LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Billion-dollar lotteries are becoming more common. The odds of winning tonight's $1.1 billion Mega Millions jackpot are about 1 in 300 million. But that's not stopping anyone at the Primm Lotto store from standing in the wet weather, hoping to hit the jackpot.
Rain and high winds coming from California did not slow down the line outside of the lotto store in Primm. The California lottery mega millions soared to $1.1 billion on Tuesday with no winner since Oct. 14th. For the winner, the cash option is $576.8 million.
Customers tell Channel 13 that winning was top of mind and even the weather couldn't stop them from playing.
"Rain, snow, any time of the day, you have to give it a chance,” said Quintarious Robinson.
"What are the chances of winning 300 and something million? You got to play to win. Win or lose, I'm going to be happy no matter what," said Orlando Maldonado.
"Just trying to get a lot of money and retire early," said Odis Pierson.
Tuesday's Mega Millions jackpot is the third jackpot to cross over the billion-dollar threshold in six months. While it's the third-largest prize in mega millions history, it is the fifth-largest in U.S. lottery in history.
Carolyn Becker with the California lottery says we're seeing higher jackpots more frequently because the federal government has raised interest rates, which enables them to increase the number of lottery payouts from higher u.s. treasury bond yields.
"It allows us to project even higher, so if the interest rates weren't as high as they were today for example, we would see the same lump sum value but the adversative estimated jackpot probably would be a billion. so that is really the reason for this recent phenomenon," said Becker.
California lottery says if no one hits all six numbers tonight, the next drawing on Friday is projected to jump to $1.35 billion.
