The Powerball jackpot is now up to $900 million and will rise to $1.3 billion if no one wins on Saturday. With ticket sales ending at 7 p.m. lines are forming around the county to buy last minute tickets.
Lottery officials said more than $400 million in tickets will be sold on Saturday alone, and 75% of all possible combinations will be bought before drawing meaning there will likely be a winner Saturday night.
The lure, however unrealistic, of becoming an instant millionaire for many is too good to pass up.
"I just wanna chance, what's the worst that could happen?” local Powerball player Keith Journiette told NBC 7. “I don't wake up rich in the morning? I just gotta take a chance, you can't win if you don't play, so why not?"
Firas Gorou, manager of Krist Liquor on Linda Vista Road, said sales have doubled with so many people buying Powerball tickets.
“Since the last week we’ve been doing a lot of sales, a lot of people trying to buy a lotto ticket,” Gorou explained.
“I’m regularly not a Powerball player, but with the jackpot so high…why not try?” player Samson Khamphilanouvong said. “Anybody can win.”
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The current jackpot is the largest in US History. The drawing is scheduled for 10:59 p.m. Saturday.
