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Lotteries are simply a tax levied on people that are bad at math.

Yes, but unlike most other taxes, this one's voluntary. And, in Colorado, supposedly the revenue from the lottery is going to the state parks, so those that do choose to play can mentally justify it that way, whether they partake in the state parks or not.

That's true of most state lotteries I believe. While I cannot speak to Colorado, only about 10% of the Arizona lottery's income goes to the public infrastructure projects promised to voters. The rest is funneled into the state's general revenue stream, a.k.a. the tax fund.

I think people who buy the scratcher tickets are just having a little fun, and maybe breaking even. The one with the numbered balls though? Folks who play that one are hoping for a jackpot that will solve all their financial woes. But the odds of winning such a jackpot is what makes them bad at math. What they're really doing, is just handing their money over to the state Legislature.

And they got to get white supremacy and white entitlement and all kind of white perks!

From https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/360/the-colorado-lottery-a-chance-to-dream-or-to-deepen-inequities?utm_medium=email&utm_source=maropost&category=homepage-showcase

"...these stores (that sell lottery tickets) tend to be concentrated in some way in communities that have lower median incomes, lower levels of education, and in many places, higher levels of African-American residents or Hispanic residents" - honestly, I've been to every type of neighborhood is Colorado in the last ~30 years and every single gas station and grocery or convenience store sells lottery tickets regardless of demographics or race.

I just need to wrap my head around the fact that everything is racist I suppose.