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American Morning

$200 Million Powerball Prize Up for Grabs

Aired August 22, 2001 - 09:08   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the frenzy over another big lottery jackpot: The $200 million Powerball prize is up for grabs tonight. Wannabe millionaires are snatching up tickets in 21 states and the District of Columbia as well.

CNN's Skip Loescher is at Rodman's Pharmacy in the nation's capital this morning.

All right, what's it looking like out there?

SKIP LOESCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It looks like what you'd expect, Leon. Lots of people lining up here, trying to get those ticket, one of which they hope will be the lucky one and net them more than $200 million. Now that of course is before the tax man gets through all of this. He'll step in and take a fair chunk out of it, even if it is a lump-sum payment, down to $110 million, but enough to keep you going for a few days, if nothing else.

The question is, can you really win this thing? do you want to buy 20 or 30 tickets or simply one. Lottery officials say buy one ticket, not 20 or 30, because it really doesn't increase your odds. Your of winning no matter how many tickets is 1 in 80 million. You stand more chance, says a D.C. Lottery Board official, of getting hit by lightning twice on a sunny day you do than winning this lottery no matter how many tickets you buy.

People are lined up here waiting and hoping, clearly if you win this thing, it changes your lifestyle permanently. That's what somebody is wishing for -- Leon.

HARRIS: Skip, odds don't mean anything, you are talking to a Browns' fan. I can tell you what the odds mean for you.

LOESCHER: I'm a Cubs fan, too.

HARRIS: There you go. Of all the people you talked to who came the furthest away to buy the tickets?

LOESCHER: All of the people we talked to thus far have been from the D.C. metropolitan area. People from Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia and other points all over the place. That is happening in other states. As you said, 21 other states have Powerball, and people are coming from states that don't pick up their lottery tickets so they can be part of the action. HARRIS: All right, forget the Powerball, go Cubs and Browns!

LOESCHER: Sounds good to me.

HARRIS: Skip Loescher, all right, we'll talk to you later on, buddy.

LOESCHER: Take care, Leon.

HARRIS: All right, you, too.

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