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Billings area convenience stores see lotto ticket sales rise as jackpot hits historic mark

Posted at 7:05 PM, Oct 17, 2018
and last updated 2019-07-17 14:51:23-04

BILLINGS- What would you do with $900 million? That’s the question everyone in America is asking themselves right now.

That’s because the amount you could win in Mega Millions lottery keeps going up after no one won the drawing Tuesday night.

At some Billings convenience stores, clerks said lottery ticket sales are on the rise.

The next drawing is Friday, and it will be the largest jackpot in the game’s history and the second largest in the U.S. lottery jackpot history.

At McFiny’s 17th Street convenience store in Billings, there were plenty of people picking up a ticket or two.

Lloyd Mickelson purchased a few.

“They say that if buy one ticket it’s like buying no ticket but you know you always hope and pray you might hit the big one someday,” he said.

At this particular location, clerk Kayla Breshears said she’s sold probably 1,000 lottery tickets this week.

She usually sees an increase in lotto ticket sales when the drawing starts hitting a high amount of money.

Not only that, but Wednesday’s Powerball jackpot, stands at $345 million. Together, both lotteries are worth more than a cool billion dollars.

Breshears said she doesn’t participate in the lottery, but her job gives her perks if a customer wins. She said some of the patrons promise to share their winnings with her.

“They just tell me that we will both be retired or we will go on vacations that kind of stuff. I have one old guy, he’s promised me a Porsche,” she laughed.

The owners of McFiny’s convenience store believe their 17th street location is lucky.

Back in August, a woman won roughly $300,000 after purchasing a Montana lottery ticket.