SIDNEY — With no grand prize-winning ticket claimed from Tuesday’s drawing, the Mega Millions jackpot is estimated at $445 million as of Thursday, Jan. 4, and could grow before the next drawing on Friday at 11 p.m.
The Powerball, which also yielded no jackpot winner from its drawing on Wednesday, is now set at $550 million. The next drawing is scheduled for Saturday at 10:59 p.m.
Prospective winners of the upcoming Mega Millions and Powerball drawings could receive $277 million and $347.9 million, respectively, in cash value.
Business owners throughout Sidney said they see a definite change in lottery ticket sales whenever there is a rise in the jackpot total.
“You always sell more when (the jackpot) gets this high,” said Phil Walter, owner of Riverside Carryout, located at 1015 Riverside Drive.
Walter said he and his wife, Nancy, can expect around 50 to 60 customers on any given day to buy lottery tickets at their store, and even more on days when the jackpot is high.
While he hasn’t sold a jackpot-winning Mega Millions ticket, Walter said he has sold several winning $10 instant tickets, one totalling a payout of $1 million in 2010 and, most recently, one totalling $10,000 in December.
Roshan Patel, owner of Sidney Dairy Mart, located at 1206 Michigan St., said he gets anywhere from 80 to 100 lottery ticket-buying customers each day, many of whom are regulars at his store.
“We sell about $65,000 to $75,000 per month in tickets,” he said.
Patel said he also notices an influx in customers, both regulars and not, buying lottery tickets when the jackpots are high.
“If it’s advertised properly, more people play,” he said.
Patel has sold many winning tickets throughout the years, and said he does so regularly. Just last Friday, he sold a winning $5,000 scratch-off.
He said he has also had customers come close to having all of the Mega Millions jackpot numbers.
“Somebody hit four numbers with Mega (Millions) last time,” Patel said. “I’m just waiting for someone to come with all five.”
