Off topic but am curious and hopefully some of the smart people here can enlighten me.

Stock options.. Is this the same sort of thing?

A friend of mine keeps telling me his options will be worth millions, and I should join them. I'll be retired in 5 years, etc.

Or is it this ratio I see mentioned where its really 20:1 odds on such a thing?

I find it all a bit confusing, and frankly I'm good at computers and not business.