POWERBALL'S BIGGEST WINNER:

 THE GOVERNMENT

Why government-run lottery monopolies are a regressive tax -- and a stupidity tax.

Ka-ching! Wednesday's Powerball jackpot soared to $1.5 billion as get-rich-quick mania seized America this week. But you don't need to wait for the drawing to know who'll score the royal payoff.

The biggest winner of the multistate numbers game is -- drumroll, please -- Uncle Sam.