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Lotto prize's appeal reaches critical mass
By Times staff writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published January 16, 2002
Feeling lucky?
The Florida Lotto has rolled over seven straight times without a winner, so the jackpot has reached $60-million for tonight's drawing. It's the state's highest jackpot in 18 months, the 10th highest in Florida history, and the largest single-state lottery prize in the country right now.
"We're getting into the lofty regions of Lotto jackpots," said Florida Lottery spokesman Leo DeBenigno.
The rich prize has Floridians lining up for Lotto tickets all over the state. They were buying 6,500 tickets per minute Tuesday afternoon, a rate expected to climb to about 25,000 per minute before sales stop at 10:40 tonight.
Responding to the demand, Florida Lottery workers installed 25 lottery ticket terminals at retail outlets along the Georgia and Alabama borders, where sales shoot up with big jackpots.
The $60-million jackpot is only $1-million less than the 21-state Powerball jackpot.
Lottery officials said they raised the jackpot from $57-million to $60-million Tuesday because of strong sales. The jackpot could go up another $1-million or so, depending on ticket sales today.
Florida's biggest jackpots typically go to multiple winners. But if a one person won tonight's Florida Lotto, he or she would get $2-million a year for 30 years, or a lump sum of $28-million or $29-million.
If no one wins tonight, the prize will roll over an eighth time to about $75-million, DeBenigno said.
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