Powerball mania has pushed tonight’s jackpot to a job-quitting, island-buying $600 million — the third largest in Lottery history — leaving would-be millionaires racing to corner stores.
“It’s practically nonstop,” said Brandon Laporte, who works at the Howe Street Superette in Methuen. “We have lines going all around the store.”
The state Lottery expects to sell $24,000 in Powerball tickets a minute in the peak hours before tonight’s drawing. The $2 tickets can be bought until 9:45 tonight, and the potential winning numbers will be picked at 10:59.
Hani El-Shurafa, owner of the Tedeschi’s on Neponset Avenue in Dorchester, said people were lining up at 5 in the morning to buy tickets, and one man bought $1,000 worth.
The second most popular place to buy a Powerball ticket in the state, the store saw a constant stream of people hoping for some good luck yesterday, surrounded by reminders that the very same store sold a $32 million Mega Millions ticket in 2011.
Decked out in green, Earl Jacob, a police officer from East Boston, was hoping his lucky color would pay off.
“The Celtics didn’t win, but hopefully the shamrock will give me some luck,” he said. And, like most, Jacob has big plans if he happens to win.
“I’d take 10 of my friends, tell them to meet me at the airport, and we’ll charter a flight” to Dubai, he said.
Despite the fact that they are nearly 300 times more likely to be struck by lightning than win the jackpot, people were hopeful they would be the lucky ones.
“Do I have a shot? No, but you got to pay to play,” said Tom Keady, a post office worker who was buying tickets at the Tedeschi’s yesterday.
The jackpot, which broke the previous record of $587 million set in November, is the result of 13 drawings in a row without a winner, according to state Lottery spokeswoman Beth Bresnahan. Sales have also rocketed up since California joined the game in April, Bresnahan said.
“Players who typically don’t play the lottery will come out the woodwork,” she said.
The jackpot is an estimated amount based on sales projections until the next drawing, but it has already been revised twice since the last drawing on Wednesday because sales have been higher than expected.
“It’s practically nonstop,” said Brandon Laporte, who works at the Howe Street Superette in Methuen. “We have lines going all around the store.”
The state Lottery expects to sell $24,000 in Powerball tickets a minute in the peak hours before tonight’s drawing. The $2 tickets can be bought until 9:45 tonight, and the potential winning numbers will be picked at 10:59.
Hani El-Shurafa, owner of the Tedeschi’s on Neponset Avenue in Dorchester, said people were lining up at 5 in the morning to buy tickets, and one man bought $1,000 worth.
The second most popular place to buy a Powerball ticket in the state, the store saw a constant stream of people hoping for some good luck yesterday, surrounded by reminders that the very same store sold a $32 million Mega Millions ticket in 2011.
Decked out in green, Earl Jacob, a police officer from East Boston, was hoping his lucky color would pay off.
“The Celtics didn’t win, but hopefully the shamrock will give me some luck,” he said. And, like most, Jacob has big plans if he happens to win.
“I’d take 10 of my friends, tell them to meet me at the airport, and we’ll charter a flight” to Dubai, he said.
Despite the fact that they are nearly 300 times more likely to be struck by lightning than win the jackpot, people were hopeful they would be the lucky ones.
“Do I have a shot? No, but you got to pay to play,” said Tom Keady, a post office worker who was buying tickets at the Tedeschi’s yesterday.
The jackpot, which broke the previous record of $587 million set in November, is the result of 13 drawings in a row without a winner, according to state Lottery spokeswoman Beth Bresnahan. Sales have also rocketed up since California joined the game in April, Bresnahan said.
“Players who typically don’t play the lottery will come out the woodwork,” she said.
The jackpot is an estimated amount based on sales projections until the next drawing, but it has already been revised twice since the last drawing on Wednesday because sales have been higher than expected.