Bainbridge buying up lottery tickets for record-high $1.6 billion jackpot
Published 4:34 pm Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Mega Millions has risen to a record-setting jackpot of $1.6 billion and local stores are reaping the benefits.
Customers have been flocking to buy the tickets ever since no ticket matched all six numbers in last Friday’s drawing.
Mitesh from Stop N’ Shop said that last Friday was crazy and he cannot even imagine what Tuesday night will bring. Mitesh said Friday afternoon after employees got off work he sold approximately $3,000 worth of Mega Millions tickets in just one day.
Tuesday at lunch, Mitesh had already sold $400 worth, but that was only a dent to what he sold Monday night. He reported selling almost $700 worth of tickets. He said most buyers are doing quickpick, but some come in with their numbers already filled out.
Circle K cashier, Wiliam Crumby echoed Mitesh’s statements, saying in Tuesday’s first shift they sold $630 worth of Mega Millions tickets and over $2,000 worth the day before.
Mitesh and Crumby both can’t imagine what would happen at their stores if the winning ticket came from there.
“We would be so happy, it would be such a busy store,” Mitesh said. “It would be the biggest jackpot in history.”
Crumby said they would definitely be happy as well, but more so shocked.
“It would bring in more people then we’ve ever had before,” he said.
The store owners wouldn’t be the only happy ones; the buyer wouldn’t know what to do.
Avis Rambeau could be seen buying her ticket Tuesday at Woodall’s.
Cashier, Leila Johns said about nine out of 10 people who are playing the lottery are buying Mega Millions tickets.
Rambeau said if she won the lottery she would first retire early.
“I would support my baby first and put it towards his future education,” Rambeau said.
Her son, Calvin, 4, would buy gummy worms with his mom’s new money he said.
After supporting her son, she said she would buy a new house for herself and her mom.
Jeffery Robertson has purchased two Mega Millions tickets and he said he would also give some to his mom.
“I probably wouldn’t want to spend any on myself right at first,” he said. “I would donate it to charities I support and invest it as well.”
Clay Horton plans to give money to people who need it as well, he said. Horton has bought 10 tickets and before anything else, he would pay his bills and take a vacation, where he wouldn’t have to lift a finger.
The Washington Post reported there are 302,575,350 possible number combinations, which makes the odds nearly impossible, but both stores and individuals alike are hoping to be that one in a million.