Lottery Machines Busy As People Buy Powerball Tickets Ahead Of Big Jackpot
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Lottery machines across the county are in overdrive as a chance at a $700-million jackpot is at stake in Wednesday night's drawing - the second largest in U.S. history.
CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli is at a 7-11 in Chicago's Loop, where people are hoping luck is with them.
The people are hoping they can beat the one in 292-million odds and instantly joins the ranks of America's richest.
"I've got the ticket, not you," said one 7-11 guest feeling lucky.
And she is not the only one feeling lucky on Wednesday morning as ticket sales continue to churn in at the 7-11 and convenience stores all across Chicagoland.
To win, one will have to pick six of the 69 balls in the Powerball tumbler, including the Powerball number. If it happens Wednesday night, it will be the first time since mid-June. If that does not happen, well then the media hype machine will churn up a bit and the jackpot could grow even larger thanks to all the jackpot chasers or casual lottery players who only plunk down their cash for huge potential purses.
This specific jackpot has been growing since June.
But if no one wins Wednesday night, some experts say the $1.6 billion record jackpot is likely to fall.
Still most people buying on Wednesday are sounding pretty confident.
"I'm feeling great, like I am going to with the Powerball and then I am going to share will all my coworkers, all my family and people that don't have anything," said Barbara Cheeks, Powerball player. "I'm just going to be giving out money, just letting it go.
"I hope I win too, then it'd going to be raining money."
What do other people plan to do with the money if they win? WBBM's Nancy Harty found out...
The record for the largest U.S. jackpot is $1.6 billion from a Powerball drawing last January. Two others have topped $600 million - a Mega Millions drawing from March 2012 and another Mega Millions drawing from December 2013.