Debbie Baker will visit her regular East Boston hangout, Lanzilli’s Groceria, Wednesday, but not to play her typical Keno or Mass Cash. Instead she will take a crack at the record $500 million Powerball jackpot.
“I just play it when it’s large. I do it for fun,” said the 60-year-old retired construction worker. “One ticket. $2. Quick pick. If it’s meant to be, it will be.”
Baker will have plenty of company at the counter. In anticipation of Wednesday night’s jackpot drawing — the largest in the game’s 20-year history — scores of Massachusetts residents are expected to purchase last-minute tickets to get in on the action. The odds of winning are about 175 million to 1.
State lottery officials anticipate selling $20,000 to $22,000 in tickets per minute between the peak hours of 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Wednesday, said Beth Bresnahan, spokeswoman for the Massachusetts State Lottery.
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Massachusetts ranks seventh in Powerball sales out of 41 participating states plus Washington, D.C., and the US Virgin Islands, she said. As more tickets are sold, the jackpot will increase, and the closer it gets to the drawing, the busier stores are likely to get.
The state’s 7,400 lottery retailers will cut off Powerball ticket sales at 9:45 p.m. Wednesday to prepare for the 10:59 p.m. drawing.
“That buzz, that frenzy, people think time is running out and people say, ‘I have to get my chance,’
“I just play it when it’s large. I do it for fun,” said the 60-year-old retired construction worker. “One ticket. $2. Quick pick. If it’s meant to be, it will be.”
Baker will have plenty of company at the counter. In anticipation of Wednesday night’s jackpot drawing — the largest in the game’s 20-year history — scores of Massachusetts residents are expected to purchase last-minute tickets to get in on the action. The odds of winning are about 175 million to 1.
State lottery officials anticipate selling $20,000 to $22,000 in tickets per minute between the peak hours of 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Wednesday, said Beth Bresnahan, spokeswoman for the Massachusetts State Lottery.
Continue reading below
Massachusetts ranks seventh in Powerball sales out of 41 participating states plus Washington, D.C., and the US Virgin Islands, she said. As more tickets are sold, the jackpot will increase, and the closer it gets to the drawing, the busier stores are likely to get.
The state’s 7,400 lottery retailers will cut off Powerball ticket sales at 9:45 p.m. Wednesday to prepare for the 10:59 p.m. drawing.
“That buzz, that frenzy, people think time is running out and people say, ‘I have to get my chance,’