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American Morning
Jackpot Frenzy
Aired December 24, 2002 - 07:06 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Many people are spending their money on Powerball tickets. We know that. The lottery prize is expected to top $280 million by tomorrow night's drawing.
Powerball, as you might know, is played in 23 states, the District of Columbia the U.S. Virgin Islands, and one of those states is Connecticut, where there's always a lot of traffic getting to some of these gas stations that sell tickets. That's where we find Michael Okwu this morning.
You're out in Greenwich this morning. Good morning.
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula. I'm in Greenwich, Connecticut, and as you say, this is one of 23 states that's playing Powerball; $280 million is the jackpot at this point. That's why you can see all of these people behind me playing. They've come in as far away as Brooklyn and New Jersey, and state officials are telling us that they're playing at the rate of about 6,000 per minute here in Connecticut.
This young man -- can I talk to you for a moment?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
OKWU: Where are you from?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: New Jersey.
OKWU: You came in from New Jersey...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
OKWU: ... this morning.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
OKWU: Why?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For $280 million.
OKWU: So, what's the investment for $280 million? What are you spending today?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably about $100 for co-workers and my parents and family, friends, what have you.
OKWU: $100. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
OKWU: So, what are your chances, do you think?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably slim to nil, but you've got to be in it to win it, I guess.
OKWU: What are you going to do with the money if you win?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Retire.
OKWU: Thanks for chatting with us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
OKWU: Paula, you can see that there are not too many people in here today at this hour, but we are told that there are going to be many more people. In fact, a couple of years ago here in Greenwich, Connecticut, the streets were completely teeming with people.
This is A.J. (ph), who runs the place. How are you doing, A.J. (ph)?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fine. How are you?
OKWU: What's your traffic been like in the last couple of days?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's really crazy here. It's too much (ph) traffic here for the last two days. We have been seeing on Sunday morning, also when you came here, there were people here in the morning. Yesterday, it was the same, and this morning, also we had almost like 15-20 people who were waiting outside.
OKWU: The economy is not doing very well. It's Christmas time. So, a lot of people are already spending money. You would think that you wouldn't have as many people out here spending cash. But are you saying that that's not the case?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I was thinking that because of the economy, because of the politicisms (ph) and because people are busy buying gifts for their loved ones, there won't be a line here. But when I see the line here this morning, I thought that the first priority is making money, and this is the best chance to make money and fulfill of their dreams, and so people are just coming here to buy...
(CROSSTALK)
OKWU: Very quickly, A.J. (ph), your experience in this, not a lot of people here now. What will this place look like in a couple of hours, do you think?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm definitely sure that there will be really so many people here, and we'll be swamped, absolutely, yes.
OKWU: OK, thank you, A.J. (ph). Paula, about four numbers were added onto the Powerball lottery, so that means that your chances of winning went from 1 in 80 million to 1 in 120 million, if you can believe that -- Paula.
ZAHN: As that guest you just interviewed said, you've got to be in the game to at least try to win, right?
OKWU: That's exactly right.
ZAHN: Thanks, Michael. Have a good holiday, and good luck with all of the traffic.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired December 24, 2002 - 07:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Many people are spending their money on Powerball tickets. We know that. The lottery prize is expected to top $280 million by tomorrow night's drawing.
Powerball, as you might know, is played in 23 states, the District of Columbia the U.S. Virgin Islands, and one of those states is Connecticut, where there's always a lot of traffic getting to some of these gas stations that sell tickets. That's where we find Michael Okwu this morning.
You're out in Greenwich this morning. Good morning.
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula. I'm in Greenwich, Connecticut, and as you say, this is one of 23 states that's playing Powerball; $280 million is the jackpot at this point. That's why you can see all of these people behind me playing. They've come in as far away as Brooklyn and New Jersey, and state officials are telling us that they're playing at the rate of about 6,000 per minute here in Connecticut.
This young man -- can I talk to you for a moment?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
OKWU: Where are you from?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: New Jersey.
OKWU: You came in from New Jersey...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
OKWU: ... this morning.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
OKWU: Why?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For $280 million.
OKWU: So, what's the investment for $280 million? What are you spending today?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably about $100 for co-workers and my parents and family, friends, what have you.
OKWU: $100. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
OKWU: So, what are your chances, do you think?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably slim to nil, but you've got to be in it to win it, I guess.
OKWU: What are you going to do with the money if you win?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Retire.
OKWU: Thanks for chatting with us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
OKWU: Paula, you can see that there are not too many people in here today at this hour, but we are told that there are going to be many more people. In fact, a couple of years ago here in Greenwich, Connecticut, the streets were completely teeming with people.
This is A.J. (ph), who runs the place. How are you doing, A.J. (ph)?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fine. How are you?
OKWU: What's your traffic been like in the last couple of days?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's really crazy here. It's too much (ph) traffic here for the last two days. We have been seeing on Sunday morning, also when you came here, there were people here in the morning. Yesterday, it was the same, and this morning, also we had almost like 15-20 people who were waiting outside.
OKWU: The economy is not doing very well. It's Christmas time. So, a lot of people are already spending money. You would think that you wouldn't have as many people out here spending cash. But are you saying that that's not the case?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I was thinking that because of the economy, because of the politicisms (ph) and because people are busy buying gifts for their loved ones, there won't be a line here. But when I see the line here this morning, I thought that the first priority is making money, and this is the best chance to make money and fulfill of their dreams, and so people are just coming here to buy...
(CROSSTALK)
OKWU: Very quickly, A.J. (ph), your experience in this, not a lot of people here now. What will this place look like in a couple of hours, do you think?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm definitely sure that there will be really so many people here, and we'll be swamped, absolutely, yes.
OKWU: OK, thank you, A.J. (ph). Paula, about four numbers were added onto the Powerball lottery, so that means that your chances of winning went from 1 in 80 million to 1 in 120 million, if you can believe that -- Paula.
ZAHN: As that guest you just interviewed said, you've got to be in the game to at least try to win, right?
OKWU: That's exactly right.
ZAHN: Thanks, Michael. Have a good holiday, and good luck with all of the traffic.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
