle and stay there until after the lightning storm ends. The single most important thing to remember is to seek shelter."
You should also:
Avoid tall, isolated objects (such as trees)
Avoid metal objects like wire fences and golf clubs
Avoid using your cell phone outdoors during a storm
Avoid rivers, lakes and streams
Avoid electronics, including telephones and TV sets, as the wires can transmit the lightning
Avoid bathtubs, water faucets and sinks because metal pipes conduct electricity
Finally, if you're in a field and your hair stands on end, it means lightning is about to strike. Stand next to these people at your own risk: Carrot Top, Don King, Jimmy Neutron and Doctor of Doctor & The Medics fame (below)
A lightning bolt can reach 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Hotter than the surface of the sun.
A typical lightning bolt is only the size of a Quarter. Lightning looks so much wider because it's so bright
Most lightning strikes average 2 to 3 miles long
A "Positive Giant" can strike the ground up to 20 miles away from the storm. It seems to strike from a clear sky hence it's common name, "A Bolt From The Blue"
If you really want to get struck by lightening play Golf in Florida on a Summer afternoon around 4pm. Our old friend, Colonel "Rat Farts" Pickering, had this one down.
"Lightning strikes biker's penis during toilet break (nicked from news.com.au)
A Croation motorbike rider was knocked unconscious when lightning struck his penis during a roadside toilet break. Metro.co.uk reported Ante Djindjic, 29, escaped relatively unscathed from the incident, suffering only light burns to his chest and arms.
He said: "I don't remember what happened. One minute I was taking a leak and the next thing I knew I was in hospital. "Doctors said the lightning went through my body and because I was wearing rubber boots it earthed itself through my penis." "Thankfully, the doctors said that there would be no lasting effects, and my penis will function normally eventually."
Labels: Doctor and the Medics, Lottery vs. Lightening, ning, The Lottery, The Ticket
¶ 3:26 AM
Note the title of your blog post, "Lottery vs. Lightening" has a misspelling. While lightning may enlighten the sky, it has no "e" in it. A frequent error. No worries.
Be safe!
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