CBS4 News Takes Center Stage
Jan 5, 2009 12:14 am US/Eastern
Powerball Takes Off In South Florida
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) ―
Cash registers in South Florida were humming Sunday as vendors started selling tickets for the new Powerball game of the Florida lottery.
The estimated jackpot will be $105 million when the numbers are drawn on Wednesday. But don't buy the yacht just yet - your chances of winning are one in 195 million!
Still, long-time players like Linda McClain of Fort Lauderdale are willing to take that chance.
"I wouldn't know what to do with all that money. And I don't have everything I want but I have everything I need," she told CBS 4 News Reporter Joan Murray.
McClain buys her tickets at a store on Southeast 17 Street in Fort Lauderdale, where Manager Randy Thomas says he hasn't seen this much interest in a new lottery game in years.
"Customers have been asking me, 'When is it gonna start?' and it started today. People are interested because the payoff is bigger," he described.
Some researchers fear the sour economy will keep players away. That will affect education revenue, since lottery proceeds help fund scholarships and schools.
But vendors like Randy Thomas think there will be a lot of people lining up before Wednesday, because everyone wants a shot at becoming an instant millionaire.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Take Your Child To Work Day At CBS4
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
