Feeling Lucky? Mega Jackpot Draws Lotto Players to Local Deli

Mar 06, 02:47 PM

Current Headlines: By Ed Fletcher, The Sacramento Bee, Calif.

Mar. 6--Lichine's Liquor & Deli has more than 1,000 square feet of chips, snacks, beer, wine -- the cheap stuff and the good stuff -- but patron after patron lined up Monday with one thing in mind: Mega Millions.

A projected $355 million jackpot -- a California record -- has sparked a new outbreak of Lotto fever. The staggering figure is the third-largest in U.S. history.

The drawing takes place at 8 p.m. today.

"I feel lucky," said south Sacramento resident Louis Zabala. "I got a chance, just like everyone else."

His odds: 1 in 176 million.

Lichine's, at the intersection of Florin Road and South Land Park Drive, has a reputation for producing winners.

In recent years, it has sold two multimillion-dollar jackpot winners. Scores of smaller winning tickets line the walls.

"We have just been pretty lucky in the past," said Ken Lo, a store manager.

He said the line will stretch out the door as folks get off work and the deadline nears today.

Fran Green said a co-worker told her about the lucky lottery place. She now drives from Elk Grove to buy her tickets. She has not been disappointed.

"The first time I played, I won $130 on one ticket and $36 on the other one," Green said.

She said she would help her family, friends and the less fortunate if she wins.

The quick pace of altruistic ticket buying prompted officials conducting the multi-state lottery on Monday to increase the projected payout from $340 million to $355 million.

The Mega Millions game is made up of lottery players in California, New York, Texas, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Virginia, New Jersey, Ohio and Washington. In California, it's played in addition to the California-only SuperLotto Plus.

The largest California payout came in November 2005 when seven players shared a $315 million Mega Millions jackpot. The largest California-only payout was $193 million in 2002.

The 12-state Mega Millions lottery expanded to California in 2005 with much fanfare, but also brought on an unsuccessful lawsuit and criticism that prompted the acting state lottery director to resign.

But state lottery officials, who administer sales locally, said Monday the multi-state lottery has been a success.

Mega Millions offered Californians a chance to win $170 million just weeks after tickets went on sale in California in 2005.

Still, the game hasn't produced many blockbuster jackpots recently. California Lottery spokesman Rob McAndrews said the unusual streak of people being lucky (and winning) has prevented the game from rolling over and producing the big jackpot.

Monday afternoon Henry Ching stopped by Lichine's to buy $144 in tickets for friends and a family pool. If none win, Ching said, he wants to see the jackpot roll over again.

"I want to see this over $400 million," he said.

That would produce an even bigger spike in lotto fever.

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