Historic Mega Millions sends people to lottery ticket counters

LELAND, NC (WWAY) — Even if you did not win, you can still say you were a part of lottery history.

The jackpot sitting at $1.6 billion. The largest it has ever been for either Mega Millions and Powerball. We caught up with some lottery players that were feeling pretty lucky today.

“This is the winning ticket,” said Robert Stout.

Most came in confident to the BP in Magnolia Greens.

“I just started today and I actually “won” a scratch off,” said Easton Figueroa who then went and spent upwards to $30 on Mega Millions.

Others  we talked to were not feeling the current jackpot.

“I’ll wait until it gets smaller about 35 million I’ll be alright. That’s too much money,” said one customer who settled for his routine Cash 3 drawings.

$1.6 billion to be exact and if you choose the lump prize you could bring home 904 million in cash. This jackpot dwarfs the previous Mega Millions top prize when back in 2012 it crested at $656 million.

“It’s fun, it’s exciting you just don’t know. Keep your fingers crossed,” said Amanda Doyle.

The chances of winning a jackpot is 1 in 302 million. You’re more likely to become president, to hit a hole in one, or be killed by a vending machine.

It’s a chance people are willing to take. A lot of them planning to do more than splurge with their potential winnings.

“A lot of it to my parents,” said Figueroa. “They’ve helped me out a lot over the years so just helping out with them and whatever is left over have fun with.”

“I just want to give back to the community, I want to do something that will help people.” Stout said.

“I want to do kind of like a little community for homeless veterans with tiny homes so build a little community for them,” said Doyle.