Powerball players line up at lucky Wisconsin store ahead of drawing
FOND DU LAC, Wisc. -- People all over the United States are hoping Wednesday night's $700 million Powerball drawing will be their ticket to Easy Street. Some bet they can improve their odds by buying that ticket on Main Street.
South of Wisconsin's Lake Winnebago, the town of Fond du Lac -- meaning "bottom of the lake" in French -- is at the top of the list when it comes to luck.
It's a city on a winning streak -- and the secret is out.
"They supposedly have, like, a long history of winners," Jerome Simmons said.
Stores on Main Street, now dubbed the "Miracle Mile," have sold more than 14 winning tickets in the past 20 years that have claimed $300 million.
Ahead of Wednesday night's giant drawing, optimists have been lining up at Korneli's Ma and Pa's since 6 a.m., according to store owner Steve Korneli.
Korneli says they've sold more than 20,000 tickets since Sunday.
"It's a lot of dreams in this line," Korneli said. "It's great. It's Fond du Lac on the map, worldwide."
Since 1993, Korneli's has sold nearly a dozen winning Powerball tickets, as well as other jackpots -- all totaling more than $220 million. In 2006, it sold one Powerball winner worth $209 million, which was shared by 100 cheese factory workers.
It's hard to avoid Fond du Lac fever. And while the odds of winning are one in nearly 300 million, hope is priceless, and you can take that to the bank.