Folks dream of how they would spend $500 million Mega Millions jackpot
A $500 million payout in the Texas lottery? Lubbock residents dream of how they’d spend it. (Originally published in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
The Mega Millions jackpot for Friday night is at an estimated $500 million, with an estimated cash value of $359.4 million, according to the Texas Lottery website.
With the price of fuel expected to soar even higher this summer, most Texans could use an extra $359.4 million.
To win, all you need to do is match six numbers.
Bob Chanda, owner of Hub Performing Arts School and a doctoral student at Texas Tech, said if he won the jackpot, he would use most of the money to expand his theater group.
"I'd buy my own theater complex and upgrade the school. It costs money," Chanda said, "so it'd be great to have that kind of money to play with."
Jaxson Fanta, a supermarket employee, said if he won the big prize, he'd have to take care of his family first - or there
might not be any money left for them.
"I've got parents that could use it. I've got grandparents that could use it, you know, cousins and family," Fanta said. "I'd probably try to deal with them first because if I start spending money on myself, I probably wouldn't stop, with that kind of money."
The record-breaking Mega Millions prize has also meant increased customers at local convenience stores.
Starla Lauck, a clerk at E-Z Mart on 34th Street, said the amount of people that come in to the store looking for Mega Millions tickets has increased as the jackpot has grown.
"I would say my sales ... probably like anywhere from $800 to a $1,000 worth of Mega Millions tickets yesterday," Lauck said.
Nick Shrestha, manager of the Sonik Food Mart on Avenue Q, said he has not seen a huge increase in customers looking to purchase lottery tickets, but he has noticed a slight swell.
"Since the prize has gone up and up every day," Shrestha said, "people have been coming in and buying the tickets."
Shrestha said he was delighted at the thought of someone purchasing a winning lottery ticket at his store.
"I would really like that," Shrestha said. "That would be nice."
Tuesday night's drawing yielded two winners, both from Texas, who matched five of the numbers, but not the Mega Ball.
According to the Texas Lottery, the odds of winning the big prize are approximately 1 in 176 million.
The odds might be slim, but that doesn't stop people from dreaming.
Medical salesman Randall Beasley said if he won, he would donate a good chunk of the winnings to his alma mater, Texas Tech.
"I'd probably invest most of it and give a lot to my church and a lot to Texas Tech," Beasley said, "and make sure my family and friends got plenty."
Some people, like floor technician Adam Cavazos, just want to pay off those pesky bills.
"If I ever won the lotto," Cavazos said, "I would get out of debt, pay off my bills and fix my truck."
The winning numbers are broadcast each Tuesday and Friday at 10:12 p.m.