Record Mega Millions Jackpot Drives Sales in Prospect Heights

With the jackpot for the 42-state Mega Millions lottery accelerating past the $500 million mark on Thursday, more and more people are lining up for their share of the dream, and Prospect Heights is no exception. 

At at the corner of Underhill Avenue and Sterling Place, Prospect Heighters have been coming in in droves since 7 a.m. Thursday morning, said Angel Espinal, who works at the shop. 

At  at the corner of Dean Street and Sixth Avenue, store clerk Ahmed Mohammed said he sold one person $600 worth of tickets today for a pool of electricians.

There haven't been lines around the block, but Mohammed has had as many as five people waiting for tickets at once—a big deal for his shop, which is not on a very busy corner. 

Mohammed said he busy a ticket for every hundred dollars of tickets he sells; so far he has 18.

If he wins?

"Half of it will go to charity—every charity there is I won't discriminate as long as it's a legitimate charity. And half will go to me and my family and friends," he said.

New York State is No. 3 for lottery-ticket buying, according to dailyfinance.com. But New Yorkers shouldn't get their hopes up too high. According to the site, people have a better chance of getting struck by lightning, dying in an airplane crash, being dealt a royal flush in a given hand of poker or dying from a flesh-eating bacteria htan winning a Mega Millions jackpot.

Your last chance to pick up a ticket is 10:45 p.m. on Friday. The drawing will take place at 11 p.m.