$363M Mega Millions Jackpot Has People Dreaming
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The jackpot for the Mega Millions lottery drawing Tuesday night has swelled to $363 million, and that has a lot of people dreaming.
As WBBM Newsradio's Regine Schlesinger reports, one man buying tickets at a downtown convenience store did not hesitate to say he was "trying to be a millionaire." Another woman says she has been buying tickets since the jackpot became really big.
"Once last week, once a week, but then when I saw it's really high, I'm coming in to get additional tickets," the woman said. "I'm going to take my family for a whole year vacation."
Illinois Lottery director Michael Jones points out that the Mega Millions jackpot coincides with the online sale of lottery tickets in Illinois, which began Sunday.
"It might have been less nerve-wracking if it had started at a lower prize, but here we are, and we're selling tickets at a fairly decent clip," he said.
This is the third biggest jackpot in Mega Millions history. It translates into $259 million if taken as a lump sum, and $181 million after taxes.
LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Regine Schlesinger reports
