I'm a Winner!!!!!

I received a sweepstakes mailing. It has a scratch-off panel, from which I uncovered a Royal Flush. This entitled me to the grand prize of a $5000 gift certificate. Being rather skeptical, I noted the tiny asterisk next to the prize description and looked at the fine print.

The prizes and odds are:
--$250 Racing Gift Certificate, Odds 1:121,398
--$500 Gift Certificate, Odds 1:121,398
--$5000 Gift Certificate, Odds 121,396:121,398
Look at that again. The odds of winning either $250 or $500 are almost nil. But the odds of winning $5000 are almost 100%. But it's not in cash, but rather a "gift certificate". And the "gift certificate" is really a coupon good only for a car at the car dealer sending this out, probably with the price jacked up to cover the $5000.

Further, they offer $3781.42 of "Down Payment Assistance". The cynic in me expects that "Down Payment Assistance" means that you are allowed to reduce the size of your down payment and borrow it instead.

I believe that if it's too good to be true, then it's probably not true. I'm not wasting any time going after my "prize", as it would be a booby prize instead. And I will keep this in mind the next time I'm in the market for a car.