“Everybody’s excited for the bigger jackpots,” said Michael Sliger, manager of Bee Gee’s Minit Market on Bigger Road in Kettering.
As of Thursday afternoon, the Mega Millions jackpot for tonight’s 11 p.m. drawing was estimated at $510 million — up from $490 million earlier in the day — with a cash payout of $377.4 million, its website stated.
Powerball’s top prize for Saturday night’s lottery was at about $470 million with a cash option of $362.7 million.
“After such a rough 2020, everybody’s hoping to have a win and start the new year off right,” Sliger said. “And they’re excited to see the jackpot climbing up to where it’s big.”
Ticket sales in recent days at Hall’s Carryout on Kemp Road in Beavercreek have “been very busy in the Mega Millions and Powerball sales,” Owner Pat Patel said.
“In the last few days we’ve already seen the sales increase,” he added. “I expect (Friday) is going to be a very busy day because … it’s a payday for a lot of people.”
At Ray’s Drive-Thru on Taylorsville Road in Huber Heights, ticket sales for those lotteries have “been nonstop,” said Philip Davis, a customer service representative.
“People who never get lottery tickets are talking about it,” Davis added. “Everybody is getting the lottery right now.”
Occasional lines for tickets have formed and Ray’s has floor markers in its lobby required for COVID-19 distancing guidelines, Davis said.
So “there hasn’t been a lot of congregating. But once there’s three or four people in here, there’s pretty much people at the door,” he added.
Both Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots have been growing since shortly after Labor Day. In fact, top winners for each were sold a day apart, according to usamega.com.
Mega Millions’ sold a jackpot winner of $119 million in Wisconsin on Sept. 15. Just shy of 24 hours later, Powerball announced a $94 million top winner was purchased in New York, according to the website.
Jackpot-winning droughts are “not that unexpected,” Sliger said. “That probably happens about once a year or so — something like that.
“It will go for a few months and build up and then get hit with a big jackpot,” he added. “And then it will get hit with smaller ones and then it kind of builds up again.”
LAST JACKPOT WINNERS
•Powerball: Sept. 16, 2020. One $94 million jackpot winner from New York.
•Mega Millions: Sept. 15, 2020. One $119 million jackpot winner from Wisconsin.
SOURCE: usamega.com
About the Author
