If there's a better chance to get hit by lightning than winning the lottery, how come I never hear about?

Question

people getting hit by lightning all the time?

Answer 1

It is absolutely not true. Here is an excerpt from the article "Top Ten Myths About Lottery (and Why They Are Not True)" by Duane V. Burke.

"...Statistics gathered by NASPL as well indicate that in one year alone (1996) 1,136 people won a million dollars or more and an additional 4,520 won $100,000 or more by playing North American lotteries. By contrast, 91 people were killed by lightning during that same year..."

You can read the full article at

http://www.naspl.org/index.cfm?fuseactio...

Answer 2

propably alot more of a chance of getting hit by lighting

Answer 3

Most people have enough sense to seek shelter when an electrical storm is on... if you want to do things like play golf in a storm, then you're chances of being hit by lightning are actually pretty good.

Answer 4

I know a guy who got struck.  Also, there are way less people trying to be struck by lightening.  If you were really trying, your odds are pretty good!

Answer 5

ive known one person at my church when i was little..she was at the golf course and stood under a tree.lightening struck her.

Answer 6

Maybe you need to listen better.  

FWIW, I know someone who was struck - it knocked him down and out for several minutes, but he was very lucky; he was soaking wet and a lot of the current travelled on the outside of his body.  

In any case, the reason is that millions of people play the lottery and only a small number actually win.   Conversely, very few people play with lightning.    

If millions of people went running outside and stood in a field when a thunderstorm came along, I'm sure you'd hear about a lot more people being struck by lightning.

Answer 7

Getting hit by lightning isn't a matter of probability so it's a silly thing to say. There are specific physics behind it, if you're the highest point in a location where there is not an even charged between the ground and the sky then it is quite likely that you will be hit by lightning. On the ground in New York City it would be near impossible to be hit by lightning. Tall buildings like the Empire State Building get hit by lightning frequently.