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Fortune
Fortune
Steve Mollman

Powerball obsessions: Americans are craving financial escapism amid recession fears and decades-high inflation

Powerball lottery (Credit: Jeff Gritchen—MediaNews Group/Orange County Register/Getty Image)

It’s easy to chide Americans obsessed with a Powerball jackpot that just hit world record territory at $1.6 billion (update: Make that $1.9 billion—nobody won Saturday night). Yes, the odds of getting hit by lightning are far better than winning the lottery. But the need for financial escapism is understandable. 

It has not been a particularly pleasant autumn in terms of financial confidence in America.

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