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Powerball drawing brings in business for area stores
YOUNGSTOWN
The lucky winner of Wednesday night’s Powerball jackpot — if there is one — will take home one of the largest prizes in lottery history: more than $500 million.
The jackpot is the third-largest in Powerball history, and it is the fifth-largest jackpot for any multi-state game in the country.
Ahead of Wednesday night’s drawing, people across the Valley flooded area businesses for a chance to win.
“We’re busy. It’s been nonstop, and it’s just going to get worse tonight,” said Arlene Stephens, assistant manager at Country Fair in Boardman on Wednesday afternoon.
Employees at the convenience store said dozens of customers have been coming in every day for the past several days. One person alone came in and played $76 worth of numbers, they said.
Dennis McCallister of Boardman, who stopped by Country Fair to play $10, said he plays the lottery only when the jackpot gets high.
Another player, Willie McCallister of Salem, said he bought tickets at various stores throughout the week.
The steady ticket sales resulted in a jump Wednesday from a $485 million jackpot to more than $500 million.
In Ohio, Powerball tickets drew $6.4 million in sales between Sunday and Wednesday afternoon.
A spokesperson for the Ohio Lottery said that number would increase quite a bit Wednesday evening after people got off work.
Wednesday night’s winner has the option of collecting the prize either in a lump-sum payment of $337.8 million, or in 30 annuity payments that start out at $8.6 million the first year and increase to $26.8 million the final year.
Brian Morris of Youngstown said if he wins, he would go for the lump-sum payment.
“I don’t care — I could deal with $300 million,” he said with a laugh.
As for what he would do with his winnings, Morris said he would not share.
“If I hit it, it’s for me and my wife, no one else!” he said.
The highest Powerball jackpot, hit in May 2013, was nearly $591 million.
This jackpot series started at the beginning of December.
Forty-four states participate in Powerball, which has drawings every Wednesday and Saturday.
The odds of hitting the jackpot are 1 in 175 million. Powerball has eight other prizes besides the jackpot.