Risk your life for a shot at billions? Millennials answer with gallows humor

Feelin’ lucky?

This rather dark meme, which asks if you’d risk your life for a shot at lots of money, resurfaced to become a viral overnight hit on Reddit, a favorite internet outpost for the millennial generation.

The most prevalent responses, while clearly made in jest, reveal a deeper financial truth about what youngsters are grappling with in the current economy.

“Either I get out of debt, or I get out of debt” — PhatErgsAndYeezys. “There’s a 12.5% chance I don’t get out of debt, and that’s when I win 500k” — El Giganto. “Well, either I win a lot of cash, or suddenly it’s not my problem any more” — IronEagle92. “I’d spin it if the red area was $10 billion and the rest of it meant getting shot” — sailboat642.

You get the idea. Laughing through the tears.

According to an NBC News/GenForward survey, millennials are putting off major life milestones because they’re drowning in student loans and credit-card debt. In fact, a quarter of those between 18 and 34 years old are at least $30,000 in debt, including 11% who owe more than $100,000. Only 22% say they’re debt free.

It’s not like they’re saving much either. Three in 10 millennials have less than $1,000 in the bank and 24% have nothing at all.

No wonder this meme strikes a chord on Reddit.