Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, December 11, 1993 TAG: 9312110159
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BONNIE WINSTON and LISA APPLEGATE STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
With $12 million up for grabs in tonight's Lotto jackpot, Virginia lottery retailers across the state see visions of sugar plums - and big bucks - dancing through the heads of customers.
The jackpot, at its highest since August, has the Roanoke operators of those big, green lottery machines working overtime.
"It seems all I've been doing since we opened at 10 is sell tickets," Carolyn Schneider said. Schneider's Smoke Shoppe in Tanglewood Mall, which is owned by Carolyn and her husband, Richard, was "swamped" with lottery buyers plus Christmas shoppers all day Friday.
Richard Milan, one of the brothers at the Milan Bros. store on Jefferson Street, said people had been streaming in since Wednesday. "Many are hoping for help with their Santa Claus duties," Milan said.
Paula Otto, spokeswoman for the state Lottery Department, said that between noon Friday and tonight's 11:20 drawing, sales are expected to exceed $3 million.
"We definitely are seeing a dramatic increase in sales," Otto said. "It seems $10 million is the magic number when some of those bench warmers come out and play. And, of course, everyone enjoys a chance of winning and sharing and making many people's holidays happy."
Milan said some customers are hoping to win the entire jackpot. "I try to tell them - just wish for part of the $12 million - but they're greedy and want it all."
The jackpot has rolled over since Nov. 13, producing tonight's payoff - the highest since Aug. 25, when the kitty reached $24.5 million.
A single winner of tonight's $12 million jackpot would receive $600,000 annually for 20 years. After taxes, the prize would total $408,000 each year, Otto said.
"We've even got groups of co-workers of some of the downtown businesses pooling their money and buying $100 or $125 worth of tickets," Milan said.
Whether buyers want to win all or part of the Lotto, Schneider said everyone has a plan. "It's fun to talk about what they'll do with the money. Everyone's smiling and in a good mood," she said.
"We had someone tell us he'd take the whole staff out to dinner if he won," said another Milan Bros. worker, who wanted to remain anonymous.
How lottery buyers pick their numbers varies as much as what they dream of doing with the prize. Milan said the methods vary, but each one is laced with superstition.
"Some use the zodiac signs, some use their street number or the number of the bus they rode this morning. Sometimes, if I accidentally hit the wrong number in the computer, they won't let me do it over because they think it was good fortune," Milan said.
For Christmas shopping, the Lotto offers subscriptions for gift givers: For $52, the same six numbers, picked by either the buyer or the lottery computer, will be played for the Lotto's twice-weekly drawings for six months. For $104, the numbers will be played twice weekly for a year.
She suggested that if the Lotto continues to grow, it could reach $25 million by Dec. 25. Because Christmas falls on a Saturday, the lottery will hold its drawing Dec. 24, Otto said.
"Without a doubt, someone might have a very merry Christmas then," Otto said.
by CNB