DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — When word got out that a southeast Pennsylvania 7-Eleven sold a $1 million Powerball ticket on Saturday, superstitious dreamers began pouring into the store in the hopes that luck would strike twice.
For jackpots as big as Wednesday's Powerball pot, which stood at an estimated $425 million Tuesday, convenience stores, gas stations and newsstands throughout the 43 states and other places where the game is played are deluged by ticket requests, including many from those who only play for massive jackpots they see as life-changing.
It's not just ticketholders who benefit from a lottery win, but the stores like the one in Langhorne, Pa., which sold Saturday's $1 million ticket. In addition to the bonus money the lottery gives to stores that sell tickets that win big, the retailers receive media coverage that can last for days and best of all, get a boost from becoming known as the place that sold a winning ticket.