Playing and hoping to win

STEUBENVILLE --Thomas Ighnat of Steubenville handed the cashier at the Convenient Food Mart $4 for two Powerball tickets Friday morning.

“I play the Powerball when it gets to a large total, so I came in today to play two tickets. You can’t win if you don’t play, so we will see what happens,” said Ighnat.

The multi-state Powerball jackpot prize stood at more than $535 million as of Friday night and expected to grow even larger by the drawing at 11 p.m. today. That jackpot has been growing since it was last hit on June 10. The winner of that drawing, Jeff Lindsay of Menifee, Calif., claimed $447.8 million, which was the10th-largest lottery jackpot won in the United States.

If no one wins the grand prize tonight, the lottery will continue to grow for the Wednesday night drawing.

The odds of winning tonight’s Powerball drawing, according to the Ohio Lottery Commission, are 1 in 292,201,338.

The largest Powerball prize came in January 2016 when $1.586 billion was won by players in three different states.

“I have played in the past and won small money. If I won the entire prize, I would be living large. Probably get a boat and also go on a cruise,” said Ighnat, a retired truck driver.

He was followed to the Convenient Food Mart Store checkout counter by Angelo Lamatrice of Steubenville, who said he plays the Powerball every week.

“I usually buy on Tuesdays and Thursdays but I am a day late this time so maybe that will change my luck,” laughed Lamatrice.

“If I won the prize my entire family would be pretty happy,” he noted.

Cashier Stacie Travis said the number of customers buying Powerball tickets Friday had been steady, but she expected the customers to increase today.

“People are spending between $5 and $10. And there are people buying $40 worth of tickets. Some people just buy for themselves but there are a lot of people who go together on their ticket purchases. I will probably buy one ticket before I leave work today,” Travis declared.

Steubenville winner Sherry Thompson plays the Ohio Lottery but said she does not play the Powerball game.

“I don’t think I have a chance in that game. Too many people playing it,” Thompson said.

According to Nikki Hython, a cashier/clerk at the Ruff Creek Market on North Seventh Street, “it has been hectic the past few days with people buying six or eight tickets.”

“They always ask me to give them a winning ticket, so I hope I have,” she remarked.

“Our busy time usually starts around noon and then again at 6 p.m. And, I expect Saturday is going to be even more hectic as the Powerball winnings gets larger,” predicted Hython.

“I am spending $10 on Powerball tickets today and I hope I am a winner. If I win I know a lot of people who can use some help. That is what I would do with the money. Help the homeless, the food shelters and the animal shelters to start. I know I am taking a chance but you have to play to win,” explained Kathy Woles of Weirton.

Julian Gillison of Steubenville stopped at the Ruff Creek store to buy Powerball tickets.

“If I win, I will give back to the community,” commented Gillison.

Xavier Weathers of Steubenville resident almost forgot to buy a Powerball ticket Friday.

“My wife told me to get a ticket when I was leaving to come here. If I would win I could put my kids through college,” Weathers stated.

“If I win I will retire from my job,” said Chuck Jones of Weirton.

“I am buying three tickets today and winning would make me very happy,” Jones said.

The Ohio Lottery Commission reported a winning ticket holder would see at least $17 million a year before taxes if the lone winner takes the jackpot in 30 annual payments.

The cash payout before taxes is more than $324 million.

(Gossett can be contacted at dgossett@heraldstaronline.com.)