If people seemed overwhelmed by lottery fever this week, it's for good reason.
The estimated $262 million jackpot in the Mega Millions game reached the fourth-largest total in Georgia's history.
"We've sold quite a few (tickets)," said Donna King, the shift leader at the BP station at the corner of Shurling Drive and Gray Highway in Macon. "We usually do good on the Mega Millions. People won't start playing 'til it gets to a certain amount."
That was the case for Faye Coley of Macon, who purchased a ticket Thursday afternoon.
"I just buy it when it gets big like this," said Coley, who doesn't play specific numbers. "When it gets to 20-something (million), when it gets up big, that's when most people want to buy one."
The Mega Millions game also is played in California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
The largest lottery prize in both Georgia and U.S. history was the $363 million jackpot for the Big Game in 2000. Georgia switched from the Big Game to Mega Millions in May 2002.
The largest Mega Millions prize total was $294 million earlier this year. But given the rate tickets were still being snapped up, it's conceivable that the current Mega Millions jackpot could surpass it if it rolls over again.
The largest pot won by a Georgian was by Stephen Moore of Fitzgerald, who won the Mega Millions prize of $150 million in 2003. Moore opted for the cash payment, so he took home about $86 million. The last Georgian to win the Mega Millions game was Margaret Jones of Washington, who won $130 million in January.
J.R. Fogarty doesn't play the lottery very often, but he picked up a ticket Thursday afternoon.
"I'm not a regular customer," he said. "I don't worry about the amount. Whenever I happen to be here, I might get a ticket. I know the lottery needs the money, so I made a donation."
According to J.B. Landroche, vice president of corporate affairs for the Georgia Lottery, the state sold more than 500,000 Mega Millions tickets Thursday and more than a million for the week.
"The sales tend to pick up on the day of the drawing itself," he said. "There's still a chance to take a chance and spend $1."
The current $262 million jackpot has been growing since Sept. 16 and has rolled over 15 times.
The most Coley has ever won from the lottery is $100 from a scratch-off ticket. She wouldn't mind getting more tonight from her quick-pick ticket in the Mega Millions.
"I hope this is the winning ticket," she said with a grin.
"I'm not a regular customer," he said. "I don't worry about the amount. Whenever I happen to be here, I might get a ticket. I know the lottery needs the money, so I made a donation."
He knows the lottery needs a donation. LOL!
No sleep this week for the PR people. Gonna be like the rabbit in Alice!
I will gladly be the Georgia record holder if I can hit it Tuesday night !!!
As always I'm Destinedtowin(perhaps on tuesday).
Good luck everyone....
When I purchase and the jackpog is big, that is the night the winner(s) is selected. I NEVER spend more than $10.00. Once I spent $20.00 and got so mad that I did not even get that back, I vowed to never do it again. The big ones are dreams, got dream sometime and cheer up. Yeah, cheer up for the next big winner. I think this one will be won the day afterThanksgiving.
Its all over. CNN talked about it. Now the world knows.
how long do we wait for the jackpot to hit $500 million
how long do we wait for the jackpot to hit $500 million
In my crystal ball it says, 7.35 years...actually I have no idea, but I have a feeling it won't reach that number anytime soon. =)
how long do we wait for the jackpot to hit $500 million
In my crystal ball it says, 7.35 years...actually I have no idea, but I have a feeling it won't reach that number anytime soon. =)
As soon as the greed level becomes complacent with the $400M level. Right now the greed level is at $300M. So it has a ways to go.