South Jersey residents load up on Powerball tickets for $1 billion jackpot
BELLMAWR, N.J. (CBS) -- Monday's Powerball jackpot has soared to an estimated $1 billion after no one won the grand prize Saturday night.
Many made sure to stop on their way home from work to pick up a ticket, including at a 7-Eleven in Bellmawr, New Jersey.
"Every once in a while, I get this gut feeling to go play. Why not? You have that chance," customer Victor Abrams said.
"It's like a once-in-a-lifetime dream for anybody who wins — you couldn't spend that much money in your lifetime," Jennifer Ollek, of Mount Ephraim, said.
While many know the odds are stacked against them, they also say it's hard not to imagine how you'd spend all that cash.
"I wouldn't work anymore, that's for sure," Albert Sica, of Bellmawr, said.
Bruce Stefan, from Bellmawr, says he'd "probably buy a vacation home up on Lake George — I love it up there."
Glenn Johnson plays every week.
"You have to speak it into existence — that's what I was taught — when I win," Johnson said.
Johnson said it's the fun of being in the game that keeps him coming back. As for the prize, he said that would be really nice. But with his family listening to our interview on the phone, he knows he's already won big.
"Every day I'm lucky. You hear all that noise in the background? That's my little lady," Johnson said. "All the time — blessed, truly blessed."