Coming Up Sevens

In the movie "The Mask," Jim Carrey says, "I'm feelin' lucky!"

If you are, odds are you're feeling good about Saturday. Considering that the triple 7s on the calendar won't occur for another 1,000 years, gamblers in Las Vegas are hoping to cash in on this once-in-a-lifetime event.

"What is so special about the number seven?" CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric asks.

"Seven has always been associated with things that are spiritual, mystical and related to nature," says numerologist Lloyd Strayhorn. "It is a perfect day for change."

Strayhorn says no matter what corner of the world, from cultural to religious symbolism, seven is a sacred number. There are seven days of the week, seven colors in the rainbow, seven wonders of the world.

Some people consider it the perfect storm to set their wedding date.

"I feel lucky," says Cheryl Kahn Brocco, the catering director for Bridgewaters. "I feel lucky to be part of the lucky day."

She is getting ready for a couple who are making the date part of the décor.

"People were giving us calls, saying, 'Are you available? What's available 7/7?'" Kahn Brocco says. "And we were already booked a year and a half in advance."

According to TheKnot.com, a wedding planning Web site, 38,000 couples are tying the knot — triple the number that usually take place on a Saturday in July.

If you have to get to a wedding but hate to fly — maybe tomorrow's the day to do it ... that is if you're booked on a Boeing 777.

Even the New York State Lotto has run out of its triple 7 combination.

"The Karma is here, the 7s are in. We in honey, we're in!" one ticket buyer says.

The triple 7 combination reached its $5 million wager ceiling, and the state won't sell that combo for Saturday's drawing.

But there's no ceiling in Vegas. Gamblers are flooding into Sin City.

"We will be gambling; in case it's lucky, we'll be there" says one bettor.

So after the excitement of this is over, should we look forward to Aug. 8, 2008?

"Yes," Strayhorn says. "Numerically, eight represents power, money, authority, achievement, recognition, and it's also a property number, too."

"We're open for next year, 8/8/08, and we're hoping to be very aware of that date now," Kahn Brocco says.

Couples, start making your plans now.