Many people in the Valley lining up for their chance to win the second largest Powerball Jackpot
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Elite Liquors in Northwest Fresno was full of Powerball players convinced they had the winning ticket. With over $700-million up for grabs office pools have quickly formed.
Chris Nguyen was ready to share the jackpot with 28 co-workers.
"Right now we bought an extra 54. One of the co-workers went out and got them from two other places to kind of spread it around so we have 154."
Store owners do not expect to catch much of a break until after the drawing.
Store owner Bob Bhaurla said, "The people are getting crazy. They want more and more. It's like the American dream."
Fresno City College math professor Nate Allen uses Powerball as a lesson in probability; the odds of winning-- one in 292 million.
"If you were to walk foot over foot from Fresno to New York back and forth foot over foot, 19 times and you told me the one foot, that one step that you took, that's where the jackpot is. That's the equivalent of your chance of winning."
So you are saying there's a chance.
"You actually have a better chance of being struck by lightning, twice, in your lifetime."
"There's a chance. Still there's a chance," Bhaurla said.
That one shot though was enough to get casual players off the fence.
"Now do you normally play," our reporter asked.
"No, when it gets this high I run in and get a ticket," Bob Buckenberger of Fresno said.
Two years ago Powerball added 10 numbers to the draw, which created bigger jackpots but also decreased your chances of winning them.
"Yeah, it sure does. It makes it more difficult but somebody will win it here in Fresno," said Art Noroian of Fresno.
Some of you prefer Mega Millions over Powerball because of the price, but on October 28th Mega Millions will also cost you two dollars and the jackpot will start at $40-million just like Powerball.
And by adding numbers your chance of winning big will decrease.
