Do you feel lucky? Lottery fever breaks out as Mega Millions jackpot hits $970 million
All you need is $2 and a willing suspension of disbelief.
If you are one of the gazillion people buying a California Lottery Mega Millions ticket before Friday, Oct. 19 at 7:45 p.m., you have a 1 in 303 million chance of winning the $970 million jackpot … or about the same odds as the Lakers had of winning the NBA championship before they got LeBron James.
For your chance at a consolation prize, you could play Powerball on Saturday. Your odds of winning are much better – 1 in 293 million. The Powerball jackpot is only $430 million.
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So wear your lucky underwear. Rub your lucky rabbit’s foot (why are severed rabbit’s feet lucky?). Find a four-leaf clover. Because if you win, you can choose between taking the prize money in one lump sum, or in annual payments for 30 years. In the case of the Mega Millions, that would be $32.33 million until 2048.
And if you’re really into maximizing your chances, you might want to buy your lottery ticket at Allan’s Market in Port Hueneme, where six winning tickets have been purchased. Or you could go to Blue Bird Liquor in Hawthorne, where lottery winners have bought their tickets four times. A 7-Eleven in Chino Hills only has sold one ticket that took a top prize, but that one in 2016 was worth $1.6 billion, the largest jackpot in American lottery history.
Samanaz Kapadia of Hawthorne didn’t know she was so close to one of the luckiest stores.
“I had no idea,” she said. “I’m not typically lucky, but I’ve had some good luck lately.”
Thursday afternoon, she sent her mother to buy lottery tickets at Blue Bird. The line for tickets was long, with a second shorter line for people who were actually buying store merchandise.
Kapadia was already dreaming about winning.
“My life wouldn’t change significantly from what it is now,” Kapadia said. “I’d pay off mine and my parents’ mortgages … and cars … and I would travel way more. But I wouldn’t quit my job or buy something extravagant.”
If she wins, don’t expect a public reaction.
“I wouldn’t want people to know I won the lotto,” she said. “I’m sure I’m not the only one.”
The California lottery rulebook says if you win, your name is public. Of course, you would have enough money to pay for the therapy and security to deal with it.
Kelly Lutz of Riverside said if she wins, she’s got plans for the money and a travel destination in mind.
“I would give to my church, my grandson’s school and go to Ireland,” she said.
The Mega Millions contest is national, so Mary Ellen Walsh bought her tickets at the ShopRite in Syosset, New York. She said she’s generally a lucky person and always gets the parking spot she’s looking for.
“I bought 10 tickets,” Walsh said. “I need to pay off my mortgage, get all three kids through college and buy a house on the water, not in hurricane territory.”
Jeane Blunt joined an office pool. She’s feeling lucky.
“We’re in Oakland and the last winners were a group of co-workers in San Francisco,” Blunt said. “We’re hoping lightning strikes the Bay Area twice! I don’t know what I’d do with the money. Probably put all my friends’ kids through college, go on an international vacation twice a year and donate the rest. I’d keep working, I really enjoy my job.”
Jamie Stephens Thiel of Spokane, Washington, said she rarely buys lottery tickets. But this time, she couldn’t resist.
“Here’s how I’ve always looked at it: Someone will win, why not me?” Thiel said.
Social media was full of lottery-inspired memes and jokes on Thursday. Photos showed lines around the block outside liquor stores.
One poster said he played the lottery and “hit the jacksquat.” One poster said they would buy Twitter with their winnings. Another poster pledged to give everyone $1 if he won. (If he meant Americans, he would still have about $600 million left over).
Another post showed a photo of celebrity psychologist Dr. Drew buying a ticket. He pledged to keep his job if he won.
A website called valuepenguin.com said that lotteries that cross the $550 million threshold become 294 percent more popular. How would you even check that math? The website said the most lottery winners live in New Jersey.