--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have never played the lottery in my…" description: "\"I have never played the lottery in my life and never will. Voltaire described lotteries as a tax on stupidity. More specifically, I think, on innumerac..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34e/daniel-tammet-8321_life_i-have-never-played-the-lottery-in-my-li_687279.png" --- # I have never played the lottery in my life and never will… ![“I have never played the lottery in my life and never will. Voltaire described lotteries as a tax on stupidity. More specifically, I think, on innumeracy.” quote by Daniel Tammet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34e/daniel-tammet-8321_life_i-have-never-played-the-lottery-in-my-li_687279.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34e/daniel-tammet-8321_life_i-have-never-played-the-lottery-in-my-li_687279.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34e/daniel-tammet-8321_life_i-have-never-played-the-lottery-in-my-li_687279.png) > “I have never played the lottery in my life and never will. Voltaire described lotteries as a tax on stupidity. More specifically, I think, on innumeracy.” [Daniel Tammet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tammet/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker rejects gambling, viewing lotteries as exploiting ignorance and irrationality. **In simple terms:** Lotteries exploit ignorance. Key Takeaway Avoid gambling. Themes risk irrationality economics Mood skeptical critical Type cautionary analytical When to use this quote - personal finance - public policy - education - consumer protection Key Concepts taxation stupidity innumeracy Questions to Reflect On - Do you see any benefits to lotteries? - How does financial literacy affect this view? A Different Perspective Lotteries also generate revenue for public services. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lottery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lottery/) [Stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidity/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Lotteries, a tax upon imbeciles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lotteries-a-tax-upon-imbeciles/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [European lotteries are the tax on fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camillo-benso-count-of-cavour/european-lotteries-are-the-tax-on-fools/) [Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camillo-benso-count-of-cavour/) > [“I guess I think of lotteries as a tax on the mathematically challenged.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-jones/i-guess-i-think-of-lotteries-as-a-tax-on-the-mathematically-challenged/) Roger Jones > [There is no moral difference between gambling at cards or in lotteries or on the race track and gambling in the stock market. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-is-no-moral-difference-between-gambling-at-cards-or-in/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [That the chance of gain is naturally over-valued, we may learn from the universal success of lotteries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/that-the-chance-of-gain-is-naturally-over-valued-we-may-learn-from/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [“Public lotteries are essentially regressive taxes imposed on the poor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schlosser/public-lotteries-are-essentially-regressive-taxes-imposed-on-the-poor/) [Eric Schlosser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schlosser/) > [Lotteries boost state revenues in the short run but don't feed the economy in the long run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-warren-kindt/lotteries-boost-state-revenues-in-the-short-run-but-don-t-feed-the/) [John Warren Kindt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-warren-kindt/) > [Remember that you are an Englishman, and have consequently won first prize in the lottery of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-rhodes/remember-that-you-are-an-englishman-and-have-consequently-won-first/) [Cecil Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecil-rhodes/) > [There are no races. 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