BALA CYNWYD, Pa. (WPVI) — With a Powerball Jackpot that’s grown to $1.8 billion, people in the Philadelphia area are calling on Lady Luck to be in their favor.
A steady stream of people came to the Acme grocery store on City Avenue in Bala Cynwyd to buy their tickets on Friday.
When asked if he was holding the winning ticket, Michael Hu of University City smiled and replied: “It better be! (I’ve been) waiting all my life.”
Some customers chose to buy their tickets from the cashier. Others trusted the machine to pick a winner.
Brenda Verner of Bala Cynwyd was among those who got their numbers from the machine. She bought 16 tickets.
“It just feels like wouldn’t it be nice (to win),” she said, “but we’ll see.”
The $1.8 billion Powerball Jackpot has a cash value of $826.4 million. It’s the second biggest jackpot in lottery history.
“I only (bought a ticket) because it’s in the billions right now,” said Angela Jones of Overbrook. “It’s like wow! That’s like amazing right? Everybody should win!”
Still, some weren’t convinced that the gamble is worth spending $2.
“I just don’t play. I’m sorry,” said Shawana Freeman of West Oak Lane.
Others were not only taking a chance and buying a ticket, they were already making plans for what they’d do with all that money.
“Oh my God. It’s so many things,” said Jerry Flucker, who’s visiting Philadelphia from Pensacola, Florida. “I’ll take the whole family on a trip.”
The Acme on City Avenue might be their lucky charm. On Monday, the store sold a ticket that was worth $1 million. It’s enough to make the once-skeptical think twice. Just five minutes after saying she wasn’t interested in buying a ticket, Freeman handed over her $2 to take a chance.
“It was peer pressure,” she said with a big smile.
“Probably FOMO (fear of missing out),” laughed Michael Hu of University City when asked why he bought a ticket. “With a jackpot this big, I feel I should at least try.”
Statistically, you’re more likely to get hit by a piece of space debris than to hit the jackpot. But if you’re feeling lucky, the winning Powerball numbers will be drawn Saturday night.
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