As jackpots rise, so do local lottery sales
Many test luck as Mega Millions, Powerball both in $500Mrange.
Dayton-area lottery ticket sales are rising as the Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots are both in the $500 million range.
Local ticket-selling businesses said Thursday buying has been brisk in hopes that both lotteries this weekend produce their first jackpot winners since late summer.
“Everybody’s excited for the bigger jackpots,” said Michael Sliger, manager of Bee-Gee’s Minit Market on Bigger Road in
Kettering.
As of Thursday afternoon, the Mega Millions jackpot for tonight’s 11 p.m. drawing was estimated at $510 million — up from $490 million earlier in the day — with a cash payout of $377.4 million,
its website stated.
Powerball’s top prize for Saturday night’s lottery was at about $470 million with a cash option of $362.7 million.
“After such a rough2020, everybody’s hoping to have a win and start thenewyear offright,” Sliger said. “And they’re excited to see the jackpot climbing up towhere it’s big.”
Ticket sales in recent days at Hall’s Carryout on KempRoad in Beavercreekhave “beenvery busy in theMegaMillions and Powerball sales,” Owner Pat Patel said.
“In the last few days we’ve already seen the sales increase,” he added. “I expect (Friday) is going to be a very busy day
because … it’s a payday for a lot of people.”
At Ray’s Drive-Thru on Taylorsville Road in Huber Heights, ticket sales for those lotteries have “been nonstop,” said Philip Davis, a customer service representative.
“Peoplewho never get lottery tickets are talking about it,” Davis added. “Everybody is getting the lottery right now.”
Occasional lines for tickets have formed and Ray’s has floormarkers in its lobby required for COVID-19 distancing guidelines, Davis said.
So “there hasn’t been a lot of congregating. But once there’s three or four people in here, there’s pretty much people at the door,” he added.
Both Mega Millions and
Powerball jackpots have been growing since shortly after Labor Day. In fact, top winners for each were sold a day apart, according to usamega.com.
Mega Millions sold a jackpot winner of $119 million in Wisconsin on Sept. 15. Just shy of 24 hours later, Powerball announced a $94 million top winner was purchased in New York, according to the website.
Jackpot-winning droughts are “not that unexpected,” Sliger said. “That probably happens about once a year or so — something like that.
“Itwill go for a fewmonths and build up and then get hit with a big jackpot,” he added. “And then it will get hit with smaller ones and then it kind of builds up again.”