Mega Millions sales hot for $330M prize

Friday, August 31, 2007 6:04 PM CDT

By Daniella Flores
Associated Press

WEST WINDSOR, N.J. -- Two big numbers: $330 million, nearly 1-in-176 million. You can guess which one people were thinking about as they waited in line for Mega Millions tickets.

Friday's drawing in the multistate lottery was expected to offer one of the largest jackpots in its history, and players were lining up at retailers for a chance to win despite the long odds.

Campark Liquors general manager Karie Gandy said that "lines have been unbelievable" at the Woodbine, N.J., store, which sold one of the two winning tickets for the record $390 million Mega Millions jackpot in March.

"We've had people calling us from out of state wanting to send us money so we can mail them tickets," she said. "Obviously we haven't because we're not allowed to do that."

In Buffalo, N.Y., a Wilson Farms convenience store had a steady line of eight to 10 people waiting to buy tickets.

"People are buying $100 worth at a time, for themselves, for offices. They're flying," said cashier Ashley Woloszyn.

The 19-year-old said she'd probably keep working even if she won $330 million.

"You need to see a shrink," chimed in customer Jim Dole, who bought $20 in tickets.

The mega-jackpot was paying off for Savannah retailers near Georgia's border with South Carolina, which isn't among the 12 states where Mega Millions tickets are sold.

Peggy Davis, a manager at Brown's Chevron in downtown Savannah, said the store had sold more than $1,000 in Mega Millions tickets by noon Friday.

"That's about two or three times what we'd normally sell by that time of the day," said Davis, who expected heavier sales once people left work.

If estimates of the jackpot hold true, it would be the fourth-largest in the lottery's history. It was known as The Big Game when it awarded jackpots of $363 million in 2000 and $331 million in 2002.

Mega Millions tickets are sold in California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas, Virginia and Washington state.