Ortonville-Six bucks. Three tickets.
‘That’s one ticket for each person in my family,? laughed Craig Burnett, an Atlas Township resident who stopped by Tom’s Market, 465 South St., Ortonville on Wednesday a few hours before the Powerball jackpot for the Jan. 13 drawing grew to a record $1.5 billion.
‘I used the Easy Pick and I only buy tickets when the jackpot is big enough’at least $350 million,? he said. ‘If I win, I’ll leave Michigan to someplace warmer.?
According to state lottery officials, the odds of winning the jackpot were 1 in 292.2 million.
While area residents did not wake up any richer on Thursday morning, the California Lottery reported one player picked the winning Powerball numbers in the record $1.59 billion jackpot, and would share the proceeds with other winners in Tenn. and Fla. In Michigan, five ticket holders matched five numbers, good for $1 million. One of those tickets was purchased from Beacon & Bridge Market, located at 820 North Saginaw St., Holly.
Despite the rather steep odds, Malik Kattula, owner of Tom’s Market, said Jan. 13 was one of the busiest days for lottery in the past two decades.
‘We had to have help come in just to run the lottery machine,? he said. ‘It really helps with business at the store, I’ve seen people come in here I’ve never seen before. Many spend a few dollars, others more than $100’easy pick seems to be most popular. We’ve also noticed that many people will buy a few tickets here then go to other locations to purchase tickets. They mix it up’anything to be lucky.?
On Wednesday, sales were steady all day with lines of 10 or more sometimes for Powerball at Bueche’s Food World in Groveland Township.
‘People tell me their hopes and dreams when they buy Powerball tickets,? said Jocelyn Witulski, a Bueche’s cashier. ‘They offer to take me on a world cruise or buy me a car if they win. I really don’t think they ever would’but it’s fun to think about it.?