Do you feel lucky? Well, do you?
Put on your best Clint Eastwood scowl and buy a ticket for the Powerball lottery, whose jackpot is expected to reach a staggering $320 million (with a cash payout of $198.3 million).
"That's a lot of money, but it's not the biggest Powerball winner we've had in Michigan," Lottery Public Relations Director Andi Brancato said. "In 2012, a man from Lapeer won $337 million while another person from the Upper Peninsula won $19 million in the Mega Millions lottery."
No one won the Powerball drawing Wednesday night, which means the jackpot rolls over for Saturday night's drawing. The expected $320 million pot is the sixth highest in history, Iowa Lottery spokeswoman Mary Neubauer said.
According to Brancato, ticket sales for the Powerball — which involves 42 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the American Virgin Islands — really takes off once the jackpot hits the $300 million range.
"When we get to that stage, we see activity from people who aren't regular lottery players," Brancato said. "This is when the sales grow exponentially, which continues to fuel the jackpot."
But one store owner says he sees an uptick in sales as soon as the jackpot hits $200 million.
"Every time the jackpot is that high you see more traffic," said Raymond Gulla, owner of Telegraph Liquor Store in Taylor.
"Sales are up about 25 percent," he said.
And although customers initially are drawn to stores by an enticing jackpot, some end up stocking up on other items as well.
"Sometimes they'll also play a scratch-off (lottery ticket), because … it's an impulse buy," said Roger Hanna, manager of Kenny's Wine Shop in Madison Heights. The Powerball jackpot "also increases business on other items, like cigarettes."
But at Gulla's shop in Taylor, one out-of-town couple remained focused on the big numbers.
"I've seen a couple today from Canada," he said. "They just played the (Powerball) lottery."
But, not all local businesses are experiencing higher lottery sales.
"Ninety percent of our customers are students," said Karim Matti, owner of Marcus Market near the university's midtown Detroit campus. "They don't like to play the numbers too much."
Andy Iqbal, owner of Walter's Smoke and Convenience Shop in downtown Detroit, said he had a dozen Powerball ticket purchases early Thursday and during lunch hour. Things slowed down for the shop on Lafayette in the afternoon.
"(Thursday) is the next day and they're already starting to get tickets (for Saturday's drawing,)" he said. "You see a lot more lottery clubs. There are better chances of winning."
The largest Powerball jackpot ever was won in November by two players — one in Missouri and one in Arizona — who split $587.3 million. The largest Mega Millions jackpot of $656 million was won in March by three people in Maryland, Illinois and Kansas.
So what can you buy with $320 million?
Everything at Costco.
A pizza and two hot dogs at Comerica Park.
Every reality show on TV so you can cancel them.
Your own drive-through lane at the credit union.
Ohio.
(313) 222-2023
Detroit News Staff Writer Candice Williams contributed
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