Odds of dying from contact with hot tap water: 1 in 5,005,564

What Are the Odds?

By: Natalie Josef (View Profile)

About one out of every three people in the United States thinks that winning the lottery is the only way to become financially secure. But the odds of winning a single state lottery are about 18 million to 1.

That’s why I laugh at my friends who buy lottery tickets—to me, it’s just throwing money away. The likelihood you’ll be killed by lightning is roughly 2,650,000 to 1—a lot more likely than winning the lottery.

Have you ever wondered how the odds stack up against each other? For instance, did you know that your odds of winning an Olympic medal are roughly the same as drowning in the bathtub? Check out these odds:

Odds of dying from a dog bite: 1 in 20 million
Odds of becoming a saint: 1 in 20 million

Odds of becoming president: 1 in 10,000,000
Odds of dying from parts falling off an airplane: 1 in 10,000,000

Odds you will be injured by a toilet this year: 1 in 10,000
Odds of finding a four-leaf clover on the first try: 1 in 10,000

Odds of spotting a UFO today: 1 in 3,000,000
Odds of dying from food poisoning: 1 in 3,000,000

Odds of dying from a shark attack: 1 in 300,000,000
Odds of dying from Measles: 1 in 300,000,000

Odds of a child being in a fatal automobile accident: 1 in 23,000
Odds of being wrongly declared dead by a Social Security data entry mistake: 1 in 23,483

Odds of writing a New York Times best seller: 1 in 220
Odds of dating a millionaire: 1 in 215

Odds of getting AIDS from heterosexual sex without using a condom: 1 in 5,000,000
Odds of dying from contact with hot tap water: 1 in 5,005,564

Odds of winning an Academy Award: 1 in 11,500
Odds of bowling a 300 game: 1 in 11,500

Odds of injury from using a chain saw: 1 in 4464
Odds of dying on a bicycle: 1 in 4472

Odds of being murdered: 1 in 18,000
Odds of dying in a car accident: 1 in 18,585

Odds of getting arthritis: 1 in 7
Odds you don’t have health insurance: 1 in 7

Odds of dying from heart disease: 1 in 3
Odds of an American woman developing cancer in her lifetime: 1 in 3

Odds that you will die from the collision of an asteroid hitting the earth in the next one hundred years: 1 in 500,000

Odds of a non-felon being murdered with a gun: 1 in 500,000
Odds of being in a plane crash: 1 in 500,000

I think we need to keep things in perspective and ignore the commercials that tell you to start dreaming about the millions you’re going to win in the lottery. Actually, just ignore TV altogether. While they’re busy recalling every vegetable for fear of salmonella, no one is mentioning the fact that you’re more likely to die of appendicitis than salmonella. How many people do you know who’ve died from appendicitis? The moral here? Eat your vegetables and don’t play the lottery.

Some old British wag called the lottery a "tax on imbeciles". That said, when the pot grows to ungodly proportions, it actually makes sense to spend a buck or two on it. The odds might be 100 million to one but when the pot grows to 150 million, that's a reasonable investment.

I like the odds of me writing a NY Times best seller. Ya think I got it in me?

I bet you have plenty of stories you can write about. Also I agree when the lotto hits around 200 million I start playing it, but only one dollar at a time. It only takes one dollar to win, and I find it funny how so many people will play hundreds to thousands of dollars when all they had to do is play one dollar.

Now with my luck I would hit the lottery the same day I caught salmonella, and then had a appendicitis attack while later dying from an incident by hot water. It's just my luck it would happen that way!!!!

Of course we will.

I'll be voting Dem.

write the book anyway.

What does that have to do with this post?

Just asking if you can explain your response?

I personally fancy being struck by lightening. If I survive, fair enough. If I get killed, it's probably an awestruck way to die.

As for my bestseller, I need an idea. You have any?

Oh thanks mad jack.

Now I'll have to be ultra careful not to get injured by a toilet. Look at those odds.............. 1 in 10,000! Yikes!!!

believe me, and think it was a joke.

Write about something personal in your life, and just make it about someone else.

has been the custom of the Democrats since Herbert Hoover was replaced by FDR,

Actually I can believe people do get hurt while using the toilet because of the mere fact that so many drunks pray to it day after day.

So I doubt you will be one of those hapless victims of the great toilet accidents of America, but then again I could be wrong.....

I thought I was replying to a different post. That's what I get for doing three things at once.

I thought you were making a mistake for some reason, but I was not going to pursue it any further.

My life isn't very interesting. I'm here aren't I? I'm all ears if you want to tell me about yours. I could write about it, sex it up a tad and we could split the profits 50/50. hahaha.

Here are some potential books:

1. The alternate universe. Some book about connected souls in alternate universes.

2. The serial internet killer. Stalks people on internet boards and chat rooms.

3. Armageddon for dummies. I could cover all the potential ways the human race becomes extinct.

4. The next dominant species. A sci-fi thriller that has the next dominant species unearthing the mysteries of the human race. What's up with all these little cylinder things (aka cigarette butts)? They worshipped cylinders?

Any of these sound good?

LOLOL......nah......it's been at least 10 years since I've talked on that porcelain telephone.....maybe longer.

I guess I'm safe.

I was wondering if maybe the flusher was secretly lethal.