March 25 (UPI) — Dreams of becoming rich overnight is driving up ticket sales, as Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots combine this week to a total of nearly $2 billion.
Monday’s Powerball drawing is worth $800 million, with a cash value exceeding $384 million. Tuesday’s Mega Millions jackpot has soared to $1.1 billion, with a cash option of $525.8 million.
Joan Hickey bought her lottery tickets this week at a convenience store in Cheshire, Conn., saying she doesn’t usually play but does make exceptions for extra large jackpots.
“Only when the money gets higher,” Hickey said. “I could buy anything and go anywhere.”
Another customer said she would go on a cruise, if she wins.
“Hoping that I win. I certainly need it,” said Jackie Hurlburt of Cheshire. “It’s astronomical.”
Monday’s large Powerball drawing is scheduled for 11:12 p.m. EST Monday, after no one won the jackpot on Saturday. Tickets cost $2 per play, and are sold in 45 states, in addition to the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
While Tuesday’s Mega Millions jackpot now exceeds $1 billion, at $1.1 billion it is still only the fifth largest. The largest Mega Millions prize of $1.602 billion went to one winning ticket in Florida last August.
Regardless who wins, Connecticut Lottery President Gregory Smith has some advice for the winning ticket holder.
“Sign it, do something so that you can’t lose it, or somebody can take it from you,” Smith said. “Secondly, get some financial assistance because these are large amounts of money that most of us are not used to dealing with.”