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CNN Saturday Morning News
Lines Swell as People Vie for Powerball's $280 Million Jackpot
Aired August 25, 2001 - 09:16 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.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN ANCHOR: The odds are really long, and so are the lines this morning. People are lining up across the country to buy Powerball tickets. The payoff, $280 million, if you haven't already heard. And the drawing is tonight. Tickets on sale in 21 states and the District of Columbia.
Which is where we find CNN's Kathleen Koch. And I will resist the temptation that countless anchors have apparently succumbed to and asked me over the years, Have you bought a ticket? Kathleen, I don't care whether you have, but I do want to know what everybody else is doing out there.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we are here at one of the busiest lottery retailers in the Washington, D.C., area. As you can see, the line is stretching out behind me. We've got about 40 people in line right now. But they were in the lineup here at 5:30 this morning, more than 100 people.
What is really awesome is that this lottery retailer actually has four Powerball machines inside cranking out tickets nonstop, and there is still the line.
Now, D.C. officials say that for Wednesday's drawing alone, they sold 20 times the normal number of tickets. They say they will actually top that number today.
Now, let's go talk to some of the people who are buying tickets.
Would you tell me, sir, how many tickets do you plan to get today?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm planning on getting five tickets today.
KOCH: Do you know what the odds are, one in 80 million, of you winning?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I do.
KOCH: And that doesn't deter you a bit?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not a bit.
KOCH: What about you, sir? How many tickets are you buying?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fifteen.
KOCH: Fifteen. Now, what are you going to do if you win that big $280 million jackpot?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My kids will decide that.
KOCH: Now, with us is Laverne. Laverne, if you would step on in here. She has been working with -- Laverne Hines has been working with the D.C. lottery for some 19 years. How do these lines compare to past jet -- lottery -- Powerball jackpots?
LAVERNE HINES, D.C. LOTTERY: Well, the lines are very long, and we're able to put out as many tickets as possible, so everybody's just happy.
KOCH: Now, Laverne, in the states actually and the District of Columbia get about 50 percent of what people are betting right now today. I know that in Connecticut it goes toward education, in West Virginia it goes to parks and senior citizens. What happens to the money here in the District of Columbia?
HINES: A lot of money goes to education, but most of the money goes to the general fund, and therefore it's disbursed as needed for the city.
KOCH: Now, you have been here since the wee hours of this morning. Why do you have so many people on hand, as well as some D.C. officers helping you out here?
HINES: Well, we want to keep everyone happy and keep the line moving, and keep the parking, you know, so that everybody can park their cars and get in and get out.
KOCH: All right. And I understand they have had some luck here in the past with jackpot winners, is that correct?
HINES: Yes, this store had a $16.9 million winner and also a $4.2 million winner.
KOCH: All right. Laverne Hines, thank you very much.
So there is a history of luck here. But, you know, that luck does not always hold. Statistics show that people who win these multistate lotteries, that one-third of them end up bankrupt within just a few years because of poor financial management.
Back to you.
FLOCK: Kathleen, that is a cheery thought.
Stick with us, though, we'll check back in with you later this hour, perhaps, and see what the latest is.
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