Lucky Lotto

Kristina Schneider is making the news rounds as the lucky lotto winner, and I fail to share in the euphoria that surrounds her winning.

The jist of the story:

-Schneider is a gas station clerk

-Customer buys three of the four remaning scratch off tickets on the roll

-Schneider uses $10 she found on the ground to buy the last ticket

-Ticket wins her $1,000,000

-Schneider has nine maxed out credit cards and $8,500 in school loans

Several points I would like to make:

-Why is someone with an associate's degree working a gas station?

-Why would someone with children, nine maxed out credit cards, and school loans feel that $10.00 (probably two hours worth of work after tax) would best be logically spent gambling? Her winning merely reinforces bad behavior and does not change the fact that it was an unwise decision.

-How do you get approved for a ninth credit card after maxing out eight others?

-Doesn't BP (franchise where ticket was purchased) have some policy about finding money on company grounds? I realize I'm incredibly cynical when it comes to retail but doesn't "finding $10 on the ground" seem shady coming from a cashier (versus say "finding it" in the register)?

-Instead of this money changing her life, why is it that I can't help but shake my head realizing that this good fortune will be friviously wasted when after deciding to take the payments over 10 years instead of a lump sum Schneider is quoted as saying, "If I'd have taken a lump sum, I'd be broke again within five years."

Photo from the New Hampshire Lottery Commission