Soaring lottery jackpot brings excitement to St. Joseph

By Chris Fortune

Lottery players in St. Joseph are feeling hopeful as the Powerball jackpot continues to climb.

Another drawing this weekend will give players across the country another shot at the enormous $935 million jackpot.

The Cenex at 320 Edmond St. has its regulars who buy lottery tickets, but when the Powerball reaches a certain amount, it generates even more excitement for customers.

“Once it gets close to that billion, probably like $8 (billion) to $850 billion, and it’s, ‘Oh, it’s getting up there, it’s getting up there,’” cashier Evony Tsovilas said. “And then once it keeps going and going, you see a heck of a lot more people.”

One visitor at the gas station buys Powerball tickets regardless of the amount of prize money. If she won, she would be riding around town in a new vehicle.

“I would buy two new cars,” Virginia Burton said. “One for me and one for my husband, go on a long vacation, and what happens from there just happens.”

Some lottery players’ dreams, like Brian Mulligan’s, are a little more extravagant and even charitable.

“I would buy an island and take everybody from Cenex here with me and all of my friends and family,” he said. “Perhaps even open up a homeless shelter.”

The chances of winning the Powerball are an improbable 1 in 292 million. The population of the United States is over 336 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, but anything is possible for Mulligan.

“I’d say I’ve got a very good chance, most certainly, and it’s a beautiful day,” he said.

Even though the odds are steep, winning the Powerball jackpot does happen, even in the Midwest. The last winner was announced in January, with the winning ticket being sold in Michigan.

“I just want to wish everybody luck,” Burton said. “You can’t win if you don’t buy.”

The next Powerball drawing will take place on Saturday.