Record Jackpot Has People Buying Up Powerball Tickets
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A record jackpot has a lot of people buying Powerball tickets, and officials raised the jackpot to $500 million on Tuesday.
At Smithfield News in Downtown Pittsburgh, a steady group of customers bought $2 Powerball tickets on Monday.
"I got the winning ticket right here, $425 million," said one customer.
As of Sunday, Pennsylvanians had spent $58 million on Powerball.
That means $17 million for senior citizen programs. And that number could double before the winning ticket is drawn at 11 p.m. on Wednesday.
Powerball is a multi-state lottery run in 33 states, which means the winner can come from almost anywhere; and when Powerball doubled its ticket price to $2, the dollars in the jackpot skyrocketed to record levels.
Brian Weiss owns the Smithfield News and says such a jackpot is attracting new players.
"Everyone wants to take a shot at that $425 million," said Weiss. "People that normally wouldn't buy a ticket are coming in to take a chance, even though they're $2 now, not a dollar. But they're still coming in to take a chance, and hit that $425 million jackpot."
And it gives everyone a chance to dream of what they'd do with that money.
"If I win I'm going to buy me a house for my grandkids," said one person.
"Take care of the family, donate some money," added another.
"Buy a mansion, a couple Ferraris, Bentleys," said another person buying tickets.
So, what are your odds of becoming a multi-millionaire on Wednesday?
Try one in 175,223,510 - not exactly great odds.
But still for players...
"They have that hope and that dream and what would they do with all that money, and it's a good feeling," said Weiss.
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